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How Does a Code of Conduct Work? Should There Be A Code Of Ethics Or A Code Of Conduct For Public Officials?

Approach:

• Define Code of conduct.
• Arguments supporting either a code of ethics or a code of behaviour.
• Give a balanced conclusion.

Answers

• A code of conduct is a set of guidelines detailing the standards, obligations, and correct conduct of a person, group, or organisation.
• A well-written code of conduct also makes an organization’s mission, values, and guiding principles clear by connecting them to ethical standards.
• The code outlines the values the company wants to impart in its executives and employees, establishing expected behaviour.
• Written codes of conduct or ethics can therefore act as benchmarks against which to assess the successes of both people and organisations.
• A code serves as a primary reference point for staff to help with daily decision-making.

Code of conduct vs Code of ethics:

A code of ethics is typically a succinct declaration of values and overarching concepts that offers general direction to public servants. It is aspirational or value-based. With the idea that they will strive for greater standards, public employees and their managers are encouraged to agree on the parameters rather than the specifics of anticipated behaviour. All scenarios are covered by codes of ethics, which are simpler to memorise but challenging to uphold. They work best in organisations with a consistent administrative culture and a well-established professional ethos.

A code of conduct is either disciplinary or compliance-based. In this way, public employees are made aware of the minimal standards that must be upheld and the repercussions for failing to do so. While codes of behaviour can take up a lot of space and are challenging to memorise, they are simple to implement. They fit well in workplaces with a heterogamous administrative culture and a diversity of professional identities. In practise, most codes combine the two strategies, but not always equally.

The method of administration affects how well codes work. The more adaptable codes of ethics may be favoured by new public administration that places more of a focus on results than on processes. The well stated code of conduct may be more advantageous under traditional public administration that is based on the Weberian model of bureaucracy.

The basic approach to a code may depend on the country’s general administrative structure, which may be codification or convention/practice. However, in a vast and diverse nation like India, both the code of conduct and the code of ethics serve as guidelines for the public servants.