Introduction to Public Administration

Definition of Public Administration

• Public administration refers to the process of government delivering services to society and all related activities and institutions.

Goods and Services Provided by Government

• Goods and services provided by the government aim to improve the general welfare of society.

Scope of Public Administration

• Public administration includes all government-related activities, institutions, and statutes.

Notation

• When referring to the phenomenon of public administration, small letters "p a" are used.
• Similarly, small letters are used when referring to other everyday activities like walking, writing, and sleeping.

Outcomes of Public Administration

• Public administration leads to the formulation of public policies, enactment of the constitution, and the provision of essential services like roads, police, clinics, and schools.

Origin of Public Administration

• The beginning of society marked the beginning of public administration as we know it today.

Social Contract Theories

• The social contract theories suggest that society existed before the existence of public administration processes.
• According to these theories, individuals initially lived in small family units, then formed larger groups, and eventually larger societies, leading to the formation of a centralized authoritative body (the state).

Composition of Society

• Society is made up of individuals, implying that when we refer to government providing services to society, we are actually referring to individuals.

Formation of the State

• The need for harmonious coexistence among individuals led to the formation of a centralized authoritative body, marking the beginning of the political organization of society into a state.