Evolution of Public Administration as a discipline, new public administration

Evolution of Public Administration as a discipline, new public administration

There are five stages in the chronology of the evolution of Public Administration as a discipline; these stages are theoretically driven as encapsulated below:

Stage 1: politics administration dichotomy (1887-1926)

Stage 2: principles of administration (1927-1937)

Stage 3: era of challenge (1938-1947)

Stage 4: crises of identity (1948-1970)

Stage 5: public policy perspective (1971 onwards)

The first stage was the manifestation of Woodrow Wilson’s view of politics – administration dichotomy (difference between two things as they are completely opposite). This led to a spurt in the interest of its studies in various American as well as universities around the globe and reforms were made in government and thus scholars were attracted to public administration with a new vigour (Adamolekun, 1985). Woodrow Wilson propagated this view since at that time people were fed up with the government and its various policies, rampant Corruption and the spoils system that prevailed in the bureaucratic framework. This was the major reason for people to readily lap up his view. L.D. White published a book” Introduction to the Study of Public Administration” in 1926 that further buttressed this view.

The second stage of administrative theory evolve a value neutral or rather value free science of management. It was believed that there are certain principles (guiding/basic ideas) of administration that are common to all organizations and will work for all bringing out optimum efficiency . This was the mature Industrial revolution period and all that countries were concerned with was increasing production at any cost in order to earn big. Also Industrial revolution’s rapid expansion of industries led to new problems in management that were unforeseen and therefore difficult to solve. That’s when F.W. Taylor and Henri Fayol stepped in and generated their principles of administration/management. They were successful

administrators in their own right and therefore their views held a lot of water and were readily accepted by the industries world over. Frederich Winslow Taylor and Henri Fayol advocated for adopting engineering based scientific methods in the field of industrial work process in order to increase efficiency and economy. These schools of thought are grouped under the Classical theory of administration .

The third stage in the evolution of the theory of public administration is known as the era of challenge because the above mentioned principles and iron cage/mechanistic view of administration and workers were challenged. The Human relations theory brought about a pragmatic view to administrative issues. It emphasized on the human aspects of administration that sprung from the Hawthorne experiments conducted by Elton Mayo and his colleagues at Harvard Business School in the late 20’s and early 30’s of the twentieth century. The main focus of study in this approach was to study the psychological and social problems of the industrial workers . The scholars of this theory identified variables like informal organisation, Leadership, morale and motivation for maximum use of human Resources in industries. This led to a far vast study by Herbert Simon and others that developed the Behavioural Science theory.

The Fourth stage that is the crisis of identity stage is set in the late 20th century where many parts of the world, called the developing nations, were just out of wars and colonisation. This phase marked a debate for the return of values in public administration and cross cultural as well as cross national study of administration.there grew a need to reinvent public administration and lead to a question as to whether public administration that had been known as it is till then was relevant anymore. Thus was born the concept of ‘ New Public Administration’ It laid Stress on values in public administration and a commitedness by administrators and scholars of the discipline towards value formulation and their implementation. It developed the thought of Society and its welfare as the main goal of public administration in today’s times through the public policy approach. It brought democratic humanism and client orientation as well as the science perspective in New Public Administration. The collapse of the Soiet Union also strengthened this view.

The Fifth stage is the Public Policy theory in the development of Public

Administration theory. Public policy is an attempt by a government to address a public issue by instituting laws, regulations, decisions, or actions pertinent to the problem at hand. It is policy, as discussed by Stein (1952) that is made for the welfare of the people and their development. As a discipline public policy perspective is the study of government policies for the people and its pros and cons and how to better the same. Here it has come closer to political science again and also has incorporated many management principles to help public administration cope up with the dynamics of its discipline and conduct.,

Public administration is the study of the management of public programs and Services. It is a field that has evolved over time, reflecting the changing needs of society.

The classical period of public administration is often associated with the work of Frederick Taylor, who developed the principles of scientific management. Taylor argued that the best way to improve efficiency was to break down tasks into their component parts and then study how each part could be performed most efficiently.

The human relations movement, which began in the 1930s, focused on the importance of human factors in the workplace. This movement emphasized the need to create a positive work Environment and to consider the needs of employees.

Systems theory, which emerged in the 1950s, views organizations as complex systems that interact with their environment. This theory emphasizes the need to understand the interrelationships between different parts of an organization and between an organization and its environment.

Contingency theory, which developed in the 1960s, argues that there is no one best way to manage an organization. Instead, the best approach depends on the specific circumstances of the organization.

The new public management (NPM) movement, which began in the 1980s, is a reaction to the perceived inefficiency of traditional public administration. NPM emphasizes the need to introduce market-based principles into the public sector, such as competition, Privatization, and deregulation.

The new Public Service (NPS) movement, which emerged in the 1990s, is a reaction to the perceived excesses of NPM. NPS emphasizes the need to balance efficiency with other values, such as Equity, Democracy, and social Justice.

New public administration (NPA) is a recent development in public administration that draws on the principles of both NPM and NPS. NPA emphasizes the need to be citizen-centered, performance-oriented, accountable, ethical, diverse, collaborative, and innovative.

NPA is a relatively new field, and there is still much debate about its exact nature and scope. However, it is clear that NPA is a significant development in public administration, and it is likely to continue to evolve in the years to come.

Citizen-centeredness: NPA emphasizes the need to put citizens first. This means that public administrators should focus on meeting the needs of citizens and providing them with high-quality services.

Performance orientation: NPA also emphasizes the need to focus on performance. This means that public administrators should set clear goals and objectives, measure their progress, and make adjustments as needed.

Accountability: NPA stresses the importance of accountability. This means that public administrators should be held accountable for their actions and decisions.

Ethics: NPA also emphasizes the importance of ethics. This means that public administrators should act in an ethical manner and uphold the public trust.

Diversity: NPA recognizes the importance of diversity. This means that public administrators should value and respect diversity and promote inclusion.

Collaboration: NPA emphasizes the need for collaboration. This means that public administrators should work together with other stakeholders to achieve common goals.

Innovation: NPA also emphasizes the need for innovation. This means that public administrators should be open to new ideas and willing to experiment with new approaches.

NPA is a promising new approach to public administration that has the potential to improve the quality of government services and make government more responsive to the needs of citizens.

What is public administration?

Public administration is the implementation of government policy and also an academic discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil servants for this work. As a professional field it overlaps with public policy, political science, public management, PUBLIC FINANCE, public law, and organizational theory.

What are the different types of public administration?

There are many different types of public administration, but some of the most common include:

National public administration: This refers to the administration of government at the national level.
State public administration: This refers to the administration of government at the state level.
Local public administration: This refers to the administration of government at the local level.
International public administration: This refers to the administration of international organizations.

What are the different schools of thought in public administration?

There are many different schools of thought in public administration, but some of the most common include:

The classical school: This school of thought emphasizes the importance of efficiency and order in public administration.
The human relations school: This school of thought emphasizes the importance of employee morale and satisfaction in public administration.
The political science school: This school of thought emphasizes the importance of politics and policy in public administration.
The management school: This school of thought emphasizes the importance of management and organization in public administration.

What are the challenges of public administration?

Public administration faces many challenges, including:

Bureaucracy: Bureaucracy is a System of Government in which officials are appointed to positions based on their qualifications and experience, rather than their political connections. Bureaucracy can be slow and inefficient, and it can be difficult to hold bureaucrats accountable for their actions.
Corruption: Corruption is the abuse of power for personal gain. Corruption can occur at all levels of government, and it can have a devastating impact on the public sector.
Inefficiency: Public administration can be inefficient, due to a variety of factors, including bureaucracy, red tape, and lack of coordination. Inefficiency can lead to higher costs and lower quality services.
Unresponsiveness: Public administration can be unresponsive to the needs of the public, due to a variety of factors, including political pressure, lack of resources, and lack of public participation. Unresponsiveness can lead to a decline in public trust and confidence in government.

What are the future trends in public administration?

Some of the future trends in public administration include:

The rise of the digital government: The digital government is a government that uses information technology to improve the delivery of public services. The digital government is becoming increasingly important, as it can help to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase transparency.
The rise of the collaborative government: The collaborative government is a government that works in PARTNERSHIP with other governments, businesses, and nonprofits to deliver public services. The collaborative government is becoming increasingly important, as it can help to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase effectiveness.
The rise of the citizen-centered government: The citizen-centered government is a government that is focused on meeting the needs of citizens. The citizen-centered government is becoming increasingly important, as it can help to improve trust and confidence in government.
The rise of the open government: The open government is a government that is open to public scrutiny and participation. The open government is becoming increasingly important, as it can help to improve transparency, accountability, and responsiveness.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the traditional public administration model?
(A) Hierarchy
(B) Rules and regulations
(C) Efficiency
(D) Innovation
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the new public management model?
(A) Decentralization
(B) Privatization
(C) Customer service
(D) Bureaucracy
Which of the following is not a criticism of the traditional public administration model?
(A) It is too slow to respond to change.
(B) It is too focused on rules and regulations.
(C) It is too bureaucratic.
(D) It is too inefficient.
Which of the following is not a criticism of the new public management model?
(A) It can lead to a loss of accountability.
(B) It can lead to a loss of quality in public services.
(C) It can lead to a loss of jobs in the public sector.
(D) It can lead to a loss of public trust in government.
Which of the following is the most important difference between the traditional public administration model and the new public management model?
(A) The traditional public administration model is focused on efficiency, while the new public management model is focused on effectiveness.
(B) The traditional public administration model is focused on rules and regulations, while the new public management model is focused on customer service.
(C) The traditional public administration model is focused on hierarchy, while the new public management model is focused on decentralization.
(D) The traditional public administration model is focused on bureaucracy, while the new public management model is focused on innovation.
Which of the following is the most important advantage of the traditional public administration model?
(A) It is efficient.
(B) It is effective.
(C) It is accountable.
(D) It is responsive to change.
Which of the following is the most important advantage of the new public management model?
(A) It is efficient.
(B) It is effective.
(C) It is accountable.
(D) It is responsive to change.
Which of the following is the most important disadvantage of the traditional public administration model?
(A) It is slow to respond to change.
(B) It is too focused on rules and regulations.
(C) It is too bureaucratic.
(D) It is not accountable.
Which of the following is the most important disadvantage of the new public management model?
(A) It can lead to a loss of accountability.
(B) It can lead to a loss of quality in public services.
(C) It can lead to a loss of jobs in the public sector.
(D) It can lead to a loss of public trust in government.
Which of the following is the most important lesson that can be learned from the evolution of public administration as a discipline?
(A) Public administration is constantly evolving in response to changes in society and the economy.
(B) There is no one-size-fits-all approach to public administration.
(C) The best approach to public administration depends on the specific context.
(D) All of the above.