Name: Jay-ar D.

Calucin Date submitted: February 17,2024

SECTION: Homework #2
Subject: MPA 201- Theory and Practice of Public Administration

1. Public administration is a discipline under the social sciences where it revolves

around the public aspects of management. As an academic discipline, it studies

the implementation of government policy and preparation for civil servants to

provide public service.It is a "wide-ranging field" whose main purpose is to

promote management and policies for effective government. Some of the

different definitions of the term are: "the administration of public programs”; the

"translation of politics into the reality that citizens see every day"; and "studying

government decision-making, analyzing policies, the various things that make

them, and the things which is needed to develop an alternative policy. Public

administration is "about the organization of government policies and programs

as well as the behavior of officials (usually unelected) who are formally

responsible for their behavior." Many non-elected public servants can be

considered civil servants, including heads of city, county, regional, state and

federal departments such as municipal budget directors, human resources

managers, city managers, census managers, state mental health directors, and

cabinet secretaries. Public administrators are civil servants who work in public

departments and agencies, at all levels of government. that is the role of public

administration, if we take this wonderful role to heart, we can say that the

management system in a country is good, but in modern times, public

administration does not have a good image because of the exploitation of a few

people in high position in government and a few leaders of private

organizations. The beauty of the system is deplorable, not only is it used

 correctly by a few people who can take advantage of it, that's why even those

who do righteous things become the same way people look at them even if

what they do is good and righteous.

2. Public administration is not a science there are conflicting views and opinions

regarding the issue of Public Administration being a science or not. A number

of thinkers refute its claim to being a science. Subscribing to this view, some

thinkers observed that no one knows better than the occupants of social

science chairs that their discipline is so fallible and erratic that to persist in the

term scientific is an open invitation to ridicule. It is for this obvious reason that

they deny if the status of science and argue that if human affairs obey causality

rules, it may be true that because of infinite complexity of human affairs, these

affairs should not demonstrate any “laws” at all to be a finite being in finite time

similarly, Finer (1970) is of the opinion that “ we cannot say clearly what

administrative principles are or what they are not”. Thus, Finer has also denied

Public Administration, the status of being a science. Next is Public

Administration as a Science. There are another group of thinkers who hold the

view that Public Administration is a Science. The thinkers present the following

arguments to back up their point of view. First, they argue that the

administration is an activity which demands correct analysis and accurate

orientation in relation to other sciences. We can analyze and through analysis

to understand and through understanding to make possible the final function of

rational and creative action this is the highest objective of science. Second is

Wallace B. Donham (1936) is of the opinion that administration is a social scince

with its own techniques, its own abstractions, its own problems of theory. It is

vitally concerned in integrating other sciences, physical, psychological and

social, at the point where action in involved. Third is Pfiffner (1960) observed

that the specialists in public administration have achieved a considerable

degree of uniformity in their thinking on the problems of administration which

tend to exist irrespective of the subject matter of service or function being

performed. If a considerable degree of uniformity in the manner of approach to

the solution of problems among specialists is a characteristic of a science, the

public administration has some right to claim them to be one said by Urwick

(1937). Fourth Beard says “ if we may rightly use term science in connection

with a body of exact knowledge, derived from experienced and observation and

a body of rules axioms which experience has demonstrated to be applicable to

concrete practice and to work out in practice approximately and for convenience

speak of science of administration. Urwick is one among those thinkers who

believe that at present public administration is not a perfect science and large

data are being collected and significant research is being carried out on the

subject. He is of the view that the day is near public administration will become

a perfect science like physics, chemistry or biology. Next is Willoughby (1958)

observes that in administration, there are certain fundamental principles of

general application analogous (similar) to those characterizing any science

which must be observed if the end of administration, efficiency in operation, is

to be secured and that these principles are to be determined only by rigid

application of the scientific method to their investigation. Public administration

is also an art. The following arguments may be advanced in this regard. It deals

with the actual working of administration. An administrator has to think and

decide wherever he meets with any particular problem or situation. Lyndall

Urwick (1937) observes that administrative skill cannot be bought. There are
 no hints and tips and short-cuts. It has to be paid for in the only currency which

is sound in this market hard study, and harder thinking, mastery of intellectual

principles reinforced by genuine reflection on actual problems, for which the

individual has real responsibility. Next is Ordway Tead (1951) in his book arts

of public administration has gone to the extent of mentioning that it is an art of

the highest order. In his own words. If the works with paints on clay, with

combination of words and ideas in literature. If these are fine arts, we are

certainly entitled to call that labour a fine art which would bring closer together

in purpose the organized relationship of individuals and groups to each other.

Thus, administration is an art and its evolves gradually. Although some

principles of administration are useful to an administrator, this knowledge is not

sufficient and he has to apply his mind to a particular situation. And only then,

can he take action to achieve his end. According to E.N. Gladden (1953)

administration as a specialized activity has gradually emerged with the

development of society. It is a normal product of the division of labour.

Administration is a distinct activity calling for specialized knowledge and

technique. To conclude all of the arguments we may say that public

administration has both the qualities of science and art. But in reality, it is neither

a perfect science nor a complete art. It can said without the least doubt that it

is one of the social sciences.

3. It is said that the work in public organizations is guided by commitments to

public service ideals. This is the basic difference between the two sectors.

However public sector organization are involved with management and for the

reason public administration is often confused with business management.

Early writers in the field often suggested that government should become more
like business. The reason to express this device was that private sector

organizations were considered more efficient and effective. The reason to

efficiency was often attributed to the profit earned. Observer, therefore make

the primary distinction between business and government that of profit. While

government is concerned with providing services or regulating individual or

groups behavior in the public interest. The canvass and scope of government

is much broader since it provides service to the citizens and not to specific

customer. For example company that manufactures cars will be dealing with

those who can afford cars. While government provides roads which use by

those who have animal driven carts, bicycles, motorbike etc. in this way all

would agree that the context of public management significantly changes the

work itself. The basic differences and similarities are followed the first one is

constitution. In Pakistan, the federal constitution defines the environment of

public administration and from it originates laws that affect the executive branch

of the government. It tells that the laws are to be legislated by the legislature

and the public administration has to implement the laws and the policies. In

case of private sector there is no constitution. Although there is no legal binding

which has different nature and content. Basic political science tell us that

executive, legislature, and courts are responsive to different constituents and

political pressures and the all three branches have legitimate interest in public

administration, because all these represent branches that affect it in its own

way. Their respective constituency or the group they represent. Example

legislature represent their vote bank. The constituency of courts are judges and

clients. The executive represents their own group of civil servants. Beside the

constitutional framework creates a system of federalism that allows overlap in

the activities of federal and provincial administration. Often the federal

government will create a program and rely on the provinces to implement it.

Such a situation is not found in private business. Next is the public interest is

good of larger number of people that is any good or service is provided which

is used by large number of citizens. Private interest is limited as compared to

public interest. Example education for all vs education for selected few. Private

sector will provide education to those who have the ability to pay, while

government will provide education to all with low tuition fee. Similarly the benefit

of maintaining law and order is for all and not to the selected few. Next is

ambiguity in the private sector profit is the basic measure of evaluating

performance of organization in business. The same is not true in public

agencies, and where making or losing money is not the main criterion for

success or failure. The objectives of public organization are stated in terms of

service provision. For example an agency’s mission may be to protect the

quality of the environment or to provide ab adequate level of rehabilitative

services to disabled. In both the situations, the government may spend more

and the purpose of spending may not be making profit but to provide service.

In this way we see that the goals of public agencies are not as clear as private

sector. These goals are less quantifiable. Next is pluralistic decision-making

means when more than one type of group is the beneficiaries or affectees.

Pluralism means that people belong to different ethnic, racial, regional, cultural

backgrounds. Since people are different ethnically and culturally, their demand

and needs vary. There would be also divergent views on issues of public

interest. For example people of a region would need roads, while people of

other region might need dams. Since the money available in the same. There
is need to build consensus. In private sector a company would desire to

manufacture a two wheeled vehicle, keeping in view the income of buyer. It

does not seek any consensus on that. We can say pluralistic decision making

of public sector is different from the private sector decision making. Next is

visibility in parliamentary democracies, managers operate with much greater

visibility than their counterparts in industry because they are constantly being

watch by media. One comes across reports in newspapers about the inefficient

performance of some government departments that come in contact with public

more frequently. So inefficient, undemocratic, injustice behavior of public

organization got reported. Unlike the behavior of managers in private

organization. Thus public manager’s actions become more visible as compared

to the actions of private manager’s. this difference is due to the fact that public

manager’s action affects large number of people. Next is market although

government policies and actions affect markets, but government does not face

same challenge of market as the private sector. The distinct differences

between public and private sector in this regards are public agencies do not

face competition of other firms as the private sector organizations would do.

Price of governmental operations is established through budgetary routines

rather than fixed at the market. The prices of goods and services in the private

sector are determined through the principle of demand and supply. If the supply

of a good is shorty, then it price would be high and vice versa. The government

does not fix the price of its services on this principle. If the price of good or

service is fixed. It is fixed on its budgetary allocation that is how much spent on

a good by the government in its budget. The remoteness of market forces from

most public administrative operations has profound consequences. Since the

 prices are not fixed in the market, governments operation and expenditure

become too large which has affect on its public financial management. Some

of these services and products provided by government are referred to as public

goods. What are public goods? These are goods such as: defense, roads,

street light etc. Next is less efficient there is no often the allegation that public

organizations are less efficient. It means that public organization do not

maximize output with given resources. This allegation is not new and because

of this allegation there have been efforts to make public organizations as

efficient as private organization. Lastly is power there are different kinds of

power that organizations possess. But the power of government is different and

omnipresent. The distinctive power of government is as follow: power to

regulate, government can regulate private sector by formulating laws. These

laws are binding on private sector and they have to abide by it. Next is power

to coerce only government has the power to use force and to put people behind

the bars for violating the law.Thus power of punishment can only be used by

government, and no private organization has this power. Lastly is

pervasiveness the government laws and regulations have general applicability.

The most common example of this is application of traffic laws all over the

country and its acceptability by all.

4. The five characteristics of public administration I will discuss are serving the

public interest, formulation of rules and procedures, transparency in the

government, equality in the society and ensures compliance with public

policies. The first characteristic of public administration is to serve the interest

of people through service provision. Public administration is an important

element that distinguishes, the private from the public. It does not involve profit-
making, hence people from different parts of the economy.Provision of

important needs to people ranges from health, security, development,

counseling, and management duties. Generally, the public sector, in most

countries, issues passports, and driving licenses, and run immigration task

forces. Hence the importance of public administration can be a critical

department that needs special care, and efficiency to give equal satisfaction to

the general public. Second is formulation of rules and procedures.The

formulation of rules shall implement the public principles, policies, decisions,

and plans to effectively help the organizations operate effectively and efficiently.

Public administration ensures there is good compliance with the legislative

principles established by the Legislation Law and conforms to the provisions of

the Constitution, laws, administrative regulations, and other superior laws.The

formulation of rules embodies the principle of uniting the powers and

responsibilities of administrative organs and, while vesting necessary powers

in the relevant administrative organs, provides the conditions and procedures

for executing such powers, as well as responsibilities they shall undertake.

Public administrators manage State Council administrative regulations,

decisions, and orders, departmental rules may not set norms that impair the

rights of citizens, legal persons, and other organizations or increase their

obligations, and may not increase the powers or reduce the statutory duties of

the department. The third is transparency in government. Public administration

acts as a tool for addressing local government transparency, providing

adequate information flow, strong civil society, effective and transparent

financial management systems, and procurement regulations. Local

government transparency has included supporting the implementation of

legislation that promotes transparent procurement processes in the public

sector.Transparency is a fundamental element of abolishing corruption in the

public sector. A transparent way of management in governance is important to

local governments and the communities they serve because corruption

threatens good governance, leads to the misallocation of resources, harms

people, public planning, and private sector development, and also distorts

public policy. Hence controlling corruption is vital and this is archived through

the process of ensuring transparency. Next is equality in society,‘Equality’ is a

contested concept: “People who praise it or disparage it disagree about what

they are praising or disparaging” (Dworkin 2000, p. 2). Our first task is therefore

to provide a clear definition of equality in the face of widespread misconceptions

about its meaning as a political idea. Public administration provides equality’ (or

‘equal’) which signifies correspondence between a group of different objects,

persons, processes, or circumstances that have the same qualities.Equality in

its prescriptive usage is closely linked to morality and justice, and distributive

justice in particular. Further, people and movements throughout history have

used the language of justice to contest inequalities. But what kind of role does

equality play in a theory of public administration. Philosophers have sought to

clarify this by defending a variety of public principles and conceptions of

equality. Lastly is ensures compliance with public policies.Public administration

ensures compliance with public policies because Public policy is not worth

anything if employees and people do not follow it. The workforce and the public

may not easily adapt to changes in policy. Further, employees may be reluctant

to change practices in their everyday workflows. It’s key to involve HR in this

process.Most importantly, make sure to communicate company policy and

procedures well. Part of this is to ensure they are well documented and readily

available; both digitally and physically. Public administration furthermore,

makes sure that public sector employees understand why policy and

procedures are the way they are, or why they have changed. It may also be

necessary to implement employee training on how to properly adapt

procedures.And lastly, public administration helps with implementing a reward

system for employees who comply and develop sanctions in case of violations.