Whistle-Blowing and Its Effects

¶ … Alma Joseph's case study, "The Dilemma Public Service Department" Public Performance & Management Review, Vol. 24, No. 3, March 2001, pp. 285-287-Attached pdf This case study analysis paper approximately 3 full pages (double-spaced, 1" margins, 12 pt font), address issues: In terms administrative responsibilities, mind case: honesty, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, accountability, competence,. Honesty is certainly one of the primary concepts that come to mind when considering Alex and the way he chose to approach the problems he came across.

While his attitude is certainly praise-worthy, it is difficult not to think about how he is somewhat naive in this situation. A more experienced public official would have probably given more thought to the situation he was in and would have focused on addressing the problem in a way that causes as little harm as possible. The main idea is that the respective problems were not necessarily new and it thus meant that many other public officials were well-acquainted with what had been going on.

To a certain degree, it would be safe to say that the governor himself was responsible for malfeasance, taking into account that it was likely for him to know what had been going 'under his roof'. Other people in the department were in a similar position and they practically had to weigh the problem and decide whether or not it would be in their best interest to turn a blind eye.

Misfeasance would partly characterize Alex, given that he was well-aware that being a whistle blower would mean that he would act against individuals that he identified with. He came across an ethical dilemma as he struggled to decide whether or not he should do something about it. The fact that he is initially hesitant about considering the anonymous letters actually shows that he has blind faith in his colleagues.

Nonfeasance dominated the environment in the Public Service Department, with many considering that it would be in their best interest to employ an indifferent attitude with regard to persons who were abusing their positions. Even though it was their duty to act, these people virtually chose to keep their jobs and image instead of seriously damaging it. Question 2 There are both advantages and disadvantages when considering Alex's decision. The obvious advantage is the fact that he maintains his integrity.

By doing this, he seriously improved his self-esteem and made it possible for everyone to observe that he valued justice over everything else. While being honest is certainly admirable, it would be difficult to ignore the fact that many individuals in the Public Service Department are going to see Alex as a traitor as a consequence of him choosing to expose everyone who was responsible for illegalities occurring in the department.

As previously mentioned, the public official dealt with an ethical dilemma as he was trying to decide what the best option would be. Alex is certainly well-acquainted with the impact that his actions can have on each division in the department and on the department as a whole.

Even though his integrity would be seriously uplifted, the fact that he would have to act against people who (at some point in their lives) probably considered him a friend makes it difficult for him to consider all the sides of the problem. Question 3 Expecting continuance of the Status Quo is an important concept when considering Alex's situation. He is well-acquainted with the fact that change is perfectly normal and has very little hesitation about being a whistle-blower.

When considering the overall state of affairs, it actually seems perfectly logical for someone to denounce unlawful behavior in the institution. Alex would practically play an important role in making the Public Service Department by removing threatening elements from it. Discounting Details is similarly important in this situation, as Alex should not consider sticking to his general role in the company and ignore information that can be essential.

The fact that he initially has the tendency to discount stories in the letters because they were anonymous demonstrates that it was actually possible for him to turn a blind-eye to everything that happened and focus on matters that he dealt with directly.