Objectives

Exploring the theoretical underpinnings and

the practice of public administration.
understand and analyze the movement from
Government to Governance.
comprehend the changing role of Public
Services in the globalized era.
Current initiatives and emerging challenges
 Outline of the Stream
Paradigms of Public Administration

Governance Issues : Challenges and strategies

Public Service Management

Contemporary Issues in Public Administration

Public Administration An Overview
Structure
What is Public Administration?

What are the basic concerns/essentials/goals

of Public Administration?

What are major paradigm shifts in the

theory and practice of Public
Administration?
Public Administration

Machinery and Procedures of government.

Instrument for realization of goals of
government.
Operates within a specific political setting
Means by which policy decisions are
carried out.
Action oriented linked with performance.
Basic Concerns of Public
Administration

Structures of public organisations

Administrative process
Bureaucratic Behavior
Organisation environment interactions
Theories of Administration
Woodrow Wilsons Essay(1887) The Study of
Administration

( Politics Administration Dichotomy)

There should be science of administration which shall

seek to straighten the paths of government, to make its
business less business like, to strengthen and purify its
organisation and to crown its duties with dutifulness

In 1891 Administration cannot be divorced from its

connections from other branches of Public Law without
being distorted and robbed of its true significance. Its
foundations are those deep and permanent principles of
politics
Theories of Administration

19th century and early part of 20th century - Systematic

and scientific study of public organisations

Classical Theorists F.W.Taylor to Weber

F.W. Taylor & Henry Fayol first to formulate certain

postulates which were later synthesized as principles

Max Weber Ideal type of Bureaucracy continues to

be a dominant paradigm
 Weberian/Scientific Management
Classical Model/Traditional Public
Administration Approach
Emphasis on:
Structure oriented

Hierarchy, division of work, specialisation

Rigid, rule bound, impersonal

Bureaucratic/Centralisation

Public Private distinction

Rationality Maximisation

Top down Approach

Changing Concerns
Neo classical or human relations theories
informal organisations, leadership, morale (
late1920s & early 1930s)
Late 1930s & 1940s Decisional Analysis in
administrative theory (Herbert Simon)
Post Second World War emergence of
developing nations in Asia and Africa
Emergence of Comparative Administration and
development administrative concepts
Ecological Approach ( F.W. Riggs)
 New Public Administration
Minnowbrook I- 1968 (Dwight Waldo)

Relevance
Values

Equity

Change

Towards a New Public Administration: The Minnowbrook

Perspective Frank Marini -1971
- less generic and more public, less descriptive and
more prescriptive, less institution oriented and more
client impact, less neutral and more normative but
no less scientific
Citizen to Customer Centric

Public Choice theory(1974 Vincent

Ostrom) argues for dispersal of decision
making authority, peoples participation &
de bureaucratization of all administrative
units
 Washington Consensus (1980s &1990s reform
measures promoted by Brettonwoods institutions) &
New Public management (emerged on the heels of
the movements of reinventing government and
good governance)
Minnow brook II(1988)
Less directly performing government
More Privatisation and Contracting out
Renew the administrative capacity
Leadership
Scrutiny of public personnel policies.
economic perspective.
New Public Management
(NPM) catalytic government - steering
rather than rowing.

Post Washington Consensus (need of

different institutions for different economies
and governments, market interventions can
play a positive role )
The New Public Service: Serving not
Steering Denhardt and Denhardt

Critical role of government Service

New culture of co governance
Listening to public rather than telling
Serving rather than steering
Serve Citizens, not customer
Value people not productivity
NEW PUBLIC GOVERNANCE

Flexible

De-hierarchical

Post Bureaucratic

Less government and more governance

PUBLIC SERVICE
MANAGEMENT
a broader paradigm

governance of inter organizational and

cross sectoral relationships

efficacy of public service delivery

systems rather than public service
organizations

Minnowbrook - 2008(III)
The Future of Public Administration, Public
Management and Public Service
Humanity is living in dark times,

Does Public Administration have the governance

capacity to address effectively the seemingly
insurmountable problems that characterize dark times?

Commitment to responsiveness, social equality and

participation?
 Goals Of Public Administration
Improving quality of public life by promoting

equality, justice, security

Doing so effectively in a non-profit manner

Creating conditions for good citizenship and

Upholding public interest

Goals Of Public Administration

Responsiveness
Transparency
Sensitization
Efficiency
Accountability
Legitimacy
National Development
Significance of Public administration
Link between citizen and Government
Meeting rising expectations of the people
Facilitate socio economic development
Ecological and cultural bound
Ever expanding role and enhanced
responsibilities of Government.
 A great stabilising force in society.
Provides continuity when governments
change.
Striving for the welfare of the citizen.
Administrative capability.
Administrative reforms.
 Paradigm Shifts Part of evolutionary
process, but the goals and essentials of
public administration remain the same
The notion of public in Public
Administration has acquired new
dimensions
Many Actors in play for large interests of
societal good.