Ethical Dilemmas in the Public Administration of Pakistan

Course:
Comparative Public Administration

Submitted To:
Dr. Amir Saeed

Submitted By:
M. Azeem Pasha

Roll Number:
47

MPA- Sec B- Semester 3

Session 2017-19
Evening
 Ethical Dilemmas in the Public Administration of
Pakistan.

Introduction:

The developing countries like Pakistan have a history of ethical dilemmas in Public
Administration. The problems started from pre-colonial era when alien external ethics
were imposed in the local public administration by the foreigners. So when these norms
and ethics were imposed in these countries and this resulted in the emergence of an
ethical dilemma during the colonial era. But the main problem is that after the pre-
colonial era the things were not getting better for Pakistan because the administrative
ethics were based on imported ideas from the west. NPM is one of the biggest reason
because it applies on the problems and it fails to produce positive outcomes. So the
ethical dilemmas can still observed in the countries like Pakistan.

Ethical Dilemmas in the Public Administration of Pakistan – Pakistan

International Airline (PIA):

For the purpose of this paper, a public sector organization that I am proposing to
focus on is Pakistan International Airline (PIA). Vision and Mission PIA's vision is
to be world class airline exceeding customer expectations through dedicated
employees, committed to excellence, innovation products and absolute safety. But
the current position of PIA is very well known to everyone. The Pakistan
International Airlines is suffering from severe financial crisis. It is, in fact, passing
through a critical phase because of poor management, lack of maintenance, aged
fleet, nepotism, corruption and financial issues. There are complaints of terrible
service, long delayed flights, emergency crash landings, cancellation of flights,
shortage of planes,
unclean toilets that smell from a distance and non-serious attitude of the
administration. These issues create frustration among the passengers.
So the purpose of the study is to highlight the ethical dilemma that causes PIA the
most for its downfall.
Well after reading several articles and reports about both Ethical Dilemmas and
PIA , so in my point of view the one of the reason is “Performance Evaluation &
Appraisal Policy” and “Nepotism / Favoritism”. To give strength to my argument I
have interviewed 4 to 5 employees of Pakistan International Airlines regarding the
above mentioned ethical dilemma.
First I want to explain that how this performance appraisal policy works.
So as per SOP (Standing Operation Procedure) “Performance of employee is checked
on basis of different categories in which they are graded from point 1 to 5 depending
on their skills. All points given to candidate or employee is totaled, the total max
points are 40 points out of which candidate/employee getting 35+ points has high
chances of being hired or promoted to higher position, while 25 – 35 are kept in
merit list and 15 below are rejected.”
First it looks very attractive because as you see the this policy seems very
transparent but there are some serious issues in that because the final report is
sent to the HR department by the supervisor of every department and therein lies
the problem, one of the employ of PIA “A” told me that “first the policy looks great
and beneficial for us but after some time I saw favoritism takes place and the whole
Idea of the policy was demolished, so when it’s time for my promotion my supervisor
help the other guy and raise his/her points so that he/she get promoted”.

Initially the policy was a great step towards the wellbeing of the employees and the
company as the respondent “B” was telling me that “ in the first two years it was
going great and everyone was happy and focuses on the work because everyone
wanted to raise their points so that they get promoted but when “Nepotism /
Favoritism” takes place the performance goes down and politics /
flattery takes place”.

So when I was conducting interview I was noticing that Nepotism / favoritism has
just bulldoze such great policy, because all the four respondent has repeatedly said
that if you see the Appraisal & Evaluation Policy without “Nepotism / favoritism”
then it is one of the best thing for the employees and the Airline but when this
favoritism takes place in the policy the whole idea collapse.

One of my respondent “C” has sum up this Dilemma in one quote of Garry Marshall
“ When in doubt, you bring in relatives / Friends. Nepotism is a part of my work”.
Furthermore he told me that “now we all know that the promotion belongs to
friends, Family and the flattery”.

When I was conducting the interviews I have noticed that when these two things
“Performance Evaluation & Appraisal Policy” and “Nepotism / Favoritism” comes
together the employees not only getting lazy but the most important thing that they
get frustrated and become psychiatric patient because when I was with my last and
final respondent “D” I feel like sometimes we are so much frustrated that I once
need to go to the psychiatric to calm myself down. He further told me that “when
someone junior or incompetent guy gets promotion it hurts and we’ll all are
suffering some kind of psychological issues”.

When I was conducting interview “B” he told me that “favoritism creates leaving
early, intentionally delaying work, or taking long breaks, gossiping, or blaming
others”.
Same is the case with “C” he told me that “ we are just like fools and we are doing
our work properly and timely but when it’s time to get evaluated the promotion goes
in the pocket of the once who are favorites to the top management”.

While I was talking to A he told me that “through this ethical dilemma there comes
another problem and that is “Power” after the top management the power will be in
the hands of the employees who are favorite to the top management and they set
the duty roster according to their ease and the take leaves whenever they want”.

Last but not the least when I was talking to “D” he told me like “when these two
things combine together lack of values and virtues has shown for instance if a junior
is flattering or praising his/her boss he the boss will never see that there are other
employees some are elder some as well, people need leaves, some have emergency,
but no the boos always listen to the one who is praising him/her”.

Now I am coming towards conclusion and what I have learned and observe after
this activity with interviewing people is that the policy of Performance Evaluation
& Appraisal is not that bad for the employees but when the dilemma of Nepotism /
Favoritism is connect with the policy then it becomes so destroying that it effects
not only performance of the employees but their mental health is also effected.

Recommendations:

Well what I think is that there is only few things which can make this problem
solved. And these are Ethics, Values and Virtues.
These three things are the game changer of work place because if Ethics, Values &
Virtues are there you will observer commitment, individual performance, and
propensity to help others. Then one of the best thing through these traits you will
observer honesty, as an employee with a strong work ethic, you know better than
this. Refrain from lying or cheating to make others look bad. Instead, take
responsibility for mistakes, own up to failures and keep the lines of communication
open with everyone involved. Values and Virtues will lead to cooperation among
employees. These things keeps you in tune with their needs and gives you the urge
to reward them favorably for their accomplishments. You do not take them for
granted, fueling their drive to work harder. Employees with good morals set a
positive example for their coworkers.

Last but not the least all the responders admitted that if the above mentioned
things will introduced in PIA then this “Nepotism / Favoritism” will visibly shrink
in the organization because virtue management will lead towards transparency and
everyone will evaluate against his / her performance.
 Questionnaire
Respondent A

Q: Introduction of the Respondent?

Answer: My name is Muhammad Shoaib Bhatti and I am working as an Assistant

Manager Administration in Pakistan International Airline. I am working in Pakistan
International Airline for the last five years

Q: Do you know about the term Ethical Dilemma?

Answer: well I don’t know the exact definition of this term but I think when cases,
societal and personal ethical guidelines can provide no satisfactory outcome for the
chooser ethical dilemma takes place.

Q: Do you observe any Ethical Dilemma in PIA?

Answer: I have observed several Ethical Dilemmas in my five years carriers like
Administrative discretion. Corruption. Nepotism. Administrative secrecy. Information
leaks and much more but the thing which pinch me the most is “Nepotism /
Favoritism” because for me it has demotivated me the most and when you know
that you will get nothing out of hard work then why would you work properly?.

Q: What do you think that there is any relationship between “Performance Evaluation
& Appraisal Policy” and “Nepotism / Favoritism”?

Answer: The Relationship between the two is very strong today and devastating /
damaging as well, first the policy “Performance Evaluation & Appraisal” looks great
and beneficial for us but after some time I saw favoritism takes place and the whole
Idea of the policy was demolished, so when it’s time for my promotion my supervisor
help the other guy and raise his/her points so that he/she get promoted, and that
was the reason for me an most of us for the demotivation. One more thing is that
through this ethical dilemma there comes another problem and that is “Power” after
the top management the power will be in the hands of the employees who are
favorite to the top management and they set the duty roster according to their ease
and the take leaves whenever they want

Q: Recommendations?
Answer: There is only few things which can make this problem solved. And these
are Ethics, Values and Virtues. By inject these thing you will get
 1) Promoting Trust and Confidence.
2) Participation in decision making.
3) Honesty.
4) Integrity.
5) Compassion.
6) Benevolence.
7) Altruism.

Questionnaire
Respondent B

Q: Introduction Of the Respondent?

Answer: My name is Omer Asim and I am working in HR department as a HR Officer
in PIA. I am working in Pakistan International Airline for the last six years.

Q: Do you know about the term Ethical Dilemma?

Answer: for me it is basically an ambiguity or inadequacy in the law or a set of rules,

and the top management will get a chance to manipulate the policy in their own benefit.

Q: Do you observe any Ethical Dilemma in PIA?

Answer: I have observed many ethical dilemmas in these six years some of them are
Favoritism, Administrative secrecy, Information leaks, Public accountability, Policy
dilemmas.

Q: What do you think that there is any relationship between “Performance Evaluation
& Appraisal Policy” and “Nepotism / Favoritism”?

Answer: well I think now both of them has a very well built relationship and it is going
stronger day by day. If you asking my point of view then what is saw is like in the first
two years it was going great and everyone was happy and focuses on the work
because everyone wanted to raise their points so that they get promoted but when
“Nepotism / Favoritism” takes place the performance goes down and politics /
flattery takes place.
Q: Recommendations?
Answer: What I have seen through my experience I think we need to involve Values
and Virtue management in our organization like these things will provide transparency
plus through virtue management we will morally correct ourselves in official as well as
personal life.

Questionnaire
Respondent C

Q: Introduction Of the Respondent?

Answer: My name is Sami Riaz and I am working in operation department as a Flight
Operation Officer for the past eight years in Pakistan International Airline.

Q: Do you know about the term Ethical Dilemma?

Answer: what I think is like ethical dilemma is a complex situation that often involves
mental conflict between moral essentials.

Q: Do you observe any Ethical Dilemma in PIA?

Answer: Pakistan International Airline is full of ethical dilemmas because of the people
and corruption and what I believe is that people are mean they focuses on flattery and
get promoted that’s all I can tell you about ethical dilemma.

Q: What do you think that there is any relationship between “Performance Evaluation
& Appraisal Policy” and “Nepotism / Favoritism”?
Answer: Apparently yes both has a very strong and unique bond we are just like fools
and we are doing our work properly and timely but when it’s time to get evaluated
the promotion goes in the pocket of the once who are favorites to the top
management. I can sum up my answer by quoting Garry Marshall “ When in doubt,
you bring in relatives / Friends. Nepotism is a part of my work”

Q: Recommendations?
Answer: Values, Ethics & Virtues are three things that can play game changer of
work place because where these three things are present, you will observer
commitment, individual performance, and propensity to help others in the office.
 Questionnaire
Respondent D

Q: Introduction Of the Respondent?

Answer: My name is Ali Khan and I am working in Finance department as Financial
officer for the last four years.

Q: Do you know about the term Ethical Dilemma?

Answer: I don’t know the exact definition of Ethical dilemma but what I think is that it
is the gap or loophole existing in the Policy through which people can manipulate the
policy in their own interest.

Q: Do you observer any Ethical Dilemma in PIA?

Answer: Many of them Corruption. Nepotism, Information leaks Etc.

Q: What do you think that there is any relationship between “Performance Evaluation
& Appraisal Policy” and “Nepotism / Favoritism”?

Answer: Very strong indeed when these two things combine together lack of values
and virtues has shown for instance if a junior is flattering or praising his/her boss
he the boss will never see that there are other employees some are elder some as
well, people need leaves, some have emergency, but no the boos always listen to the
one who is praising him/her & when someone junior or incompetent guy gets
promotion it hurts and we’ll all are suffering some kind of psychological issues, I
feel like sometimes we are so much frustrated that I once need to go to the
psychiatric to calm myself down.

Q: Recommendations?
Answer: As far as my point of view is concerned we need Values & Virtue
Management. Values and Virtues will lead to cooperation among employees. These
things keeps you in tune with their needs and gives you the urge to reward them
favorably for their accomplishments. You do not take them for granted, fueling their
drive to work harder. Employees with good morals set a positive example for their
coworkers.