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Ethical Challenges in the City Manager/City Councilmember Relationship
These scenarios were developed by Frank Benest, senior advisor to the International City/County Management Association,and delivered to a meeting of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Public Sector Roundtable April 20, 2012.
Select one (1) of the three scenarios.
Scenario 1
A developer is proposing a major commercial development with of lots of name recognition. The mayor suggests that the council appoint her and another councilmember to a committee in order to negotiate a package of community benefits as part of the entitlement process. The city manager and city attorney are upset that staff have not been designated as the negotiators so the mayor suggests to the council that the manager, attorney and community development director attend the meetings with the developer, but the mayor and the other councilmember will take the lead.
In the negotiations, both councilmembers push similar community benefits, but the mayor and councilmember clearly have a few different priorities. The negotiations seem to drag on, but finally the developer puts together a package of benefits generally supported by the two councilmembers. At the direction of the council negotiating committee, the city manager then schedules the project and the community benefits package for an upcoming council agenda.
Just prior to the public hearing in front of the council, the mayor goes privately to the developer and tells him that the mayor won’t the support the project unless the developer adds to the package a pedestrian and bike trail segment that completes the community’s neighborhood trails program. The developer agrees to fund the trails segment, and the mayor indicates that she will publicly support the project at the hearing.
Scenario 2
A councilmember is actively supported by open space advocates in the region. The councilmember approaches a baylands protection, non-profit advocacy group and proposes a baylands public education program for children that could be funded by the city government and operated by the agency. After meeting with the president and executive director of the non-profit, the councilmember approaches the city’s sustainability coordinator and encourages the staff person to develop a proposal to fund the project.
The sustainability coordinator refers the councilmember to the city manager. The councilmember then meets with the city manager and strongly recommends that she schedule the proposal for council consideration. Given the ongoing fiscal challenges of the city, the manager does not feel that the proposal is a priority and suggests that the councilmember approach the mayor to see if the mayor will support the agenda item. The councilmember is upset and feels that the manager is a roadblock.
Scenario 3
The city manager has an excellent relationship with one of the councilmembers and gets a lot of political support from him regarding her recommendations. The councilmember makes time to meet every week with the manager and gets updated on all important city matters, including upcoming council agenda items. The manager provides more information to this particular councilmember than the other councilmembers. Based on their strong relationship, the councilmember discusses with the city manager strategy to move initiatives forward and to create majority support on the council for specific actions.
Assignment Specifics:
Answer both A and B.
A.  Identify the ethical dilemma (from your selected scenario) and explain the dilemma.
     Provide no less than two (2) actions that each identified public administrator may
     take. Explain.
B.  Using Practices to Promote the ASPA Code of Ethics (in this assignment folder) from
                 the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), select one (1) of the eight (8)
     standards.  Explain how your selected standard relates to your selected scenario.

Sample Solution

Culturally Considerate Business Practices for Japan, China, and Germany

Authority Figures

  • Japan: In Japan, authority figures are treated with great respect. This is evident in the way that people bow to their superiors and the use of honorific titles. It is important to be aware of the hierarchy in Japanese society and to show deference to authority figures. Avoid speaking directly to authority figures or contradicting them.
  • China: In China, authority figures are also treated with great respect. This is evident in the way that people address their elders and superiors by their titles and the use of formal language. It is important to be aware of the hierarchy in Chinese society and to show respect to authority figures. Avoid speaking directly to authority figures or questioning their decisions.
  • Germany: In Germany, authority figures are treated with respect, but to a lesser degree than in Japan and China. Germans are more direct in their communication and may be more likely to challenge authority figures. However, it is still important to be respectful of authority figures and to avoid being too informal.

Levels of Formality

  • Japan: Japanese business culture is very formal. This is evident in the way that people dress, speak, and behave in business settings. It is important to dress professionally and to use formal language when conducting business in Japan. Avoid being too casual or informal in your interactions with Japanese business professionals.
  • China: Chinese business culture is also very formal. This is evident in the way that people dress, speak, and behave in business settings. It is important to dress professionally and to use formal language when conducting business in China. Avoid being too casual or informal in your interactions with Chinese business professionals.
  • Germany: German business culture is less formal than Japanese and Chinese business culture. However, it is still important to dress professionally and to be respectful in business settings. Germans appreciate direct communication and value efficiency. Avoid being too casual or informal in your interactions with German business professionals.

Social Norms

  • Japan: Japanese culture places a high value on harmony and politeness. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and to avoid causing offense. Be mindful of your body language and avoid making loud noises in public. It is also important to be on time for business meetings and appointments.
  • China: Chinese culture also places a high value on harmony and politeness. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and to avoid causing offense. Be mindful of your body language and avoid making loud noises in public. It is also important to be on time for business meetings and appointments.
  • Germany: German culture is more direct and efficient than Japanese and Chinese culture. Germans appreciate frankness and value open communication. However, it is still important to be polite and respectful in business settings. Avoid being too casual or informal in your interactions with German business professionals.

Time and Scheduling

  • Japan: Punctuality is very important in Japan. It is considered rude to be late for business meetings or appointments. If you are running late, be sure to call or email the other party as soon as possible.
  • China: Punctuality is also very important in China. However, it is not uncommon for business meetings to start late. If you are late for a business meeting in China, it is best to apologize profusely.
  • Germany: Punctuality is very important in Germany. It is considered rude to be late for business meetings or appointments. If you are running late, be sure to call or email the other party as soon as possible.

Business Practices

  • Japan: It is important to build relationships with Japanese business partners before doing business with them. This can be done through social events, such as golf or dinners. It is also important to be patient and to respect Japanese business culture.
  • China: It is also important to build relationships with Chinese business partners before doing business with them. This can be done through social events, such as banquets or karaoke. It is also important to be respectful of Chinese business culture and to avoid being too pushy.
  • Germany: Germans appreciate direct communication and value efficiency. It is important to be prepared for business meetings and to have a clear agenda. It is also important to be respectful of German business culture and to avoid being too informal.

Additional Considerations

  • Meals: It is common to be invited to business meals in Japan, China, and Germany. It is important to be polite and respectful during these meals. Avoid talking about business during the meal and enjoy the company of your hosts.
  • Cultural Holidays and Events: It is important to be aware of cultural holidays and events in the countries you are visiting. This will help you to avoid scheduling business meetings during these times.
  • Use of Formal Contracts: It is common to use formal contracts when conducting business in Japan, China, and Germany. It is important to have your contracts reviewed by an attorney before signing them.

 

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