accountability in public and nonprofit organizations

Accountability means, literally, to give an accounting. It implies answerability and responsibility and is important to all organizations. Accountability is particularly important in government organizations, as they receive funding from the collected taxes of the people they serve. For example, employees working in all levels of the government are accountable to a number of actors within the political system: to the citizenry for discerning, understanding, weighing citizens’ preferences, demands and interests; to elected officials for implementing public polices; and to immediate supervisors within their organizations for carrying out directives and meeting organizational goals. In carrying out their duties and responsibilities, public administrators are expected to be efficient, effective, and productive as well as honest, beneficent, fair, and just. Balancing these competing values and demands from various actors in meeting our administrative responsibilities can be difficult and lead to ethical dilemmas.

In this sense, audits and program evaluations compare an organization’s actions and results to an established code, standards, or parameters. Audits and evaluations also illustrate the “openness” of the American system of government to support government agencies and public administrators. This practice encourages leaders to operate with integrity while carrying out policy goals efficiently and effectively.

In this Discussion, you will examine a specific accountability issue that relates to a public or nonprofit organization or public official. Next, you will compare the type of audit and evaluation that can be implemented to support greater accountability and transparency for this particular organization or public official. Please identify the selected issue and include the audit and evaluation process, with the purpose, function and how these processes support accountability of leadership.

Support your discussion with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. Use correct APA formatting for all resources.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief description of the accountability issue in the example you selected. Explain the challenges associated with the increasing emphasis on accountability in public administration as it relates to the example you selected.