Moral Responsibility of Public Officials: The Problem of Many Hands

Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person

Frankfurt, H. G. (1971) · The Journal of Philosophy · doi:10.2307/2024717 · Cited by 4,663

Untitled work

(1970) · Cited by 3,618

Freedom and Resentment

Strawson, P. F. (1962) · PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) · Cited by 3,223

The symbolic uses of politics

Edelman, M. J. (1967) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 2,047

Critique of Practical Reason.

Weldon, T. D., Kant, I., & Beck, L. W. (1949) · The Philosophical Review · doi:10.2307/2182818 · Cited by 2,030

The Symbolic Uses of Politics.

Dawson, R. E., & Edelman, M. J. (1965) · Midwest Journal of Political Science · doi:10.2307/2109203 · Cited by 1,858

Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment

Hečlo, H. (1978) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,239

The New American Political System

Smith, G., & King, A. (1979) · Foreign Affairs · doi:10.2307/20040234 · Cited by 1,175

Punishment and Responsibility

Hart, H. L. A., & Gardner, J. B. (2008) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199534777.001.0001 · Cited by 1,146

Utilitarianism: For and Against.

Ellis, A., Smart, J. J. C., Williams, B., & Quinton, A. M. (1974) · The Philosophical Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2217943 · Cited by 1,112

Engineers and Active Responsibility

Pesch, U. (2015) · Science and Engineering Ethics · doi:10.1007/s11948-014-9571-7 · Cited by 38

Extended cognition, personal responsibility, and relational autonomy

Cash, M. (2010) · Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1007/s11097-010-9177-8 · Cited by 37

The Rise of Compliance-Based Ethics Management

Roberts, R. N. (2009) · Public Integrity · doi:10.2753/pin1099-9922110305 · Cited by 37

Let the right one in? On European migration authorities’ resistance to research

Lindberg, A., & Borrelli, L. M. (2019) · Social Anthropology · doi:10.1111/1469-8676.12659 · Cited by 36

A policy maker’s dilemma: Preventing terrorism or preventing blame

McGraw, A. P., Todorov, A. T., & Kunreuther, H. C. (2011) · Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes · doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2011.01.004 · Cited by 37

Administrative Reform: Changing Leadership Roles?

Christensen, T. (2001) · Governance · doi:10.1111/0952-1895.00169 · Cited by 36

The Fragmented State – the Challenges of Combining Efficiency, Institutional Norms and Democracy

Christensen, T., & Lægreid, P. (2004) · Bergen Open Research Archive (BORA) (University of Bergen) · Cited by 35

Voids or Fragmentation: Moral Responsibility For Collective Outcomes

Braham, M., & van Hees, M. (2018) · The Economic Journal · doi:10.1111/ecoj.12507 · Cited by 34

Responsibility of AI Systems

Dastani, M. M., & Yazdanpanah, V. (2022) · AI & Society · doi:10.1007/s00146-022-01481-4 · Cited by 45

Public Management as Ethics

Dobel, J. P. (2009) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199226443.003.0008 · Cited by 34

Risk and Responsibility

van de Poel, I., & Fahlquist, J. N. (2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-1433-5_35 · Cited by 33

Conceptual Bases of Employee Accountability: A Psychological Approach

Han, Y., & Perry, J. L. (2019) · Perspectives on Public Management and Governance · doi:10.1093/ppmgov/gvz030 · Cited by 33

Determined to succeed: Can goal commitment sustain interagency collaboration?

Scott, R. J., & Boyd, R. (2020) · Public Policy and Administration · doi:10.1177/0952076720905002 · Cited by 33

Harveian Oration 2018: Improving quality and safety in healthcare

Dixon‐Woods, M. (2019) · Clinical Medicine · doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.19-1-47 · Cited by 32

Administrative Practice, Organization Theory, and Political Philosophy: Ruminations on the Reflections of John M. Gaus

March, J. G. (1997) · PS Political Science & Politics · doi:10.2307/420394 · Cited by 32

Crisis Politics in Authoritarian Regimes: How Crises Catalyse Changes under the State–Society Interactive Framework

Chan, H. (2013) · Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management · doi:10.1111/1468-5973.12024 · Cited by 32

Gaming, Accountability and Trust: DRGs and Activity‐Based Funding in Norway

Lægreid, P., & Neby, S. (2016) · Financial Accountability and Management · doi:10.1111/faam.12080 · Cited by 31

Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships

Steets, J. (2010) · Palgrave Macmillan eBooks · doi:10.26530/oapen_392745 · Cited by 70

One task, a few approaches, many impacts: Private‐sector involvement in Canadian building code enforcement

van der Heijden, J. (2010) · Canadian Public Administration · doi:10.1111/j.1754-7121.2010.00138.x · Cited by 29

Smart Privatization: Lessons from Private Sector Involvement in Australian and Canadian Building Regulatory Enforcement Regimes

van der Heijden, J. (2010) · Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis Research and Practice · doi:10.1080/13876988.2010.516515 · Cited by 29

The Donor’s Dilemma: International Aid and Human Rights Violations

Dasandi, N., & Erez, L. (2017) · British Journal of Political Science · doi:10.1017/s0007123417000229 · Cited by 29

Conceptualizing Bureaucratic Responsiveness

Saltzstein, G. H. (1985) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/009539978501700303 · Cited by 29

Our curious silence about kindness in planning: Challenges of addressing vulnerability and suffering

Forester, J. (2020) · Planning Theory · doi:10.1177/1473095220930766 · Cited by 32

Responsibility in Engineering: Toward a New Role for Engineering Ethicists

Doorn, N., & Fahlquist, J. N. (2010) · Bulletin of Science Technology & Society · doi:10.1177/0270467610372112 · Cited by 29

The new public corruption: Old questions for new challenges

Grossi, G., & Pianezzi, D. (2016) · Accounting Forum · doi:10.1016/j.accfor.2016.05.002 · Cited by 29

Working around: Job crafting in the context of public and professional accountability

Renkema, E., Broekhuis, M., Tims, M., & Ahaus, K. (2022) · Human Relations · doi:10.1177/00187267221104011 · Cited by 29

Everyday Tragedies: Justice, Scandal and Young People in Contemporary Britain

Drakeford, M., & Butler, I. (2007) · The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice · doi:10.1111/j.1468-2311.2007.00470.x · Cited by 27

Responsibility Gap(s) Due to the Introduction of AI in Healthcare: An Ubuntu-Inspired Approach

Ferlito, B., Segers, S., Proost, M. D., & Mertes, H. (2024) · Science and Engineering Ethics · doi:10.1007/s11948-024-00501-4 · Cited by 27

From liability gaps to liability overlaps: shared responsibilities and fiduciary duties in AI and other complex technologies

Custers, B. H. M., Lahmann, H., & Scott, B. I. (2025) · AI & Society · doi:10.1007/s00146-024-02137-1 · Cited by 43

Bridging the accountability and transparency gap in inter-municipal collaboration

Spicer, Z. (2017) · Local Government Studies · doi:10.1080/03003930.2017.1288617 · Cited by 27

Building Regulatory Enforcement Regimes - Comparative Analysis of Private Sector Involvement in the Enforcement of Public Building Regulations

van der Heijden, J. (2009) · Research Repository (Delft University of Technology) · Cited by 28

Designing Responsibility: The Problem of Many Hands in Complex Organizations

Thompson, D. F. (2017) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9780511844317.003 · Cited by 26

‘Un-responsible’ Organization: How More Organization Produces Less Responsibility

Brunsson, N., Nordin, I. G., & Hallström, K. T. (2022) · Organization Theory · doi:10.1177/26317877221131582 · Cited by 26

Teachers' Duty to Report Child Abuse and Neglect and the Paradox of Noncompliance: Relational Theory and “Compliance” in the Human Services

Gallagher‐Mackay, K. (2014) · Law & Policy · doi:10.1111/lapo.12020 · Cited by 26

New public management and the reform of French public hospitals

Simonet, D. (2013) · Journal of Public Affairs · doi:10.1002/pa.1465 · Cited by 25

Engineers’ Moral Responsibility: A Confucian Perspective

Jing, S., & Doorn, N. (2019) · Science and Engineering Ethics · doi:10.1007/s11948-019-00093-4 · Cited by 25

A Semiotics-based epistemic tool to reason about ethical issues in digital technology design and development

Barbosa, S. D. J., Barbosa, G. D. J., de Souza, C. S., & Leitão, C. F. (2021) · ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT) · doi:10.1145/3442188.3445900 · Cited by 26

Pass the buck or the buck stops here? The public costs of claiming and deflecting blame in managing crises

Miller, D. R. H., & Reeves, A. (2021) · Journal of Public Policy · doi:10.1017/s0143814x21000039 · Cited by 24

Administrators and Accountability: The Plurality of Value Systems in the Public Domain

Pesch, U. (2008) · Public Integrity · doi:10.2753/pin1099-9922100403 · Cited by 24

The Ethics of Business in Wartime

Alzola, M. (2011) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-011-1167-4 · Cited by 24

Engineers and social responsibility: An obligation to do good

Cohen, S., & Grace, D. J. (1994) · IEEE Technology and Society Magazine · doi:10.1109/mtas.1994.303820 · Cited by 24

Where Do Citizens Place Blame for Service Delivery Failure? A Closer Look at Public-Private Partnerships

Lee, S., & Kim, S. (2024) · Public Performance & Management Review · doi:10.1080/15309576.2024.2386273 · Cited by 22

Risk and Responsibility

van de Poel, I., & Fahlquist, J. N. (2012) · SpringerBriefs in philosophy · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-5455-3_5 · Cited by 23

Framing the Questions of E-Government Ethics

Roman, A. V. (2013) · The American Review of Public Administration · doi:10.1177/0275074013485809 · Cited by 24

Accountability and professionalism: a contradiction in terms?

Cheng, M. (2012) · Higher Education Research & Development · doi:10.1080/07294360.2011.653960 · Cited by 23

Corporate Fiduciary Duties and Their Beneficiaries

Teubner, G. (1985) · De Gruyter eBooks · doi:10.1515/9783110871111.149 · Cited by 23

Tua culpa: When an Organization Blames Its Partner for Failure in a Shared Task

Park, B. S., Park, H., & Ramanujam, R. (2018) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2016.0305 · Cited by 23

Ethics Complaints and Local Government: The Case of Florida

Menzel, D. C., & Benton, J. E. (1991) · Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jpart.a037101 · Cited by 23

Bending the Rules to Play the Game: Accountability, DRG and Waiting List Scandals in Norway and Germany

Neby, S., Lægreid, P., Mattei, P., & Feiler, T. (2015) · European Policy Analysis · doi:10.18278/epa.1.1.9 · Cited by 23

Deliberation Naturalized

Tanasoca, A. (2020) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198851479.001.0001 · Cited by 44

Buying Low, Flying High: Carbon Offsets and Partial Compliance

Spiekermann, K. (2013) · Political Studies · doi:10.1111/1467-9248.12044 · Cited by 22

The Organization of Ignorance: The Australian ‘Robodebt’ Affair, Bureaucracy, Law and Politics

van Krieken, R. (2024) · Critical Sociology · doi:10.1177/08969205241245257 · Cited by 25

Brain–Computer Interfaces and User Responsibility

Ó’Brolcháin, F., & Gordijn, B. (2014) · The International library of ethics, law and technology · doi:10.1007/978-94-017-8996-7_14 · Cited by 21

Bureaucratic Morality in the United States

Rohr, J. A. (1988) · International Political Science Review · doi:10.1177/019251218800900302 · Cited by 21

Bureaucracy in Hegel's Political Theory

Jackson, M. (1986) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/009539978601800201 · Cited by 21

Administrative Responsibility Revisited

Jos, P. H. (1990) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/009539979002200205 · Cited by 21

Whisper down, up and between the lanes: Exclusionary policies and their limits of control in times of irregularized migration

Borrelli, L. M. (2018) · Public Administration · doi:10.1111/padm.12528 · Cited by 20

Animal Welfare for Corporate Sustainability: The Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare

Mateo, J. F., & Barrera, A. (2020) · Journal of Sustainability Research · doi:10.20900/jsr20200030 · Cited by 20

Conflictual Accountability: Behavioral Responses to Conflictual Accountability of Agencies

Schillemans, T., Overman, S., Fawcett, P., Flinders, M. V., Fredriksson, M., Lægreid, P., Maggetti, M., Papadopoulos, Y., Rübecksen, K., Rykkja, L. H., et al. (2021) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/00953997211004606 · Cited by 20

When Ethics is a Technical Matter: Engineers’ Strategic Appeal to Ethical Considerations in Advocating for System Integrity

Maslen, S., Hayes, J., Holdsworth, S., & Sandri, O. J. (2021) · Science and Engineering Ethics · doi:10.1007/s11948-021-00324-7 · Cited by 20

Informal Accountability in Children’s Service Networks: The Role of Frontline Workers

LeRoux, K., Piatak, J., Romzek, B. S., & Johnston, J. M. (2019) · Human Services Organizations Management Leadership & Governance · doi:10.1080/23303131.2019.1637804 · Cited by 20

On Peanuts and Monkeys: Private Sector Involvement in Australian Building Control

van der Heijden, J. (2010) · Urban Policy and Research · doi:10.1080/08111141003712776 · Cited by 20

A Rawlsian Approach to Distribute Responsibilities in Networks

Doorn, N. (2009) · Science and Engineering Ethics · doi:10.1007/s11948-009-9155-0 · Cited by 20

International Comparative Analysis of Building Regulations: An Analytical Tool

van der Heijden, J. (2009) · International Journal of Law in the Built Environment · doi:10.1108/17561450910950223 · Cited by 20

Integrity Systems for Occupations

Miller, S. (2017) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781139025249.010 · Cited by 19

Responsibility for Reason-Giving: The Case of Individual Tainted Reasoning in Systemic Corruption

Ceva, E., & Radoilska, L. (2018) · Ethical Theory and Moral Practice · doi:10.1007/s10677-018-9950-2 · Cited by 19

Local health governance in Tajikistan: accountability and power relations at the district level

Jacobs, E., & Camargo, C. B. (2020) · International Journal for Equity in Health · doi:10.1186/s12939-020-1143-7 · Cited by 19

The problem of insignificant hands

Hindriks, F. (2021) · Philosophical Studies · doi:10.1007/s11098-021-01696-z · Cited by 19

Imaginaries of Road Transport Automation in Finnish Governance Culture—A Critical Discourse Analysis

Olin, J. J., & Mladenović, M. N. (2022) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su14031437 · Cited by 24

Who'll Stop the Rain? Repeated Disasters and Attitudes Toward Government

Darr, J., Cate, S. D., & Moak, D. S. (2019) · Social Science Quarterly · doi:10.1111/ssqu.12633 · Cited by 22

No Body to Kick, No Soul to Damn: Responsibility and Accountability for the Financial Crisis (2007–2010)

Nicol, O. (2016) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-016-3279-3 · Cited by 19

Accountability in the post-Lisbon European Union

Brandsma, G. J., Heidbreder, E. G., & Mastenbroek, E. (2016) · International Review of Administrative Sciences · doi:10.1177/0020852316663312 · Cited by 19

Ethics Induced Stress in the Local Government Workplace

Menzel, D. C. (1993) · Public Personnel Management · doi:10.1177/009102609302200402 · Cited by 19

How to blame and make a difference: perceived responsibility and policy consequences in two Swedish pro-migrant campaigns

Johannesson, L., & Weinryb, N. (2020) · Policy Sciences · doi:10.1007/s11077-020-09407-x · Cited by 18

Autonomous weapon systems and responsibility gaps: a taxonomy

Wood, N. G. (2023) · Ethics and Information Technology · doi:10.1007/s10676-023-09690-1 · Cited by 18

Integrity Systems for Occupations

Alexandra, A., & Miller, S. (2016) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315589084 · Cited by 18

The Power of Conformity in Citizens’ Blame: Evidence from a Survey Experiment

Sievert, M., Vogel, D., Reinders, T., & Ahmed, W. H. (2019) · Public Performance & Management Review · doi:10.1080/15309576.2019.1660189 · Cited by 18

Debating technologies: A methodological contribution to the design and evaluation of participatory policy analysis

Durning, D. (1999) · Journal of Policy Analysis and Management · doi:10.1002/(sici)1520-6688(199921)18:2 · Cited by 49

Research funders’ roles and perceived responsibilities in relation to the implementation of clinical research results: a multiple case study of Swedish research funders

Brantnell, A., Baraldi, E., van Achterberg, T., & Winblad, U. (2015) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/s13012-015-0290-5 · Cited by 19

Professional skills development in a resource-poor setting: the case of pharmacy in Malawi

Lim, Z. Z. B., Anderson, C., & McGrath, S. (2012) · International Journal of Educational Development · doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2012.01.004 · Cited by 17

Procedural Justice and ‘Fitness for Purpose’ of Self-organising Electronic Institutions

Pitt, J. V., Busquets, D., & Riveret, R. (2013) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-44927-7_18 · Cited by 17

Kebijakan Pemeriksaan Keimigrasian di Indonesia: Bentuk Pelayanan Publik dan Profesionalisme Petugas Imigrasi

Arifin, R., & Nurkumalawati, I. (2020) · Jurnal Ilmiah Kebijakan Hukum · doi:10.30641/kebijakan.2020.v14.243-262 · Cited by 17

Five Great Issues in Organization Theory

Denhardt, R. B., & Baker, D. L. (2018) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315093215-4 · Cited by 17

AI and the transformation of accountability and discretion in urban governance

Goldsmith, S., & Yang, J. (2026) · Urban Governance · doi:10.1016/j.ugj.2026.02.005 · Cited by 17

Administrative Practice, Organization Theory, and Political Philosophy: Ruminations on the Reflections of John M. Gaus

March, J. G. (1997) · PS Political Science & Politics · doi:10.1017/s1049096500047284 · Cited by 16

Design for Values and Operator Roles in Sociotechnical Systems

Franssen, M. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6970-0_8 · Cited by 16

Publieke verantwoording:een analysekader

Bovens, M. (2005) · Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) · Cited by 16

The Social Steering of Complex Organizations

Bovens, M. (1990) · British Journal of Political Science · doi:10.1017/s000712340000572x · Cited by 16

Navigating the European Migration Regime

Wyss, A. (2022) · Bristol University Press eBooks · doi:10.47674/9781529219609 · Cited by 16

ASPA code of ethics as a framework for teaching ethics in public affairs and administration: a conceptual content analysis of MPA ethics course syllabi

King, S. M., Agyapong, E., & Roberts, G. E. (2019) · Journal of Public Affairs Education · doi:10.1080/15236803.2019.1640560 · Cited by 15

Responsibility, accountability and ethics : the case for public service leadership

Kuye, J. O., & Mafunisa, M. J. (2003) · UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria) · Cited by 15

The Problem of Collective Harm: A Threshold Solution

Hindriks, F. (2024) · Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics · doi:10.23941/ejpe.v17i1.798 · Cited by 14

The perfect technological storm: artificial intelligence and moral complacency

Kaas, M. H. L. (2024) · Ethics and Information Technology · doi:10.1007/s10676-024-09788-0 · Cited by 19

The Protection of Asylum Seekers in Australian-Pacific Offshore Processing: The Legal Deficit of Human Rights in a Nodal Reality

van Berlo, P. (2016) · Human Rights Law Review · doi:10.1093/hrlr/ngw017 · Cited by 14

The role of ‘non-knowledge’ in crisis policymaking: a proposal and agenda for future research

Hannah, A., Tchilingirian, J. S., Botterill, L. C., & Attwell, K. (2022) · Evidence & Policy · doi:10.1332/174426421x16552882375377 · Cited by 14

Professional Ethics Without a Profession: A French View on Engineering Ethics

Didier, C. (2009) · Philosophy of engineering and technology · doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2804-4_14 · Cited by 14

The Ethics of Smart Stadia: A Stakeholder Analysis of the Croke Park Project

Ó’Brolcháin, F., de Colle, S., & Gordijn, B. (2018) · Science and Engineering Ethics · doi:10.1007/s11948-018-0033-5 · Cited by 14

Establishing public accountability, speaking truth to power and inducing political will for disaster risk reduction: ‘Ocho Rios + 25’

Olson, R. S., Sarmiento, J. P., & Hoberman, G. (2011) · Environmental Hazards · doi:10.3763/ehaz.2011.0007 · Cited by 14

Distributing responsibilities for safety from flooding

Doorn, N. (2016) · E3S Web of Conferences · doi:10.1051/e3sconf/20160724002 · Cited by 14

Safety huddle in healthcare settings: a concept analysis

Ghoul, I., Abdullah, A., Awwad, F., & Dardas, L. A. (2025) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-025-12526-x · Cited by 13

The Problem of Many Hands

Thompson, D. F. (2004) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511617423.003 · Cited by 13

Moral responsibilities and political realities

Kaplan, A. (1982) · Policy Sciences · doi:10.1007/bf00136397 · Cited by 3

Administrative Responsibility Revisited

Jos, P. H. (1990) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/009539979002200205 · Cited by 21

Sobre la responsabilidad política: razones y criterios para evaluar la función pública

Vercellone, A. L. (2019) · Repositorio Digital de la UNC (National University of Cordoba)

THE HIERARCHICAL AND ARISTOTELIAN MODELS OF MORAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PUBLIC OFFICE

Wågemo, G. (2025) · Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University)