Name - Ankush Patodi

Roll no - 2018POL1015

Paper title - perspective on public administration

Subject - Contribution of Riggs Ecological Model To The

Understanding Of Public Administration

The term ‘ecology’ in ‘ecology of public administration’ is an adopted term. Its

main application has been in the field of biology, where it suggests the
interdependence between organisms and their environment. Now the term is
commonly employed in social sciences also. In 1947, John M. Gaus emphasised
the need to employ the concept of ecology in the study of public administration—
namely the necessary interdependence of public bureaucracy and its
environmeNt However, it was Fred W. Riggs who drew attention, in an organised
way, to the continuing interaction between public administration and the
environment. in his book, The Ecology of Public Administration (1961) has
explored from a comparative perspective the interaction between public
administration and the environment in which it develops.

Riggs Association with ecology of public administration:

The field of comparative administration, Riggs’ ecological approach, one of the
important analytical tools that he used to explain his administrative theories, has
been widely accepted. He applied the term ecology—among other terms which
he borrowed from sociology, physics and biology—to propose new theories and
models in public administration. These terms are referred as peculiarly Riggsion.
Riggs raised two questions relating to the ecology of public administration. These
are:

(a) how do differences in social, cultural, historical or architectural environment

affect the way in which administration is conducted

and (b) how, in turn, does administrative action affect the society in which it
plays its part?

Riggs developed his analysis in the study of public administration in the USA,
ancient Siam and modern Philippines and Thailand, representing broadly his ideal
type models of ‘refracted’, ‘fused’ and ‘prismatic’ societies respectively.

Approach in ecological model of public administration:

The basic premise of Riggs’s ecological approach in comparative public
administration is that public administration may be regarded as one of the several
sub-systems in a system and public bureaucracy as one of the several basic
institutions in a society. Public administration is continually interacting with the
economic, political and socio-cultural sub-systems in a society. It affects and in
turn is affected by other sub-systems. he give special emphasis only to 3 other
subsystems they are as discussed below:

1. Political Dimension - Riggs views that ‘public administration in all

contemporary governments is rooted in politics. Politics, moreover, can only be
understood when we take into account the administrative capabilities—and
limitations of government’. Politics is a struggle among forces for the right to
control the character of public policy. by the political parties. The objectives of
political parties are formulated within the framework of ideologies of the parties.
Hence objectives and ideologies of different political parties throw a light on the
formulation of public policies. Ideologies and policies thus get intimately linked.
Struggle for the capture of state organs of power and ultimately the policies
comprise the whole process of politics. The field of public administration is greatly
influenced by and related with the political environment. Administrative
organisations, processes and procedures are under the influence of politics i.e.,
the political system of the society. According to Riggs, bureaucracy always plays a
key role, but never an exclusive one, in public administration. Extra-bureaucratic
institutions such as political parties, legislatures, chief executives, courts of law,
are also involved in implementing public policies just like they participate in
politics. further , one that always interacts with politics—both shaped by and
shaping it.’

2. Economic, Dimension - According to Riggs, economic productivity is the

most obvious characteristic which has influenced public administration. For
example, in India, poverty, unemployment and shortages lead to the
development of a certain kind of equilibrium between the citizens and the
bureaucracy. The prevailing poverty makes people meek and pliant in their
interactions with the public servants. Acute unemployment in society results in
intense pressures on government jobs leading to overstaffing in government
offices. Riggs says that the economic system of a country has its both direct and
indirect influences on administration. The interdependence between the two is
apparent. The economy could not survive without the administrative system, and
the system is itself determined in many aspects by the requirements of the
economy. Moreover, the administrative system could not survive were it not for
the productivity of the economy supporting it. Availability of finances is one
single potential factor to influence economy of the country. The policy of planning,
resource mobilisation, resource utilisation is thus the function of public
administrators.

3. Socio-cultural Dimension - Socio-cultural environment of a society also

interacts with administration. Riggs has explained the social context of public
administration in his comparative analysis of modern and tradition societies. He
states, ‘in order to understand any society we must also learn something about its
social structure. It mean such things as how groups form, whether we talk about
families, religious sects, political parties, business corporations, or social classes.’
The social organisations are important objects which continuously influence
public administration of a country. The impact of socio-cultural environment on
administration can be felt in many ways. In India, the caste system, and the
regional, linguistic and religious groups have varying degrees of influence on
administration.

comparison of ecological differences on administration in developing and

developed societies:

Riggs in his ‘Ecology of Public Administration’ has emphasised the need to make
a comparison between the administration of developed and developing societies.
While describing developing societies as ‘prismatic’ societies he has outlined the
features of ‘fused-prismatic’ diffracted societies. He maintains that developed
societies are comparable to the diffracted light coming through a prism. The
white or fused light is comparable to a traditional society. In the middle is the
‘prismatic society’. He compares the developing or prismatic societies to what
happens to the light within the prism. In different societies, the political,
economic and social systems influence the administration in different ways and
therefore the political, economic and social systems in different countries vary
considerably.

In his approach, he described two types of models-

[A] Agraria-Transita-Industria Model [1956-1957]

[B] Fused-Prismatic-Diffracted Model [1959] [Outcome of ATI MODEL]

“SALA” Model.

Fused-Prismatic-Diffracted Model deals with underdeveloped, developing &

developed societies. For this he used the example from then Thailand
[Underdeveloped Society] & contemporary U.S.A [i.e. developed
society].Between both of these extremes, there exists the PRISMATIC SOCIETY
which has administrative sub-system known as “SALA” Model.
Fused society performs multiple functions i.e. there is a large volume of work
whereas in diffracted society there are specific & limited no. of functions,

THREE ATTRIBUTES OF FUSED-PRISMATIC-DIFFRACTED SOCIETY - There are 3

basic features of Prismatic-Sala Models:-

1. HETEROGENEITY:– In this type of system, there are different kinds of patterns,

rules, systems & viewpoints. This society is a blend of elements of “CHAMBER” [i.e.
of fused society] & “BUREAU”

[i.e. of diffracted society]. Thus heterogeneous group where the qualities are not
alike are seen in this Model.

2. FORMALISM:- This is the second most important feature which show a wide
gap between theory & practice i.e. what is formally prescribed & effectively
practiced. It shows a distinction between norms & realities.

3. OVERLAPPING:– This features shows that differentiated structures [clubs] co-

exist with undifferentiated structures [Sects]. This denotes overlapping of
administrative behavior of both the societies.

Riggs called these elements as “CLECTS”(club+sects).

Besides this many other features are also presented like polynormativism,
polyfunctionalism, polycommunalism, bazaar-canteen model, authority v/s
control, price indeterminacy, political instability, etc. To conclude, Riggs gave his
new theory entitled in a book-”Prismatic society-Revisited” in 1973. For this he
gave Bi-dimensional theory

[i] Differentiation

[ii] Integration.
These elements are necessary to be presented in a Prismatic society developing
towards Diffracted society.

Critical analysis:
Difficulties in using the language: Riggs liberally, coined new words to explain
his concepts,ln addition, he also gave different meanings to a number of
words already in use. There is no harming In coining new words when the
existing vocabulary fails to convey the meaning and clarify the concepts.But
a free use of new words, and of words already having different meanings
may create confusion instead of clarifying the concepts.

Lack of change orientation: Hahn-Been Lce doubts the utility of the

prismatic and Sala models in view of the development administration's focus
on social change. Lee feels that Riggs' models are not helpful to the analysis
of the process of social change and development.Lee thus concludes that the
models of Riggs are not useful when the objective of the administration is
to change the system rather than maintain it.

Negative Orientation of Concepts: Riggs did not give as much importance to

the posittve character of s prismatic society as to its negative character. He
projected fomalism as a negative aspect and highlighted its bad effects
only.In countries like India, if there is proper leadership, formalism becomes
dysfunctional in most or in all circumstances and represents a 'nor)-
ecological' view point.

key takeaways:
It is amply clear that the economic, social and political systems of a society
influence its administrative system and in turn are influenced by them. Their
interdependence is apparent. In all developing societies efforts are being made
for economic growth. The responsibility for bringing about economic
development is, to a large extent, borne by its administrative system. The
governments through their administrative system take various measures for
helping to bring about desirable social change. The administrative system is used
for political development also. Political theorists like Carl Friedrich have pointed
out that the state comes into being first and then helps in the process of
emergence of the nation. The administrative system of a country interacts with its
environment, reshaping it and being reshaped by it..