Public Administration and the Public Sector

Basic Concepts

Module 2-1: Basics

Public Administration Competencies

NASPAA Competencies

1. To lead and manage in public governance
2. To participate in and contribute to the policy process
3. To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions
4. To articulate and apply a public service perspective
5. To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry

Linguistics of the Field

• Government: the formal institutions and processes through which decisions are made for a body politic
• Public Administration: the field of study and practice that concerns itself with the management of public programs
• Public Policy: the decisions made by government that are intended to affect the lives of citizens
• Governance: the process of governing, which includes the formal institutions of government as well as informal arrangements that influence decision-making

Enduring Debates in Public Administration

• Politics vs. Administration
• Facts vs. Values
• Public vs. Private

Interdisciplinary Nature of Public Administration

• Political Science
• Economics
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Law
• Business
• Engineering

Interdisciplinary Nature of Public Administration

Public administration is a multidisciplinary field that draws on the insights of many disciplines to understand the complex world of public management and tackle large, complex, and expensive problems.

Foundations of Public Administration

• Is private sector management the same as public sector management?
• What is the role of government in society?
• How do we trust government to act in our best interests?

Solving the Public's Demands on Government

• Politics: Choice among competing values
• Performance: How well does government get the work done?
• Accountability: How do we hold government accountable for its actions?

The Meaning of Accountability

• Accountability is the obligation of public servants to be answerable for their actions and to act responsibly and without blame.

• Principles of accountability:

  • Transparency
  • Responsiveness
  • Responsibility
  • Integrity
  • Trust

Approaches to Accountability

• Political Accountability
• Legal Accountability
• Administrative Accountability
• Social Accountability

Elements of Accountability

• Fiscal Accountability
• Process Accountability
• Program Accountability
• Performance Accountability

Theories of Public Administration for Next Time

• Old Public Administration
• New Public Administration
• New Public Management
• New Public Service
• New Public Governance

End of Module 2-1