Values are essential components of organisational culture and instrumental in determining, guiding and informing behaviour. For bureaucracies, adherence to high-level public service values can generate substantial public trust and confidence. Conversely, weak application of values or promotion of inappropriate values can lead to reductions in these essential elements of democratic governance, as well as to ethical and decision-making dilemmas. While a core set of public service values is necessary, it is also true that different values apply to different parts of the public service. For example, a distinction may be made between technical, regulatory and administrative tasks, or between those parts of a bureaucracy in direct contact with the public and those which are not.
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Focus of the study
1.2 Methodology v 1.3 Structure of the paper
Chapter 2: Why public service values?
2.1 Why public service values?
2.2 The re-emergence of values
Chapter 3: Defining values
3.1 Defining values
3.2 Values and Ethics
3.3 Ethos, conduct and principles
Chapter 4: What are public service values?
4.1 Identifying public service values
4.2 Categorising public service values
Chapter 5: Value conflicts and challenges to values
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Value conflicts
5.3 Challenges to values
Chapter 6: Values in the Irish public service
6.1 Values expressed in official and secondary publications
6.2 Contemporary values in the Irish civil service
6.3 Commentary on key workshop findings
Chapter 7: Instilling values
7.1 Planning the development of values
7.2 Key elements in values development
Chapter 8: Conclusions and recommendations
Appendix 1 - Selected Codes of Conduct
References