Public Administration Lecture Notes PDF

Public Administration Dr. Mai Ghaith Introduction - In order to understand the concept of public administration you should pick up any newspaper and go through it, you will find reports about government policies, new bills and acts in the parliament, various public welfare programs un...

Public Administration Dr. Mai Ghaith Introduction - In order to understand the concept of public administration you should pick up any newspaper and go through it, you will find reports about government policies, new bills and acts in the parliament, various public welfare programs undertaken by the government, parliamentary debates, etc. - In fact, It possible that you may even come across a newspaper report that condemns governmental policies over a certain issue, and criticize a lack action by the governmental bodies such as the municipality. - However, no country can function in the absence of public administrators. If there were no public administrators, there would be no police stations, municipalities or courts. Crimes would increase because there would be no system of punishing criminals; roads will be in poor condition; market forces will govern the economy. - In short, “there would be total chaos.” Importance of Public Administration We study public administration to find better ways of governance and to prepare future leaders and administrators of our country to face up to challenges that might lie ahead in their path. The relations between Public Administration and the Government The government can function effectively because of Public Administration. In common usage, Public Administration is mainly concerned with executing the implementation part of governmental activity, with the question as “how law should be administrated with equity, speed and without friction?!” The relations between Public Administration and the Government Public Administration compromises the systematic execution of the will of the people which has been discovered, formulated and expressed in the form of laws by the legislature. The function and scope of Public Administration are wide. That it is nearly impossible to have a single definition that everyone agree with. For instance, the assessment and rating of taxes the hanging of criminals, the delivery of mails, the recruitment of army, etc. are all acts of Public Administration. Definition of Public Administration Public Administration is centrally concerned with the organization of government policies and programs as well as the behavior of officials (usually –non-elected) formally responsible for their conduct. There are many definitions of Public Administration such as: Woodrow Wilson: “Public Administration is detailed and systematic execution of law. Every particular application of law is an act of administration. Administration is the most obvious part of the government, it is the government in action, it is the executive, the operative, the most visible side of the government.” Definition of Public Administration L.D. White: “Public Administration consists of all those operations having for their purpose that fulfilment or enforcement of public policy.” Luther Guilck: “Public Administration 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 government is done, though there are obviously problems in connection with the Legislative and Judicial branches.” Definition of Public Administration - So, Public Administration, on the one hand, is an organized activity, on the part of a group of people, having been authorized on behalf of ultimate, sovereign, and the voters, to administrator and exercise direct control over their life activities. - On the other hand, it is a subject matter of study teaching and research in colleges and universities. As an academic endeavor, it concerns the pursuits of understanding relating to the real and proper structure and functioning of government organizations and behavior of organizational participants.  Definition of Public Administration - The study of public Administration is the study of the most effective ways of organizing the executive branch of the government, its institutions and procedures. It is mainly concerned with the means for implementing political values. - It is the coordination of individual and group efforts to carry out public policy.  Definition of Public Administration - We can define Public administration as: “the management of public affairs and the execution of government policy through the organization and the management of public institution.” - In Practical; it involves the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of government operations and services to enhance public welfare. - Public administration plays a critical role in shaping the effectiveness and efficiency of government and its ability to serve the community. Key aspects of Public Administration - Policy implementation: translating laws and policies into action, ensuring they are executed effectively. - Management of Resources: overseeing human, financial, and physical resources to achieve government objectives. - Public services delivery: providing essential services to the public, such as education, healthcare, and transportation. Key aspects of Public Administration - Regulatory functions: enforcing laws and regulates that govern public behavior and protect the public interest. - Citizen engagement: involving citizens in the decision-making process and ensuring transparency and accountability. Functions of Public Administration - The most important function of the government is not to govern, i.e., to maintain peace and public order and to ensure the stability and security of the life and property of citizens, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the contracts are honored by citizens and their disputes are settled. - Public Administration has to play a very significant role as an instrument of development and change. - The Administration of the country reflects the genius of its people and embodies their qualities, desires and inspirations. Basic Functions of Public Administration Provide Schooling Offer Execute medical Policies facilities Implement Promote social Public security economic Administration measures growth Provide good infrastructure Basic Functions of Public Administration Thus, Public Administration consists of the action undertaken by the government to look after its people or to manage its affairs. Nature and scope of Public Administration There are 2 views that determine what is the nature and scope of Public Administration. 1) Managerial View. 2) Integral View. Nature and scope of Public Administration There are different opinions about the scope of Public Administration, on whether it is the managerial part of the government work or the entire complex of activities of only branch of government or of all branches, i.e., Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. There are 2 divergent views regarding the nature of the study of Public Administration: these are as follows: Nature and scope of Public Administration 1. Integral View: - Pursuit and fulfillment of Public Policy. - Public Administration is conceived in a comprehensive sense to include all the activities of the government whether they are performed in Executive, Legislative or Judicial branches of the government. - It means that these activities include not only managerial or technical activities, but also manual and clerical activities such as filing, paperwork, maintaining records, or all the non-managerial aspects of the public administrator. Nature and scope of Public Administration 2. Managerial View: It means the work of only those persons who are engaged in the performance of managerial functions in an organization constitutes the administration. Their jobs is to Plan, Program, and Organize all the activities in an organization so as to achieve the desired ends. 2. Managerial View The following list describes the managerial work of the administrative personnel: A) Planning: means working out broad outline of the things that need to be done and the method to be adopted to accomplish the proposed set for the enterprises. B) Staffing: means appointing suitable persons to the various posts under the organization. It covers the whole of personnel management. 2. Managerial View C) Organizing: means building up the structure of authority through which the entire work to be done is properly arranged and defined in order to achieve the desired goals. D) Directing: means making decisions and issuing orders and instructions and embodying them for the guidance of the staff. 2. Managerial View E) Coordinating: means interrelating various parts of the work and thus eliminating the overlapping and conflict in different activities of an organization. F) Reporting: means keeping both the supervisors and subordinates informed of what is going on and arranging for the collection of such information through inspection, research, and records 2. Managerial View G) Budgeting: means fiscal planning and accounting and control, i.e., all activities.