Concept of Public administration

According to the Public Administration theory, the government should be managed like a
business. In order to achieve its objectives, the government, like any other business, must be
efficient and effective. How do we measure efficiency and effectiveness is the question. If we
were to examine this question through the lens of public administration theory, we would
conclude that using fewer resources does not necessarily result in better outcomes. It simply
means you will complete them in less time. The premise of public administration is that the
government should be managed like a business (Romzek, 1987). This strategy aims to
increase efficiency, boost productivity, and reduce waste. Public administration began as an
effort to make government operations more efficient by applying business practices. Public
administration arose in response to the perceived problems with bureaucracy; it sought to
resolve these issues by enhancing the efficiency of bureaucracy. Public administration is
fundamentally concerned with ensuring that government agencies operate smoothly and
effectively. Unlike private management, public management is motivated by the need to
achieve its objectives or fulfil its mission, rather than by the desire to maximize profit. The
dynamic of management policies is influenced by public management's inherent commitment
to democratic principles. Public management involves some of the most important
responsibilities of the executive in accordance with Luther Gulick's (1937/2004) formulation
of PODSCORB—Budgeting, Planning, Organizing, Directing, Staffing, Coordination, and
Recruiting. Public management in the twenty-first century also deals with broad issues
achieving organizational objectives through strategic planning, budgeting, and
implementation of human resources.

Essential Characteristics of Government

The government is the entity responsible for creating and enforcing laws. It is composed of
the legislative branch, which makes laws, the executive branch, which enforces laws, and the
judicial branch, which interprets laws. Government is created by its citizens. Citizens are free
to choose how they want their government to operate, what rights they want it to protect, and
what responsibilities they are willing to assume. They may also choose not to engage in
politics or to abstain from voting.

The most important characteristic of government is its control over the lives of its citizens.
The government cannot compel people to do something unless there is a law against it.
However, once there is a law against something, people are required by law not to do it, and
if they do, the government could punish them. Additionally, government generates revenue
by collecting taxes and charging a fee for its services. The government also is a major
employer in the job market. A large portion of Federal expenditure goes toward defense and
international programs (BLS, 2010).

Services that Government Provides

The government provides a variety of services, including defense, social security, and
environmental protection. These services aid citizens in a variety of ways, from protecting
them from foreign threats to providing income to those who are no longer able to work due to
old age or illness. It is essential for citizens to comprehend how these services impact their
daily lives, including what they receive from their taxes, why they should care about them,
and how they can support them.

Citizens' primary provider of services is the government. It provides, among other things,
education, healthcare, and security. These services are funded by taxes paid by citizens, who
are also subject to income and property taxes. In exchange for these services, citizens forfeit
some of their privacy and due process rights. The government also has the authority to levy
taxes on its citizens to fund defense spending and other expenditures.

The government provides a variety of services that affect the lives of its citizens on a daily
basis. In some instances, these services are provided directly by the government through local
or federal agencies, such as police departments or schools; in other instances, they may be
provided by licensed private businesses, such as healthcare providers or restaurants, in
exchange for tax dollars (which help pay for roads). The government's role in providing
services varies significantly depending on the type of service provided: For example, if
someone needs medical care, they are more likely to visit a doctor than a school nurse, unless
there is an emergency that requires immediate treatment before other options can be
considered (such as someone who has been injured while playing baseball at their local park)
(PHG, 2010).

Government services are indispensable to the welfare of the populace. The government
provides numerous services, including defense, education, and infrastructure, among others.
Government employees who are compensated with tax dollars render these services. In
addition, the government offers its citizens numerous benefits, including food stamps,
Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. These services affect the lives of people in
numerous ways. National defense, for instance, protects citizens from foreign threats, while
public safety ensures their safety on the streets and highways. In addition to preparing young
people for careers or higher education, public education provides them with the foundational
knowledge necessary for daily life. The government provides numerous services to its
citizens. Some are more noticeable than others are. For instance, most people are aware that
the government provides public education through state schools and universities, but they
may not be aware that it also provides grants for research projects and subsidies for higher
education for low-income students (NCES, 2009). These Federal services enables the citizen
carryout their daily activities with ease knowing that the government of the day will
guarantee them the services they require.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2010. “Economic News Release. Volunteering in the United
States, 2009.” http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm.

Frederickson, H.G. 1971/2004. “Toward a New Public Administration.” In Classics of Public

Administration, ed. A.C. Hyde, J.M. Shafritz, and S.J. Parkes, 315–27. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Gulick, L. 1937/2004. “Notes on the Theory of Organization.” In Classics of Public

Administration, ed. A.C. Hyde, J.M. Shafritz, and S.J. Parkes, 90–98. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Lipsky, M. 1980. Street-level Bureacracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Services.

New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

National Center for Education Statistics. 2009. “Indicators of School Crime and Safety:
2008.” http://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/crimeindicators2008/key.asp.

National Office of Public Health Genomics of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. 2010. “Public Health Genomics. About Us.”
http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/about/index.htm.

Romzek, B.S., and M.J. Dubnick. 1987. “Accountability in the Public Sector: Lessons from
the Challenger Tragedy.” In Democracy, Bureaucracy, and the Study of
Administration, ed. C. Stivers, 182–204. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Classical and neo-classical management theories

The concept of bureaucracy developed by Max Weber is central to classical management

theory. Weber believed that in order for organizations to be successful, they must have a clear
hierarchical structure, with each individual knowing precisely what their role is and what is
expected of them. This would enable the most efficient use of resources and prevent overlap
between roles or responsibilities. Later theorists have criticized Weber's theory for being too
rigid and for failing to account for how people actually function in organizations, i.e., for
ignoring human behavior and emotions.

The assembly-line approach of Frederick Taylor is another widely adopted classic

management theory in the business world. This strategy involves breaking down tasks into
their smallest possible components and then assigning specific tasks to individual employees.
The objective is to ensure that each employee focuses solely on one task so that they can
accomplish more in less time. However, this approach has also been criticized for being too
rigid: it does not take into account how people actually work together in teams, collaborate on
tasks, or share knowledge across organizational departments.

Herbert Simon's skepticism regarding these approaches demonstrated that there may be
limitations to how much an organization can be improved through management techniques,
particularly when those techniques rely on assumptions about how employees will behave in
their jobs. Herbert Simon's theory of bounded rationality suggests that individuals cannot be
expected to make perfect decisions at all times; if they did, it would be inefficient for them
and their employers. He also notes that people's knowledge is limited to what they can
observe directly or what they have been told about an issue; this means that we must
sometimes trust other people's ideas even if we do not know how they came to them.
(Urwick, 1952).

Structural theory

Structural theory is a psychological theory that examines the connection between an

individual's personality, their environment, and their interactions with one another. It was
created in 1936 by psychiatrist Karl A. Menninger, who was attempting to identify human
behavior patterns that could be used to predict future actions and reactions. According to
structural theory, individuals' personalities are formed by their environment and life
experiences. For instance, if a child grows up in a home where they are frequently bullied or
abused by others, they may develop negative feelings about themselves. This can lead to self-
loathing, which later in life may manifest as substance abuse or other destructive behaviors,
such as violence against others or themselves.

The psychologist and management consultant Frederick Herzberg developed the structural
theory of motivation. It is a theory of motivation that attempts to explain why people are
motivated at work and how managers can motivate their employees most effectively. The
theory is based on two main factors: hygiene factors, which are external motivators that do
not influence performance directly, and motivator factors, which do influence performance.
According to the findings of Herzberg's research, there are two types of motivators:
achievement and recognition; both types were deemed essential for motivating employees to
perform at their highest level. Achievement-oriented motivators include interesting work,
variety in daily tasks (rather than repetition), and responsibility for outcomes resulting from
the efforts of others (such as giving orders) (Herzberg, 1966).

Systems theory

The premise upon which systems theory is based is that a business contains of several unified
parts, each of which is intended to attain wider organizational objectives and goals. In terms
of inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback mechanisms, systems theory considers the
organization. Inputs are the firm's capitals, procedures are what the business does with those
funds, and outputs are the firm’s products or services. Feedback Mechanisms are the ways by
which a business gathers and analyzes information about the effects of its outputs. Inputs feed
processes, which in turn feed outputs. Outputs generate feedback, which feeds back into the
system. Firm's contributions Systems theory is cyclical and assumes that business operate in
cycles. In order to react efficiently to environmental and intra-organizational changes, firm’s
structures are continually developing (Taylor, 1911).

Organizational economic theory

The theory focuses primarily on ensuring that managers and rank-and-file employees work
for the organization's benefit. This concept is best captured by the principal-agent theory.
Principal-agent theory addresses the inherent difficulties of motivating employees and
regulating cooperative behavior. The concept highlights the main aim of an organization to be
successful. The measure of success in a private organization is in terms of profits, higher
share prices and increased market share. However, in the public sector, organizations’
success is measured by the quality of services it offers to the citizens of the country. This
success is usually a contribution of each person in the organization. The principle and the
agents are motivated by self-interest is what derails most of the organizations. The principle
often fail to notice when the agent is not acting in a manner that benefits the organization.
The principle-agent theory comes in to reconcile the principles and agents to benefits the
organization (Urwick, 1952).

References

Merton, R. 1957. Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press.

Taylor, F. 1911. The Principles of Scientific Management. New York: W.W. Norton.

Urwick, L.F. 1952. Notes on the Theory of Organization. New York: American Management
Association.

Herzberg, F. 1966. Work and the Nature of Man. Cleveland, OH: World Publishing

Management of human resources

Management of human resources is an essential aspect of any organization, whether public or

private. The development of a diverse, high-quality workforce is essential to the success of
any organization, especially in the public sector. In order for an organization to operate
efficiently, it must have a well-managed human resources department that ensures all
employees are treated fairly, compensated appropriately, and provided with opportunities for
advancement. As a result, organizations in the public sector should prioritize the development
and maintenance of a workforce that reflects the community they serve. This can be achieved
through the implementation of inclusive hiring practices, the provision of opportunities for
training and professional development, the development of policies that promote diversity,
and the promotion of open communication between employees and managers (Guy, 1992a)

In addition, public sector organizations should ensure that their employees have access to
benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans in order to foster a culture of
appreciation and respect. An efficient human resources department will also ensure that all
employees receive fair pay checks by keeping track of their monthly hours worked in order to
accurately calculate the amount of money that should be deposited into each pay check
without any errors or delays in payment processing timeframes." The ability of public sector
organizations to cultivate and maintain a workforce that is both diverse in composition and
productive is unique. They benefit from the abilities of their employees, who work for public
service organizations because the work itself offers intrinsic rewards. Specifically, public
sector employees are frequently motivated by a sense of social mission or civic duty to do
good and this drives them to perform well at work (Herrick, 1990).

There is a responsibility on the part of public sector organizations to ensure that they are able
to hire the most qualified candidates for available positions, especially those related to
serving the public interest. In order to accomplish this, they require policies designed to
attract and retain high-quality employees who will continue to deliver quality services over
time. Public organizations also require policies that provide them with hiring flexibility.
Because they cannot always compete with private sector organizations on salary alone, they
must be able to offer additional types of benefits, such as personal development opportunities
and flexible work schedules, which make it worthwhile for employees to remain at their
organization even if a job with a higher salary but fewer benefits were available elsewhere
(Holzer, 1991).

The public sector is a unique setting for human resource management. The public sector is
responsible for providing services to the public, but it must do so in a manner that safeguards
the public from government actions. This means that the government needs to be careful
about how it treats its employees, since they are often considered extensions of the
government. One of the challenges in managing human resources in this environment is that
it requires managers to be aware of their own biases and make sure they do not allow these
biases to influence decisions about hiring, firing, promotions, or disciplinary actions (Stone,
1982).

In the public sector, organizations are expected to cultivate and maintain a diverse workforce.
This is because a diverse workforce helps an organization to be more productive and
effective. The main reason for this is that diversity in an organization means that it can better
meet the needs of its clients or customers. It also means that employees will be more likely to
feel like they are part of something bigger than they are which means they are likely to be
more engaged in their work and happier at their jobs (Coleman, 1990).

References

Coleman, C.J. 1990. Managing Labor Relations in the Public Sector. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Guy, M.E. 1992a. “Managing People.” In Public Productivity Handbook, ed. M. Holzer,
307–20. New York: Marcel Dekker.

Herrick, N. 1990. Joint Management and Employee Participation: Labor and Management at
the Crossroads. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Holzer, M. 1991. “Attracting the Best and the Brightest to Government Service.” In Public
Personnel Management: Current Concerns—Future Challenges, ed. C. Ban and N.
Riccucci, 3–16. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Schein, E.H. 1988. Organizational Culture and Leadership: A Dynamic View. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass

Stone, C. 1982. Work Attitude Survey: A Report to the Jamaican Government. St. Anne,
Jamaica: Earle Publisher’s Ltd.