Public administration

Meaning nature and scope of public administration..

Public administration is the field of study and practice that deals with the management of public affairs
and resources, and the implementation of government policies and programs. It involves the
coordination and control of many people and activities to achieve the public goals and interests. Public
administration has various definitions, nature, scope, and significance, depending on the perspective and
context of the scholars and practitioners. Here are some of the main points:

Definitions: Different scholars have defined public administration in different ways, depending on their
focus and approach. Some of the notable definitions are:

Woodrow Wilson: "Public administration is a detailed and systematic application of the law. Every
particular application of the law is an act of administration."1

L.D. White: "Public administration consists of all those operations having for their purpose the fulfillment
or enforcement of the public policy."2

Dimock: "Public administration is mainly concerned with the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of government. The
‘what’ is the subject-matter, the technical knowledge of a field that enables an administrator to perform
his tasks. The ‘how’ is the techniques of management, the principles according to which co-operative
programs are carried through successfully."3

Waldo: "Public administration is the art and science of management applied to the affairs of the state."4

Nature: Public administration has a dual nature, as both an academic discipline and a professional
practice. As an academic discipline, it is a social science that studies the theory and practice of public
administration, and analyzes the problems and challenges of public administration. As a professional
practice, it is an activity that involves the execution of public policies and the management of public
programs, and requires the skills and knowledge of public administration. Some of the main
characteristics of public administration are:

Publicness: Public administration is distinct from private administration in that it is concerned with the
management of public affairs and resources, and it is accountable to the public through democratic
institutions and processes.5

Political: Public administration is influenced by the political environment and the public opinion, and it
has to balance the conflicting interests and demands of various groups and stakeholders.

Bureaucratic: Public administration is based on the principles of hierarchy, division of labor,

specialization, rules and regulations, and impersonality, which are essential for the efficiency and
effectiveness of public administration.
Dynamic: Public administration is constantly changing and evolving, as it has to adapt to the changing
needs and expectations of the society, and the emerging issues and challenges of the public
administration.

Scope: The scope of public administration is very broad, as it covers all the aspects and activities of the
government. Public administration can be divided into two main categories: administrative theory and
applied administration. Administrative theory is the study of the principles, concepts, and methods of
public administration, and it includes various sub-disciplines, such as public policy, public management,
organizational theory, human resource management, financial management, etc. Applied administration
is the application of the administrative theory to the practical problems and situations of public
administration, and it includes various sub-fields, such as personnel administration, budgeting, planning,
evaluation, etc.

Significance: Public administration is very important for the society, as it affects the lives and welfare of
the people in various ways. Some of the main significance of public administration are:

It is the instrument of the government to implement the public policies and programs, and to provide
the public services and goods to the people.

It is the means of the government to maintain the law and order, and to ensure the security and stability
of the society.

It is the mechanism of the government to promote the social and economic development, and to
achieve the national goals and objectives.

It is the medium of the government to communicate with the people, and to respond to their needs and
demands.

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*** New public administration

New public administration is a theory and practice of public administration that focuses on the role of
government and the public interest. It aims to create a more ethical, democratic, and participatory public
service by means of public policy, citizen empowerment, and structural changes. It originated from the
first Minnowbrook Conference in 19681.

Some of the main features of new public administration are:

It rejects the politics-administration dichotomy and the value-neutrality of traditional public
administration. It advocates for the involvement of public administrators in policy-making and the
promotion of social justice and equity.

It emphasizes the relevance and responsiveness of public administration to the changing needs and
demands of the society. It encourages innovation, creativity, and experimentation in public
administration.

It recognizes the diversity and complexity of the public problems and the public values. It adopts a
pluralistic and interdisciplinary approach to public administration, and respects the views and interests
of various stakeholders and groups.

It stresses the importance of accountability and transparency in public administration. It seeks to

enhance the performance and quality of public administration through evaluation, feedback, and
learning.

It fosters the development and empowerment of the public servants and the citizens. It supports the
professionalization, education, and training of the public servants, and the participation, education, and
mobilization of the citizens.

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The methodology and approaches of public administration.

The methodology and approaches of public administration are the ways of studying and analyzing the
field of public administration, which is the management of public affairs and resources, and the
implementation of government policies and programs. There are different methods and approaches that
can be classified from various perspectives, such as normative and empirical, or philosophical and legal.
Here are some of the main methods and approaches of public administration:

Normative and empirical approaches: The normative approach focuses on what public administration
ought to be, while the empirical approach focuses on what public administration is in practice. The
normative approach prescribes the principles, values, and standards for effective and ethical public
administration, while the empirical approach describes and analyzes the actual administrative situations
and problems.12

Philosophical and legal approaches: The philosophical approach examines the underlying ideals and
concepts of public administration, and its relation to other fields of knowledge and human values. The
legal approach studies the legal framework and rules of public administration, and its role in enforcing
and fulfilling the public policy.12

Historical and scientific approaches: The historical approach traces the evolution and development of
public administration over time, and its influence by the social, political, and economic context. The
scientific approach applies the methods and techniques of natural and social sciences to public
administration, and seeks to discover the general laws and theories of administrative behavior.2

Case method and institutional approaches: The case method approach uses specific examples and
instances of public administration to illustrate and explain the administrative phenomena and principles.
The institutional approach focuses on the structure and organization of public administration, and its
functions and processes.2

Behavioral and human factor approaches: The behavioral approach studies the human behavior and
psychology of public administration, and its impact on the performance and quality of public
administration. The human factor approach emphasizes the human aspects and needs of public
administration, and its relation to the motivation, satisfaction, and development of the public servants
and the citizens.2

Political economy and structural functional approaches: The political economy approach analyzes the
political and economic factors and forces that shape and affect public administration, and its role in the
distribution and allocation of resources and power. The structural functional approach views public
administration as a system of interrelated parts and functions, and examines how they interact and
contribute to the overall goals and outcomes of public administration.2

Systems and ecological approaches: The systems approach considers public administration as a complex
and dynamic system that operates in a changing environment, and adapts to the feedback and inputs
from the external and internal factors. The ecological approach studies the interaction and
interdependence between public administration and its environment, and how they influence and shape
each other.23

These are some of the main methods and approaches of public administration, but there are also other
perspectives and frameworks that can be used to study and understand public administration. The
choice of the method and approach depends on the purpose and scope of the study, and the
preferences and assumptions of the researcher.

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