Responsible Governance: A Case Study Approach: A Case Study Approach

"Responsible governance is fundamental to the legitimacy, stability, trust, and credibility of government. Yet, as we know, perceptions and definitions of responsibility may change over time and place, depending on the setting and the situation at hand. Nevertheless, it is important to try to define the range of acceptable actions by the representatives of government, to strengthen institutional norms as well as individual officials' personal understanding of the ethical constraints on their behavior, and to attach consequences to violations of these norms." "Because that is not as easy a task as it sounds, this book uses case studies to describe what in retrospect appear to be egregious deviations from acceptable behavior. At the conclusion of each case, questions are posed that probe the ethical nature of specific actions. In the process of analyzing these cases, students will begin to formulate conceptions of ethical public sector behavior and responsible governance."--BOOK JACKET.

Steven G. Koven is professor of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville.