Accountabilit y

What is Accountability?
Accountability is a concept in ethics with several meanings

Synonyms
Responsibility Answerability Enforcement Blameworthiness Liability

What is accountability?
Acknowledgement and assumption of

responsibility for actions

Types of Accountability
Moral Administrative Political Managerial Market Legal Constituency relation Professional

Accountability
Responsibility and blameworthiness are only a part of what is covered when we apply the robust and intuitive notion of accountability When we say someone is accountable for a harm, we may also mean that he or she is liable to punishment (e.g., must pay a fine, be censured by a professional organization, go to jail), or is liable to compensate a victim (usually by paying damages).

Accountability
In most actual cases these different strands of responsibility, censure, and compensation converge because those who are to blame for harms are usually those who must pay in some way or other for them.

3 Motivations for Accountability

Accountability as a virtue that is desirable in its own right Accountability as a guideline for answerability which motivates precautionary behavior that, in turn, caters to social welfare Accountability as a tracing too that allows us, a posteriori, to identify the people involved in accidents and damage-inducing errors, punish the responsible if necessary and compensate the victims if possible

Conceptual foundations of Accountability

accountability
th ca eory us a ti o f on

responsibility, fault, guilt

individuality, personhood
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Typology of moral Accountability

Malice Recklessness Blameworthy Negligence Incompetence Human Actions/Behavior Competence Due Diligence Dutiful Supererogatory

Praiseworthy

A Typology of Moral Accountability

Malice: to set out on a course of action with the deliberate aim of imposing harm or risks to people Recklessness: to act knowing that it will cause harm or risk, but not taking this properly into account

A Typology of Moral Accountability

Negligence: the failure to exercise in the given circumstances that degree of care for the safety of others which a reasonable person would exercise under the same or similar circumstances Incompetence: not qualified or suited for a purpose; showing lack of skill or aptitude; "a bungling workman"; "did a clumsy job"; "his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf

A Typology of Moral Accountability

Competence: qualified or suited for a purpose; showing appropriate skill or aptitude Due Diligence: the exercise in the given circumstances that degree of care for the safety of others which a reasonable person would exercise under the same or similar circumstances

A Typology of Moral Accountability

Dutiful: to know what the right thing to do is and to do it regardless of how it effects you Supererogatory behavior: going above and beyond the call of duty

Responsibility vs. Accountability

Implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust The focus is on what can and should do; an individuals personal integrity with respect to a specific task Implies imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligations The focus is more upon what others expect from the person who is accountable

Responsibility vs. Accountability

I-Centered One has a clear duty to perform an action and take care to carry it out or bring something to fruition or completion Other-Centered Includes judgment and the extent of judgment for the success or failure to do, complete, or protect that for which a person is held accountable

Responsibility vs. Accountability

While being responsible always has other persons in mind, the focus of meaning is upon the individuals effort, duty, and obligation Accountability always assumes a prior responsibility for we always lay out what we expect before we can lay out what the consequences will be for failure to meet the expectations

Responsibility vs. Accountability

We call someone responsible when we judge the persons motives, intentions, and carefulness with respect to the task We can be responsible without being held accountable to anyone in particular Liable to be called to account; answerable Refers to how the individual will be judged and thus either rewarded or punished A person is accountable only when we know they have to answer to being punished

Responsibility vs. Accountability

Responsibility focuses for the most part upon all the elements of duty up to the point of decision If someone is accountable, it is assumed a responsible party be able to meet the demands of the higher authority to whom they will give their accounting

Responsibility vs. Accountability

The major difference is the certainty or strength of implied/suggested duty Accountability focuses for the most part upon all of the elements of duty after the decision is made

Responsibility vs. Accountability

When responsible one may be asked or take it upon themselves to be morally responsible for the actions they take, for themselves, or others When accountable one is duty bound externally or one imposes a much stronger duty upon themselves to answer to any actions which may cause harm or damage to those they are accountable for

Responsibility vs. Accountability

Responsibility: "Ill do it. A sense of obligation, commitment, etc Accountability: "Ill pay a price if I dont do it right." Required to explain or justify all of the reasons for ones actions

Responsibility vs. Accountability

Includes exercising ones judgments with regard to the powers and authority of discretion one has
Accepting personal liability for ones actions, accepting ones actions and the consequences When we know that we must answer with respect to how well we accomplished the task and what reward or punishment was meted out for failing at the task

Question
Is accountability taught or are we born that way? If it is taught What can we do to facilitate personal accountability?

It happened now what

Cant risk it Someone is always responsible If only they would. You need to change Not my fault

If only you would

Ownership
What solution can I provide How can I better understand you I am going to do something differently

We sow We reap
How can I apply what I am hearing

What action can I take to own the situation

Only.
I can change myself. I am accountable to act in a manner that improves the world.

Thank You