Role of Public Administration in the Modern State

Role of Public Administration in the Modern State The critical role of public administration as defined by John Rohr (a leading scholar of the US Constitution and its relation to public administration and civil servants) is governing the society. The authors have also argued that a government can exist ithout a legislature! even ithout a  "udiciary but never ithout administration. The government ill become as dysfunctional dysfunctional as a lame horse in a derby race. #ublic administration as a part of $overnment has existed since the time of the monarchies! ancient %ndia&s most prominent political scientist and economist Chana'ya (*+, -C) in his treatise /rthashashtra0 dedicates substantial chapters to Statecraft or the public administration of a state. #ublic administration provides numerous services to the public and serves their interests in many ays. /s explained by 1elix / 2egro! the real core o f administration is the basic service hich is  performed for the public. %t is the administration administration hich ensures the security and protection of life and property of the members of the society by maintaining proper la and order.

The economical! cultural and even eve n spiritual progress for that matter0 of a society depends on the  public administration. The day to day functioning of the $overnment machinery! machinery! external affairs affairs and the most important of all! the national na tional defense are the other important functions performed  by the public administration of the country. country. In the modern state, the role and scope of public administration is ever expanding and all are ay past the laisse4*fare state hich as responsible for maintaining la encompassing . 3e are and order only. The modern state hich expects government to provide much more has seen the role of public administration a dministration change dramatically! since those times. The current role and functions adopted by public administration owes its origin to the changes which the human history has witnessed in the last couple of centuries . The first important change as the industrial revolution hich resulted in the urbani4ation of the large cities of the orld. Secondly! there as a change in the po litical philosophy from minimalist state intervention (or laisse4*fare) and individualism to social elfare. The to 3orld 3orld 3ars 3ars combined ith the changing international scenarios ith ne countries! alliances and organi4ations li'e the formation of United 2ations! generated a need to reform the goals of administration in the society0 not "ust of ithin a nation but a lso ith respect to the orld.

5astly! the increasing population of the orld means tremendous pressure on the available resources. The role of providing for basic amenities li'e food and shelter has therefore fallen into the lap of the $overnment. /ccording to  2 $ladden! there are three characteristics of an efficient public administration6

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%t needs to meet the functional aims for hich it has been created %t must be able to meet the long term needs hich might arise due to change in administrative techni7ues or the changes in social environment hich are more important and influential %t needs to conform to a centrali4ed plan but also accommodate the specific and special demand of particular department units

There is an increasing aareness amongst the citi4ens of a country regarding their rights and the duties of the $overnment. Thus! the role and functions of public administration has also become 7uite dynamic in nature and is constantly evolving in response to the changing needs and demands of the society. Technological intervention! incorporation of ne management  principles! ta'ing into accounts the needs and aspirations of the end customer are some of the ne trends in the areas of public administration.

Scope of Public Administration -y the scope of #ublic /dministration! e mean the ma"or concerns of #ublic /dministration as an activity and as a discipline. Scope of Public Administration as an activity

-roadly spea'ing! #ublic /dministration embraces all the activities of the government. 8ence as an activity the scope of public administration is no less than the scope of state activity. %n the modern elfare state people expect many things 9 a ide variety of services and protection from the government. %n this context public administration provides a number of elfare and social security services to the people. -esides! it has to man age government oned industries and regulate private industries. #ublic administration covers every area and activity ithin the ambit  public policy. Thus! the scope of public administration is very ide in modern state. Scope of Public Administration as a iscipline

The scope of public administration as a discipline! that is sub"ect of studies! comprises of the folloing6

The P!S"oR# view

Several writers have defined the scope of public administration in varying terms$ %ullic& sums up the scope of the sub'ect by the letters of the word P!S"oR# which denote( Planning, !rganisation, Staffing, irecting, "oordinating reporting the #udgeting$ Planning means the wor&ing out in broad outline the things to be done, the methods to be adopted to accomplish the purpose$ !rganisation means the establishment of the formal structure of authority through which the wor& is sub)divided, arranged, defined and coordinated$

Staffing means the recruitment and training of the personnel and their conditions of wor&$ irecting means ma&ing decisions and issuing orders and instructions$ "oordinating means inter)relating the wor& of various divisions, sections and other parts of the organi*ation$ Reporting means informing the superiors within the agency to whom the executive is responsible about what is going on$ #udgeting means fiscal planning, control and accounting$

According to %ullic& the P!S"oR# activities are common to all organisations$ They are the common problems of management which are found in different agencies regardless of the nature of the wor& they do$ P!S"oR# gives unity, certainty, and definiteness and ma&es the study more systematic$

CR%T%C%S: The critics pointed out that the P!S"oR# activities were neither the whole of administration, nor even the most important part of it$ The P!S"oR# view overloo&s the fact that deferent agencies are faced with different administrative problems, which are peculiar to the nature of the services, they render and the functions they performed$ The P!S"oR# view ta&es into consideration only the common techni+ues of the administration and ignores the study of the sub'ect matter- with which the agency is concerned$ A ma'or defect is that the P!S"oR# view does not contain any reference to the formulation and implementation of the policy$ Therefore, the scope of administration is defined very narrowly, being too inward loo&ing and too conscious of the top management$

The Sub'ect Matter .iew

3e all 'no that public administration deals not only ith the processes but also ith the substantive matters of administration! such as ;efence! 5a and
services too. Therefore! the study of public administration should deal ith both the processes (that is #
instrument with two blades like a pair of scissors. One blade may be knowledge of the eld covered by POSDCo!" the other blade is knowledge of the sub#ect matter in which these techni$ues are applied. !oth blades must be good to make an e%ective tool&. 3e may conclude the discussion ith the observation o f 8erbert Simon ho says that #ublic administration has to important aspects! namely deciding and doing things. The first provides the basis for the second.
The study of administration assumed significance! according to 3oodro 3ilson! as a conse7uence to the increasing complexities of society! groing functions of state and groth of governments on democratic lines. This exhaustive list of functions made to thin' as to =ho& and in hat =directions& these functions should be effectively performed. To this 3ilson suggested that there as a need to reform the government in the administrative field. /s per 3ilson! the ob"ect of administrative study is to discover hat government can properly and successfully does and ho it can do these things ith utmost efficiency and the least possible cost either of money or of energy. The importance of public administration as a speciali4ed sub"ect can be attributed to the folloing reasons6 4$ ?>?) in -ritain0 the #resident&s Committee on /dministrative :anagement (>?) in the United States0 5$ /dministration is loo'ed at! in the social science perspective! as a cooperative and social activity. 8ence the concern of academic in7uiry ould be to understand the impact of government policies and operations on society. 3hat 'ind of society do the policies envisage@0 To hat extent administrative action is non*discriminatory@ 8o is public administration functioning and hat are the immediate and long term effects of governmental action on the social structure! the e conomy and polity@0 etc. are 7uestions re7uiring careful analysis. 1rom the social science perspective! public administration! as a discipline! has to dra on a variety of sister disciplines such as 8istory! Sociology! conomics! $eography!

#hilosophy! #sychology! etc.! ith the ob"ective to explain and not "ust to prescribe. 6$ #ublic administration has a special status in the developing countries. :any of these countries! after independence from the colonial rule have stressed upon speedy socio 9 economic development.
The role of public administration in various facets is noted below( #asis of the %overnment(  / $overnment can exist ithout a legislature or an independent "udiciary. -ut no $overnment can exist ithout administration. An instrument for providing services( #ublic administration mainly concerned ith the

 performance of various activities performed by government in the public interest. 1elix /. 2igro aptly remar's! AThe real core of administration is the basic service hich is performed for the  publicB. An instrument for implementing policies(  :odern governments go a long ay in formulating and adopting sound policies las and regulations. %t should not be forgotten that such policies! las! etc. are not merely printed papers. Su ch paper declarations of intent are translated into reality by public administration thus converting ords into action and form into substance. A stabili*ing force in society(  #ublic administration is a ma"or force for bringing stability in society. %t has been observed that though government often changes! but violent change is seldom experienced by administration. /n element of continuity beteen the old and the ne orders is  provided by public administration. %t does not hold true only of constitutional changes of government in democratic countries! but is also reflected hen there are revolutionary changes in the form and character of government. An instrument of social change and economic development( #ublic administration&s role as a change agent is particularly crucial in developing nations. %t is expected of the state at present to or' for accelerating socio*economic change and not to be a  passive agency to maintain the status 7uo. Technical "haracter( The present day government is expected to provide various services to its population. The increase in the number of functions underta'en by the government re7uire highly speciali4ed!  professional and technical! services. :odern public administration usually represents a galaxy of all of a nation&s occupations. /ccording to $erald Caiden public administration has assumed the folloing crucial roles in contemporary modern society6  #reservation of polity0  :aintenance of stability and order0  %nstitutionali4ation of Socio*conomic changes0  :anagement of large scale commercial services0  nsuring groth and economic development0  #rotection of the ea'er sections of society0  1ormation of public opinion0 and  %nfluencing #ublic policies. The points mentioned belo summarise the reasons for the groing importance of public administration6 : 0mergence of 8elfare and emocratic state mergence of elfare and democratic state has led to an increase in the activities of public administration compared to that of the laisse4*faire state. The state has to no serve all sections of people in the society. This amount to enhanced responsibilities of public administration. #ublic administration is also to regulate and control private economic enterprises to meet the ob"ectives of the state. : Industrial Revolution The industrial revolution gave rise to socio*economic problems ma'ing the government to assume ne roles and responsibilities such as protection and promotion of the rights of or'ers in industrial establishments! etc. Conse7uently! the state has enacted a number of %ndustrial and 5abour las and it is imperative for public administration to implement such las in order to

meet the re7uirements of labour elfare. : Scientific and Technological evelopment Scientific and technological developments have brought about elcome additions in infrastructure such as poer! transport and communication system. The invention of telephone! telegraph and other mechanical devices such as typeriter! tele*printer! and calculators!  photocopying machines! computers! fax and the electronic mail has brought revolutionary changes in office administration. /ll these have made possible =big government& and =large scale administration&. -esides changing the ethos and character of public administration! the revolution in information and communication technologies have contributed to improved delivery of services to people. : 0conomic Planning Centrali4ed economic planning has been pursued in many developing countries as a method for socio*economic development. %t re7uires a large number of experts and elaborate administrative machinery for plan formulation! implementation! monitoring! and evaluation. /part from the reasons cited the rapid groth of population! modern arfare! increase in natural and manmade disasters! decline in social harmony! increase in violence due to conflicts! communal riots! ethnic ars! terrorism! etc. have increased the importance of public administration. %t goes ithout saying that public administration is not only the operative but also the most obvious part of the government. %t is government in action and occupies a significant place not merely as an instrument of governance but also as an important mechanism for preserving and  promoting the elfare of community. %t has substantive impact upon the life of the people. %t is a vital process charged ith implementation of pre*determined! elfare oriented! and developmental ob"ectives.  DEFININTION OF PU!I" AD#INIST$ATION 

5.;. 3hite observes that although public administration varies in form and ob"ects! and although the administration of public and private affairs differs at many points! there is an underlying similarity! if no identity. /s an integral aspect of such generic concept! public administration could be related to that type of administration! hich operates ithin a specific ecological setting. %t is a means to carry out the policy decisions made by political executive. To be seen along ith it is the =#ublic& aspect of #ublic administration! hich attributes a special character and focus to it. =#ublic& can be loo'ed at formally to mean =government&. So! public administration is government administration! government in action! or a socio*economic and  politico*administrative confluence! the focus being especially on public bureaucracy. ncyclopaedia -ritannica defines public administration as =the application of a policy of a state through its government.& #ublic /dministration! therefore! refers to that part of administration! hich pertains to the administrative activities of the government.  Definitions of Public Administration pro%ided by %arious sc&olars' 8oodrow 8ilson #ublic administration is the detailed and systematic application of la. very particular application of la is an act of administration. 3$$ 8hite A#ublic administration consists of all those operations having for their purpose the fulfilment or

enforcement of public policyB. /s per 3hite! this definition covers a multitude of particular operations in many fields the delivery of a letter! the sale of public land! the negotiation of a treaty! the aard of compensation to an in"ured or'man! the 7uarantine of a sic' child! the removal of litter from a par'! manufacturing uranium +D! and licensing the use of atomic energy. %t includes military as ell as civil affairs! much of the or' of courts! and all the special fields of government activity*police! education! health! construction of pu blic or's! conservation! social security! and many others. The conduct of public affairs in advanced civilisations re7uires the employment of almost every profession and s'ill*engineering! la! medicine! and teaching0 the crafts! the technical specialties! the office s'ills! and many others. Percy Mc ;ueen #ublic administration is related to the operations of government hether local or central. 3uther %ullic&  #ublic administration is that part of the science of administration! hich has to do ith the government0 it concerns itself primarily ith the executive branch here the or' of the government is done0 though there are obviously  problems also in connection ith the legislative and "udicial branches. <$M Pfiffner A/dministration consists of getting the or' of government done b y coordinating the efforts of  people so that they can or' together to accomplish their set tas'sB. M$ Ruthanaswami A3hen administration has to do ith the affairs of a state or minor political institutions li'e the municipal or country council (district board)! it is called public ad ministration. /ll the acts of the officials of a government! from the peon in a remote office to the head of a state in the capital! constitute public administration.B 9$A$ Simon, $8$ Smithburg and .$A$ Thompson A-y #ublic /dministration is meant! in common usage! the activities of the executive branches of  national! state and local governments! government corporations and certain other agencies of a speciali4ed character. Specifically excluded are "udicial and legislative agencies ithin the government and non*governmental administration.B Corson and 8arris A#ublic administration E is the action part of government! the means by hich the purposes and goals of government are realised.B wight 8aldo A#ublic administration is the art and science of manage ment as applied to the affairs of State.B M$0$ imoc&  A#ublic /dministration is concerned ith =hat& and =ho& of the government. The =hat& is the sub"ect matter! the technical 'noledge of a field! hich enables the administrator to perform his tas's. The =ho& is the techni7ue of management! the principles according to hich co*operative  programmes are carried through to success. ach is indispensable! together they form the synthesis called administrationB. /icholas 9enry A#ublic /dministration is a broad*ranging and amorphous combination of theory and practice0 its  purpose is to promote a superior understanding of government and its relationship ith the society! it governs! as ell as to encourage public policies more responsive to social needs and to institute managerial practices attuned to effectiveness! efficiency and the deeper human re7uisites of the citi4enryB. The traditional definitions of #ublic /dministration! hich are given above reflect the vie that

the #ublic /dministration is only involved in carrying out the policies and programmes of the government. %t reflect that it has no role in policy ma'ing and also locates the administration in the executive branch but toda y the term public administration is used in a broader sense that it is not only involved in carrying out the programmes of the government! but it also plays an important role in policy formulation and covers the three branches of the government. %n this context! e may reflect on the definition offered by 1./. 2igro and 5.$. 2igro. /ccording to them #ublic /dministration6 %n this context e can reflect the definition offered by 1./. 2igro and 5.$. 2igro. /ccording to them #ublic /dministration6  is co*operative group effort in a public setting0  covers all three branches*executive! legislative! and "udicial! and their inter*relationships0  has an important role in the formulation of public policy and is thus a part of the political  process0  is different in significant ays from private administration0 and  is closely associated ith numerous private groups and individuals in providing services to the communityB. %n sum! public administration6  is the non*political public bureaucracy operating in a political system0  deals ith the ends of the State! the sovereign ill! the public interests and las0  is the business side of government and as such concerned ith policy execution! but it is also concerned ith policy*ma'ing0  covers all three branches of government! although it tends to be concentrated in the executive  branch0  provides regulatory and service functions to the people in order to attain good life0  differs significantly from private administration! especially in its emphasis on the public0 and  is interdisciplinary in nature as it dras upon other social sciences li'e political science! economics and sociology.