Introduction to Public Administration

The process by which the executive branch (mainly administrative agencies) creates rules based on laws passed by Congress, involving public input through comment periods.

A law requiring agencies to solicit public input before finalizing rules, promoting transparency and citizen participation.

The ideal model of bureaucracy proposed by Max Weber, emphasizing formal structure, specialization, and clear rules for consistent and fair administration.

Frederick Taylor's approach to improving efficiency by dividing tasks into small, measurable units and using organized methods to boost performance.

The benefit of Taylor's Scientific Management, where focusing on smaller work units improves individual performance and productivity.

The downside of Taylor's Scientific Management, where treating workers like machines and overlooking their needs can lead to dissatisfaction.

Weber's emphasis on neutrality, specialized roles, and effective organization structures is crucial for ensuring fairness and accountability in public administration.

The importance of rules in turning general laws into predictable and consistent actions that affect individuals' lives.

The system of rules and levels within a bureaucracy helps to translate policies into concrete actions.

Public administration plays a significant role in building social infrastructure by managing resources, establishing rules, and overseeing projects.

Interest groups try to influence policymaking by advocating for policies that align with their goals, exerting pressure on legislators, and participating in public discourse.

Public administration plays a crucial role in ensuring that resources are distributed fairly for social programs, such as housing, education, and healthcare.

Public administration ensures that programs are implemented with accountability, transparency, and public oversight.

Through the New Deal, federal agencies initiated infrastructure projects, resulting in the construction of roads, schools, and public housing, leading to social progress.

Policymaking often involves incremental steps, allowing interest groups to influence small decisions and shape policy outcomes.

Whistleblower Protection Acts safeguard individuals who report wrongdoings within organizations, fostering openness and accountability in governance.

Decision makers, due to limitations in information and cognitive capacity, make satisfactory choices instead of optimal ones.

Decision makers take small, incremental steps, adapting to problems gradually rather than engaging in elaborate planning.

A conflict exists between the desires of elected officials and the way bureaucrats make decisions, leading to a tension in public administration.

A rigid adherence to rules and procedures, often perceived as inefficient and uncaring.

A stable and efficient system of administration, valuing order and procedures.

The challenge faced by American bureaucrats, caught between political pressures and public needs.

A systematic process of improving public administration through various approaches, aimed at increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness.

Evaluates the effectiveness of attempts to reform American public administration, comparing and contrasting different approaches, and identifying why some have been more successful.

The way political leaders are chosen influences how public administration works - appointed leaders may prioritize personal goals over civil servants' professionalism.

According to Maslow's theory, leadership styles, such as authoritarian or collaborative, directly affect employee motivation and productivity.

Woodrow Wilson viewed public administration as a science, requiring systematic, rational rules to ensure effective governance.

Max Weber emphasized professionalization in public administration, requiring trained and skilled employees adhering to set rules to ensure fairness.

Frederick Taylor focused on improving work practices using scientific management and practical adjustments, advocating for a 'craft'-like approach.

Politics and policy are inseparable in public administration, as political influences shape policy while administrators must remain objective in implementation.

Wilson believed administrators are inevitably involved in politics because elected officials determine policy. Weber, on the other hand, argued that administrators should keep their work separate from political influences, maintaining a neutral bureaucratic approach.

The interplay between political agendas and administrative practice is a complex dynamic in public administration, with both sides having a significant influence on each other.

This approach views policy decisions as a result of bargaining and compromises between different interest groups and political leaders.

This model emphasizes small, flexible decisions made within constraints and political realities, prioritizing practical policies adaptable to change.

This model portrays decision-making as chaotic and unpredictable, with random interactions between problems, solutions, people, and choices.

The system where government jobs were awarded based on loyalty to the ruling party, rather than on merit or qualifications.

The system where government employees are selected based on their skills and knowledge through competitive examinations and qualifications, ensuring merit-based appointment.

Non-partisan professionals working in government, focusing on implementing regulations and providing public services.

Politicians appointed to high-level government positions, representing the elected officials and their agendas.

A key change in the evolution of the civil service in the US, establishing merit-based hiring and removing patronage influence.

A model of administration focused on efficiency and neutrality, emphasizing hierarchy, specialization, and rule-based decision-making. It stresses using expertise, consistency, and a clear chain of command for fairness.

A theory that focuses on the complexities of decision-making within organizations, considering factors like communication, coordination, and information flow.

A decision-making approach that prioritizes a logical and structured method, using thorough data analysis to select the best option based on clear criteria.

Interest groups can directly lobby government officials and contribute to campaigns.

Interest groups can sometimes exert excessive influence on policy-making, possibly to the detriment of fairness and equity.