PARADIGMS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Brief Introduction
 The word Administration has been derived from the Latin words ‘ad’ and ‘ministiare’ which
means to serve. In simple language it means the ‘management of affairs’ or ‘looking after the
people’.
 In general sense, administration can be defined as the activities of groups co-operating to
accomplish common goals. It is a process of management which is practiced by all kinds of
organizations from the household to the most complex system of the government.
 John Von Neumann – was a late mathematician and a genius who pioneered the modern
compute once describe the state of a discipline that had become far too involved with self-study
by coining out the term ‘baroquism’ – a reexamination of different Public Administrationists of
where the field has been and where it is going to appear worthwhile.
 Six paradigms of Public Administration are sketched in an effort to indicate that the notion of
Public Administration as a unique, synthesizing field is relatively new. The discipline is conceived
as an amalgam of an organization theory, management science, and the concept of the public
interest. It is suggested that Public Administration should establish itself as an institutionally
autonomous enterprise in colleges and universities in order to retain its social relevance and
worth.

Concept of LOCUS & FOCUS

 All the paradigms are either LOCUS or FOCUS.
 These are given by Nicholas Henry in his book Public Administration and Public Affair.
 He divided the LOCUS and FOCUS into Six PARADIGMS of Public Administration.
 Locus means “where” of the field. The Institution, traditionally it was Bureaucracy has been the
LOCUS of Public Administration.
 For example, your subject of Public Administration is taught in Room No. A of Department of
Public Administration.
 FOCUS is specific “WHAT” of field.
 The knowledge of the field and its expertise comprise the FOCUS.
 The FOCUS of PA is changing depending upon the context, sometimes it is HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
or MANAGEMENT or GOOD GOVERNANCE
 FOCUS for example is what specifically you are studying in PA like Personnel Adm, Financial Adm
etc.

Paradigm I: The Politics/Administration Dichotomy (1887-1926)

 Influence of Woodrow Wilson – According to an article in 1887, Woodrow Wilson was a young
man who was trying to push for better government in his subject of Political Science. He
expressed his support in writing for the expansion of civil service. He argued there that the
government can be divided into Politics & Administration.
 Frank J. Goodnow – known for his book Politics & Administration, Frank said here that Politics
has to do with policies and expression of the state’s will while Administration has to do with the
execution of these policies.
 Public Service Movement – In 1914, Public Administration receive a serious attention from
scholars. According to a report by Committee on Instruction in Government of the American
Political Science Association, Public Administration was a subfield of Political Science and
Political Science Departments were perceived as the logical place where to train the public
administrators.
  In 1920, Public Administration started to pick up academic legitimacy, notable in this
regard was the publication of Leonard D. White’s Introduction to Public Administration
in 1926, the 1st textbook devoted into the field.
 Dwight Waldo said that Politics should not intrude on administration; management
lends itself to scientific study; public administration is capable of becoming a value free
science in its own right; the mission of administration is economy and efficiency, period.

Paradigm II: Principles of Administration (1927-1937)

 William F Willoughby – In his book Principles of Public administration (2 nd fully pledged textbook
in the field) indicated that the new thrust of public administration was everywhere and yet to be
discovered.
 Henri Fayol – in his Industrial and General Management book identified the principles for better
outcomes from administration.
 Mooney & Reiley – Identified 4 principles:
o Principle of coordination – need of people to act together
o Excise of authority & need for discipline
o Scalar principle or hierarchy of organization, grading of duties & process of delegation
o Functional principle – specialization and distinction between different kinds of duties
 Mary Parker Follet – coordinating people and achieving employee engagement
 Gullick & Urwick – 7 principles to govern any kind of organization (POSDCORB)
o Planning
o Organizing
o Staffing
o Directing
o Coordinating
o Reporting
o Budgeting

The Challenge (1938-1950)

 Chester I. Barnard & Herbert A. Simon
o Functions of the Executive by Barnard started the 1 st real hint of challenge but the
impact of this was not overwhelming
o Administrative Behavior by Simon shows his devastating critique on the field. He
demonstrated that for every principle of Public Administration advocated in the
literature, there was a counter principle that will end up as a subject for debate, dispute
or uncertainty.
 Fritz Morstein Marx – in his edited version of the Elements of Public Administration, he
questions the assumption that politics and administration can be dichotomized and decisions
were fully influenced by politics.
 Robert A. Dahl – He addressed the validity of principles concepts from variety of perspectives. In
the Science of Public Administration: Three Problems (1947) he indicated there 3 problems
o The exclusion of normative elements from administrative theory
o Exclusion of human aspects from administrative theory
o Administrative theories are based on examples drawn from limited national and
historical settings.
Paradigm III: Public Administration as Political Science (1950-1970)
 Reintegration of Public Administration into Political Science
 Definition of locus was renewed as the government’s bureaucracy
 In 1960’s Public Administration was not included as a subfield of Political Science
 In 1967, Public Administration disappeared as an organizing theory
 In 1972, a survey about the 5 major political science journals indicated that 4% of all the articles
between 1960—1970 could be included in “bureaucratic politics”.

Paradigm IV: Public Administration as Management (1956-1970)

 Developed by side by side to Paradigm 3.
 It lost its identity behind some ‘Larger’ concept.
 FOCUS was in some specialized technique and expertise.
 Organizational Theory was or should be the overarching focus of Public Administration
According to Keith M. Henderson.
 An artificial distinction between Business and Public Administration was removed due to same
techniques and Expertise in administration.
 In 1960, Organizational Development began its rapid rise as a specialty of administrative science.
 PA showed disinclination towards economy, administrative techniques, budgeting etc.
 It called to free PA both from Political Science and management to help discipline identify its
uniqueness and identity

Paradigm V: Public Administration as Public Administration (1970-Present)

 Simon’s Proposal of Duality of Scholarship in Public Administration (1947) – Renewed the
validity of the field.
 It distinguishes it both from Political Science and Management.
 It is viewed as return of LOCUS of PA.
 In 1970, The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) was
established.

Paradigm VI: Governance (1990-Present)

 It doesn’t replaced Paradigm 5 but evolved side by side.
 Some trends were developed as Globalization, Redefining Government as Partner, Treating
Citizens as Customers.
 Governance is seen as a joint responsibility of Public, Private, and Non-profit Organizations.
 Less Government and more Governance was emphasized.
 Government today is sum total of Laws, Politics, Organizations, Institutions, and Cooperative
Arrangements.
 Separation from Politics but emphasized the role of administration in Policy Formulation
 A new role of Public Administration was in Policy Making.