INTRODUCTION TO

PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
 PART ONE:
MEANING, NATURE, SCOPE
AND SIGNIFICANCE OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
VIEWS OF PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATIONS
 VIEWS OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
AS A FIELD OF PRACTICE
According to Waldo (1955), PA has dual
usages: as a field of practice and a field of
study.

The meaning invoked is the activity or

process of administering public affairs and
carrying out governmental functions.
Example of PA practices
• Enacting a law
• Making decision on the best policy concerning an issue
• Maintaining peace and order
• Processing of claims
• Building roads and bridges
• Issuance of license
• Setting standard and Processes
 VIEWS OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
AS A FIELD OF STUDY OR
DISCIPLINE
PA is concerned with discovering and advancing
theoretical and practical knowledge in the field
using scientific methods and other social sciences
use.

PA differs from political science in its emphasis on

bureaucratic structure and behavior and its
methodologies (Rossenbloom, 1989)
What is the PA subject matter or focus to be studied?
• How a policy is made and implemented
• The interrelationship between government institutions
• Human resource development
• Impact of environmental regulation on communities and economic
activities
• The behavior and attitude of public officials as they perform their
official duties
• Leadership styles of public managers
• Mechanisms adopted by poverty-focused programs
• The relations of government and the citizens
What is also considered an applied discipline?

• It
has practical use for government, particularly in
improving government performance

• It
prepares persons for careers in public service
and trains them to be good public administrators
 VIEWS OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
AS: BOTH AN ART AND
SCIENCE
AS AN ART:
PA involves creativity, leadership, a good sense
of the intangibles in administration.
This view is closely to the practice of PA.
AS A SCIENCE

• There is a body of knowledge of theories that can

explain or predict phenomenon or variables in the
field of PA
• ThePA theories and concepts are built based on
empirical research using systematic methods
• These theories can be used not only to explain but
also improve the art and practices of PA (Bautista,
1990)
 SCOPE / SIGNIFICANCE
OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• Basis of government
• It is the instrument of change in the society
• It plays vital role in the life of the people
• An instrument for executing laws, policies,
programs of the state
• An establishing force in the society as it provides
continuity
 DEFINITIONS OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
WALDO, 1995

• PA
is the organization and management of men
and materials to achieve the purpose of
government
• PAis the art and science of management as
applied to the affairs of the state
CAIDEN, 1971
• Is a cooperative group effort in a public setting
• Covers all three branches – executive, legislative and judicial
and interrelationships
• Has important role in the formulation of public policy and is,
thus, part of the political process
• Asa field of study and practice, it has been influenced by
human relations approach
• Isclosely associated with numerous private groups and
individuals in providing services to the community
FRY, 1989

• PAis policy-making. It is not autonomous,

exclusive or isolated policy making.
• PAis one of a number of basic political
processes by which this people achieves and
controls governance
ROSSENBLOOM, 1989
• PA is the action part of government. The means by
which the purposes and goals of government are
realized. PA as a field is mainly concerned with the
means for implementing political values

• PAdiffers from political science in its emphasis on

bureaucratic structure and behavior and its
methodologies
ROSSENBLOOM, 1989
• PA differs from administrative science in the
evaluative techniques used by non profit
organizations because profit-seeking
organizations are considerably less constrained in
considering public interest in their decision-
making structures and the behavior of their
administrators.
ROSSENBLOOM, 1989

• The process of PA consists of the actions involved in

effecting the intent or desire of a government. It is
thus the continuously active, “business” part of
government, concerned with carrying out the law, as
made by the legislative bodies (or other authoritative
agents) and interpreted by courts, through the
processes of organization and management
DE GUZMAN, 1993
• Froma very broad perspective, PA may be
viewed to refer not only in activities
carrying out or implementing policies and
programs of the government but also to the
processes and contents of these policies and
programs.
DE GUZMAN, 1993
• From a broader perspective, PA may refer to
the cooperative human action whether within
the public bureaucracy, the private sector or in
nongovernmental organizations aimed at
delivering services to the people.