Evolution of the Field of Public Administr

ation
Paradigms or Models of Public Admini
stration

 Paradigms or models attempt to interpret the

development of thought in the field and to im
age its direction
 Politics-administration dichotomy tradition (W
oodrow Wilson, Frank Goodnow)
- the role of politics has something to do with
the expression of the will of state while admin
istration, with execution
Paradigms/Models
 Science of administration or principles of administration – mana
gerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coord
inating, reporting and budgeting (Gulick and Urwick)
 Use of classical approaches such as hierarchy, functional divisi
on of tasks, centralized housekeeping activities, and line and st
aff distinctions (John Pfiffner)
 Bureaucratic model of Max Weber – bureaucratic organization i
s hierarchical in its structure, based on strict adherence to rules
and regulations, impersonal on its behavioral side, with official
documents and files providing the necessary permanence and
continuity; there is security of tenure, promotion based seniority
or merit and positions are held on a full- time basis; there is sep
aration of bureaucratic actions from political and moral decision
s; notion of “value-free” administration
Paradigms or Models

 Scientific management movement – application of sc

ience principles to work methods and offered the “on
e best way” approach of doing things. Influenced by
Frederick Taylor, the approach used the scientific m
ethods of inquiry in understanding the problems of w
astage and inefficiency in the work place
 Behavioral-environmental concerns movement – evo
ked by studies of human relations by Elton Mayo
Paradigms or Models

 Systems theory – advocated by Herbert Simon built

upon the work of Chester Barnard’s The Functions of
the Executive; decision-making was at the heart of m
anagerial processes
- administrative systems can’t limit itself to the intern
al perspectives of public organization but must equall
y address the environment in which it operates; politi
cal roles of administrators are highlighted at this stag
e
Paradigms or Models
 Policy issue model – Dwight Waldo argued for a reorientation of the fie
ld towards policy issues and concerns of a broader nature such as sec
urity, justice, education, science urbanism, and development
 New Public Administration – rejects cherished values generally upheld
in administrative thought particularly such norms as efficiency, effectiv
eness and economy; these values accentuated impersonal nature of p
ublic organizations, for they attempted to be efficient and effective at th
e expense of understanding the needs and demands of their target pu
blic; rejected the politics-administration dichotomy; it offered new array
of values such as relevance, equity, responsiveness and the propositio
n that Public Administration must not simply operate within the assump
tions of a stable environment, but of a volatile, changing one
 Continuation of Models

 Development Administration - popularized by Riggs,

Weidner, Landau, and Gant; emerged as a field of st
udy focused on the development of third world count
ries
 Gant defined DA as not only addressing State functi
ons such as public service delivery and enforcement
of laws but the inducement and management of cha
nge to pursue development aspirations; developing c
ountries were in urgent need to implement fundamen
tal reforms in their politico-administrative machinery.
Paradigms or Models

 Reinventing government – David Osborne and Ted

Gaebler – emphasis on an “entrepreneurial governm
ent” as catalytic (steering rather than rowing); comm
unity-owned (empowering rather than serving); comp
etitive (injecting competition into service delivery); mi
ssion-oriented (transforming rule-driven organization
s); results-oriented (funding outcomes, not inputs); c
ustomer-driven (meeting the needs of the customer,
not the bureaucracy)
Continuation of reinventing governmen
t

 Enterprising (earning rather than spending);

anticipatory ( prevention rather than cure); de
centralized (from hierarchy to participation an
d teamwork); and market-oriented (leveragin
g change through the market)
Paradigms or Models

 New public management – a reform model; a reaction to the tra

ditional/classical bureaucratic model described as follows:
1. There should be a clear separation between politics and adm
inistration, and therefore distinct roles for political leaders (norm
ally elected) and state officials (normally appointed)
2. Administration should be continuous and predictable, operati
ng on the basis of written, unambiguous rules
3. Administrators should be recruited on the basis of qualificatio
ns, and should be trained professionals
4. Organization should reflect a functional division of labor, and
a hierarchical arrangement of tasks and people
Continuation of bureaucratic model

5. Resources should belong to the organizati

on, not to individuals working in the organizat
ion
6. The principal motivation should be a sense
of duty , of public interest, which should overr
ide organizational or private interests
Characteristics of NPM Model

 Separation of strategic policy from operational mana

gement
 A concern with results rather than process and proce
dure
 An orientation to the needs of citizens rather than the
interests of the organization or bureaucrats
 A withdrawal from direct service provision in favour o
f a steering or enabling role
 A changed, entrepreneurial management culture