Public Administration in a Global Mode: With Sympathy and Compassion

Abstract

As society becomes increasingly complex and more globalized, greater emphasis needs to be placed on the development of democratic values and virtues and a humanistic mindset if the future of public administration is to prove viable and vital in the global advancement of democracy. In this climate, and as international government systems become more commonplace, the responsibility for promoting the ethical-moral values of democracy rests most directly on the public managers and policymakers of democratic systems. Viewed in the context of global systems of democratic governance, the ideal public administrator is a citizen first. This ethical perspective of the public servant as a democratic citizen is consistent with the emerging view in the field of public policy and administration that supports participatory forms of decision-making, collaboration, and responsiveness. Moreover, it extends the conception of the citizen public servant into the global environment. Public administration in a global mode depends heavily on the adoption of international administrative systems that rely on democratic ideals and public administrators who are committed to openness and citizen involvement for the common good, in spite of the ambiguous meaning of the term "common good" in the global age.