User:Seyoume Egizeabher

Public administration refers to two meanings: first, it is concerned with the implementation of government policy; second, it is an academic discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil servants for working in the public service.[1] As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal... is to advance management and policies so that government can function."[2] Some of the various definitions which have been offered for the term are: "the management of public programs";[3] the "translation of politics into the reality that citizens see every day";[4] and "the study of government decision making, the analysis of the policies themselves, the various inputs that have produced them, and the inputs necessary to produce alternative policies."[5] Public administration is "centrally concerned with the organization of government policies and programmes as well as the behavior of officials (usually non-elected) formally responsible for their conduct"[6] Many unelected public servants can be considered to be public administrators, including heads of city, county, regional, state and federal departments such as municipal budget directors, human resources (H.R.) administrators, city managers, census managers, state mental health directors, and cabinet secretaries.[4] Public administrators are public servants working in public departments and agencies, at all levels of government.[4] In the US, civil servants and academics such as Woodrow Wilson promoted American civil service reform in the 1880s, moving public administration into academia.[7] However, "until the mid-20th century and the dissemination of the German sociologist Max Weber's theory of bureaucracy" there was not "much interest in a theory of public administration."[8] The field is multidisciplinary in character; one of the various proposals for public administration's sub-fields sets out six pillars, including human resources, organizational theory, policy analysis and statistics, budgeting, and ethics.[9]Public Adminstration is an activity as old as human civilization. In modern age it became the dominant factor of life. To Study about meaning, scope and importance of Public Adminstration is the main objective of this unit. 1.1 INTRODUCTION Public Adminstration as independent Subject of a social science has recent origin. Traditionly Public Adminstration was considered as a part of political science. But in Modern age the nature of state-under went change and it became from police stale to social service state. As a consequence, the Public Adminstration, irrespective of the nature of the political system, has become the dominant factor of life. The modern political system is essentially ‘bureaucratic’ and characterised by the rule of officials. Hence modern democracy has been described as ‘executive democracy’ or ‘bupeaucratic democracy’. The adminstrative branch, described as civil service or bureaucracy is the most significant component of governmental machinery of the state. 1.2 Meaning of Public Adminstration :- Administer is a English word, which is originated from the Latin word ‘ad’ and ‘ministrare’. It means to serve or to manage. Adminstration means mangement of affairs, public or private. Various definitions of Public Adminstration are as follows- 1.2.1 : Prof. Woodrow Wilson, the pioneer of the social science of Public Adminstration says in his book ‘The study of  Public 2 Adminstration’, published in 1887 “Public Adminstration is a detailed and systematic application of law.” 1.2.2 : According to L. D. White “Public Adminstration consists of all those operations having for their purpose the fulfilment of public policy as declared by authority.” Both above definitions are done from traditional viewpoint and related only to the functions and actions of Adminstration. Following thinkers have taken a broard view while defining Public Adminstration - 1.2.3: According to Simon - “By Public Adminstration is meant the activities of the executive branches of the national, state, & local governments.” According to Willough - “Public Adminstration in broadest sense denotes the work involved in the actual conduct of governmental affairs, and in narrowest senses denotes the operations of the administrative branch only.” 1.2.4 : According to Gullick - “Public Adminstration is that part of the science of administration which has to do with government and thus, concerns itself primarily with the executive branch where the work of the government is done.” 1.2.5 : According to Waldo - “Public Adminstration is the art and science of mangement as applied to the affairs of the state.” 1.2.6 : Marshall E. Dimock - “Administration is concerned with ‘what’ and ‘How’ of the government. The what is the subjectmatter, the technical knowledge of afield which enables the administrator to perform his tasks. The ‘How’ is the technique of management according to which co-operative programmes are carried to success.” 2.2.7 : Conclusion :- All above modern definitions of Public Adminstration emphasize the value based character of Public Adminstration and Public Adminstration as a science and art of administration. A close scrutin of the definitions reveal that Public Adminstration has following important characteristics or features. 1.2.8 : Important characteristics of Public Adminstration :- 1. It is part of executive branch of government. 2. It is related with the activities of the state. 3. It carries out the public policies. 4. It realise the aspirations of the people as formulated and 3 expressed in the laws. 5. Waldo and other thinkers insist on the commitment and dedication to the well being of the people. Otherwise Public Adminstration behaves in a mechanical, impersonal and inhuman way. 6. Public Adminstration is politically neutral. 1.3 : SCOPE OF PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION 1.3.1 Introduction :- The views of L.D. White and traditionalist on the one hand and those of Gullick and the scientific management school on the other hand differ regarding the nature and scope of Public Adminstration. Hence, we should understand verious perspectives about the scope of Public Adminstration. Scope :- Following are the three important perspectives about the scope of Public Adminstration. 1. Narrow perspective or posdcord perspective. 2. Broad perspective or subjectmatter view. 3. Prevailing view. 1.3.3 : Narrow perspective or posdcord perspective - Luther Gullick is the main exponent of this perspective. According to him the scope of public administration is narrow or limited. It is also regarded as posdcord view. It insist that the Public Adminstration is concerned only with those aspects of administration which are related with the executive branch and its seven types of administrative functions. These seven types of functions which shows the scope of Public Adminstration are as follows - 1. ‘P’ stands for planning 2. ‘O’ stands for organization 3. ‘S’ stands for staffing. 4. ‘D’ stands for Directing. 5. ‘Co.’ stands for Co-ordination. 6. ‘R’ stands for Reporting 7. ‘B’ stands for Budgeting 1. ‘P’ stands for Planning - Planning is the first step of Public Adminstration. i.e. working out the broad outline of the things that need to be done. 2. ‘O’ stands for organization - It means establishment of the formal structure of authority through which the work is sub-divided, arranged and co-ordinated for the defined objective. 4 3. ‘S’ stands for staffing - It means the recruitment and training of the staff and maintenance of favourable conditions of work for the staff. 4. ‘D’ stands for Directing - It means the continuous task of making decisions and embodying them in specific and general orders and instructions, and thus guiding the enterprise. 5. ‘Co’ stands for Co-ordination - It means interrelating the various parts of organization such as branches, divisions, sections of the work and elimination of overlapping. 6. ‘R’ stands for Reporting - It means informing the authority to whom the executive is responsible as to what is going on. 7. ‘B’ stands for Budgeting - It means accounting, fiscal planning and control. Evaluation - POSDCORB Perspective about the Scope of Public Adminstration is limited and narrow. It stressed on the tools of Public Adminstration. It does not show the substance of administration. It is a technique oriented perspective, not a subject oriented. 1.3.4 : 2. Broad perspective or subject - oriented perspective :- Prof. Woodrow Wilson, L D While are main exponent of this perspective. They have taken a very broad approach about the scope of Public Adminstration. According to them (A) Public Adminstration covers all three branches of the government. Legislative, Executive and Judicial and their interrelationship. Legislative organ makes the laws, Executive organ of the government implements the laws. and Judicial organ of the government interprets the laws. There is interrelationship between these three organs. B) Scope of Public Adminstration is like a cooperative group. It consist of all from class one officer to class four employees. C) Public Adminstration is a part of the political process. It has an important role in the formulation of public policy at all levels, from national to grassroot. It is closely associated with numerous private groups and individuals in providing services to the community. It has been influenced in recent years by the human relations approach. 5 1.3.5 : 3. Prevailing view :- Prevailing view divides the scope of Public Adminstration into two parts.- 1) Administrative theory 2) Applied administration 1. Adminstrative theory - It includes the following aspects. a) Organisational Theory - The Structure, organization, functions and methods of all types of public authority engaged in administration, whether national, regional or local and executive. b) Behaviour - The functions of adminstrative authorities and the various methods appropriate to different types of functions. The various forms of control of administration. c) Public Personal Adminstration - The problems concerning personnel e.g. recruitment, training, promotion, retirement etc. and the problems relating to planning, research, information and public relation services. 2. Applied administration - It includes the following aspects :- a) Political functions - It includes the executive - legislative relationship, administrative activities of the cabinet, the minister and permanent official relationship. b) Legislative function - It includes delegated legislation and the preparatory work done by the officials in connection with the drawing up of bills. c) Financial functions - It includes total financial administration from the preparation of the budget to its execution, accounting and audit etc. d) Defence - Functions relating to military adminstration. e) Educational function - It includes functions relating to educational administration. f) Social welfare administration - It includes the activities of the departments concerned with food; housing, social security and development activities. 6 g) Economic Adminstration - It is concerned with the production and encouragement of industries and agriculture. h) Foreign administration - It includes the conduct of foreign affairs, diplomacy, international cooperation etc. i) Local administration - It concern with the activities of the local self-governing institutions. 1.3.6 : Conclusion :- The modern state cannot confine its field of activities to only maintenance of law and order, dispensation of justice, collection of revenue and taxes. The modern state is expected to provide more and more services and amenities to the people. This results in tremendous growth both in the governmental responsibilies as well as in the administrative machinery of the state. Naturally the scope of public administration is increased. 1.3.7 : Table - Scope of Public Adminstration Three perspectives 1 2 3 Narrow perspective Broad perspective Prevailing view divides or  the scope in two parts. POSDCORB 1) Planning 1)  Covers all three branches 2) Organisation  of the govt 3) Staffing  2) like a cooperative group. 4) Directing  3)  Part of political process 5) Co-ordination   exponent - Woodrow Wilson 6) Reporting  View - Subject oriented 7) Budgeting Exponent - LutherGullick View - Technique Oriented Adminstrative Theory Applied administration 1. Organisational Theory 1. Political functions 2. Behaviour 2. Legislative 3. Public personal 3. Financial Adminstration. 4. Defence 5. Educational 6. Social Welfare 7. Economic 8. Foreign Administration 9. Local 7 1.7 : Role and Importance of Public Adminstration - In todays modern state and in developing countries functions and role of Public Adminstration is very important. The role and importance of Public Adminstration are as follows. 1. It is the basis of government. 2. It is the instrument of change in the society. 3. It plays vital role in the life of the people. 4. It is an instrument for executing laws, policies, programmes of the state. 5. It is a stabilising force in the society as it provides continuity. 6. It is instrument of national integration in the developing countries which are facing classwars. 1. It is the basis of Government - It is possible for a state to exist without a legislature or judiciary; but not even the most backward state can do without administrative machinery. The modern state cannot confine its field of activities to merely maintenance of law and order, dispensation of Justice, collection of revenue and taxes and participation in welfare activities. The modern welfare state is expected to provide more and more services and amenities to the people. Public Adminstration is the machinery used by the state to place itself in a position to make plans and programmes that can be carried out. 2. It is the instrument of change in the society - Public Adminstration is regarded as an instrument of change and is expected to accelerate the process of development. In our country, the government has undertaken the task of levelling down the economic inequalities, spreading education among all abolishing untouchability securing equality of status, rights of women and effective and all round economic and industrial development. The burden of carrying out these social changes in a planned and orderly way rests upon the Public Adminstration of the country. The success of Indian democracy will depend not only on the wisdom of the legislature but more on the capability and sense of purpose on the part of the Adminstration. 3. It plays vital role in the life of the people - Today every aspect of human life come within the range of Public Adminstration. Various departments of government such as education, social welfare, food, agriculture, health, sanitation, transport, communication etc. are run by the department of Public Adminstration. Thus Public Adminstration is rendering various types of services to the people from birth to death of an individuel. 4. It is a stabilizing force in the society as it provides continuity Public Adminstration is carried on by the civil servants who are the permanent executives. Political executives i.e. ministers may come and go, systems of government or constitutions may under go change but administation goes on for ever. Hence, Public 8 Adminstration is a great stabilising force in society. It is a preserver of the society and its culture. 5. It is instrument of national integration in the developing countries which are facing classwars – Conclusion - The success of governement is dependent on the ability of public administration. The future of civilized government rests upon the ability, to develop a service and philosophy and a practice of adminstration competent to discharge the P