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Political approaches to public administration
The importance of bureaucracy in public administration
Merits and evils of bureaucracy
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Recommended: Political approaches to public administration
In the context of the features and changes above in public administration over the past century, several scholars have expressed differing views about bureaucracy and the efficacy of public administration and its evolving forms. McSwite argues that public administration undermines the effective and competent operations of a vibrant and highly desirable social context, featuring the unhindered operations of a market that fosters and maintains economic efficiency and its broad range of benefits. In other words, McSwite argues that public administration impedes, by slowing, reversing, and denying, desirable trends and systems in the society that a market system assures abundantly without the input of government agencies (McSwite, 2015). The author …show more content…
In bureaucratic circumstances, the author contends, bureaucratic processes influence loss of reason and principles, based on the original assumption at its formation that it would free citizens’ reason through the order enforced by rulers. When individuals assume the administrative office in bureaucratic contexts, Hummel observes, they are, by rule, not permitted to reason, in terms of rational objections. The bureaucratic mechanism demands blind obedience from workers, which contradicts the human nature of application of reason in life and daily activities. In the development of party structures, for example in America, Hummel notes Weber’s observation that all political parties showed increasing rationalization - replacement of values and traditions that motivate behavior with those calculated to achieve designated objectives - in electoral processes, influencing their bureaucratic transformation (Hummel, 2006). This fact is commensurate with observations that bureaucratic systems restrict the creativity and ingenuity of citizens, especially because they involve rigid structures and processes that citizens have to follow at all times (Warner, 2001; Janis, 1971). Nevertheless, it is essential to note that since bureaucracy …show more content…
Despite criticism about its ineffectiveness, bureaucracy is necessary in the society to enforce order and organization in the delivery of services and interactions between the state and citizens, especially considering the national scale of government and its service for a multitude of citizens. The reforms aimed at rectifying the political circumstances that had facilitated the prevalence of financial crises, corruption, and various inefficiencies in the delivery of public services. Introduction of a market-oriented model of public administration focusing on efficiency, public expenditure control (mainly through shrinking the government), and treatment of citizens as clients in the delivery of public service suited the evolving circumstances. Rather than an end in itself, the regime of bureaucratic reforms was a means to ascertain desired quality and standards in public service delivery. It represented a phase in the continuous objective of public administration to achieve and maintain high quality in public service
Max Weber, German sociologist, social theorist, and economist, explicated the theory of bureaucracy in which he details the monocratic bureaucracy “as an ideal form that maximized rationality” (Bolman & Deal, 2008, p. 48). He provided his most complete exposition of theory in his 1922 tome Economy and Society (Casey, 2004). This classic form of bureaucracy is characterized by the following (a) well-defined official functions; (b) specialization of function; (c) clearly defined hierarchy of offices; (d) rules governing performance, which require training to administer; (e) impersonal treatment of clients, in that all are treated equally; (f) merit as the basis of promotion or appointment; (g) compensation based on rank; (h) separation of personal and company assets and interests; (i) discipline and control of daily work; (j) files and record keeping for decisions, acts, and rules (Bolman & Deal, 2008; O’Connor, 2011). There are numerous shorthand versions of Weber’s theory including Harmon and Mayer (1986) in Organization Theory for Public Administration and Heady (2001) in Public Administration: A Comparative Perspective (O’Connor, 2011).
Bureaucracy is a dominant organization that has emerged in life (Henslin, 2012). It can be a school or university, the government, grocery store, etc. There are five different characteristics in a bureaucracy: clear levels, with assignments flowing downward and accountability flowing upward, a division of labor, written rules, written communications and records, and impersonality and replaceability (Henslin, 2012). A farmer’s market has each of these characteristics. A farmer’s market is a place where farmers or people come and sell healthy, organic foods, or sell different artistic pieces. This essay explains the different characteristics outlined in a farmer’s market.
Modern Bureaucracy in the United States serves to administer, gather information, conduct investigations, regulate, and license. Once set up, a bureaucracy is inherently conservative. The reason the bureaucracy was initiated may not continue to exist as a need in the future. The need or reason may change with a change in the times and the culture needs. A bureaucracy tends to make decisions that protect it and further it’s own existence, possibly apart from the wishes of the populace. It may not consistently reflect what might be optimal in terms of the needs and wants of the people. Local governments employ most of the United States civil servants. The 14 cabinet departments in the U.S. are run day-to-day by career civil servants, which have a great deal of discretionary authority.
There are many examples, both historical and contemporary, where any branch of the government can be soundly criticized for having failed to live up to that standard, or for having exceeded its proper mandate and authority. For purposes of this essay, we need only note the reality of such circumstances, without enumerating particular instances. Though I am often cynical with respect to the actual operation of the various branches of government, I am in general agreement with Dr. Patterson’s assessment that American government is the most successful in the modern world, what Ronald Reagan once referred to us as “the last best hope of man on
The main aim of public service is to deliver services that are of need to its people. How fast a public manager can address its people’s problem and concerns indicates its effectiveness. Responsiveness of the manager develops trust between him, the government, and the people. According to (Rainey, p106) bureaucratic responsiveness implies two things; responsiveness to the people’s wishes or responsiveness to the interest of the government.
Bozeman, B., (1993). A theory of government “Red Tape”. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 3(3), pp. 273-303.
Even though bureaucracy and red tape are overwhelming the accumulation of federal, state, and local mandates make working with the Discussion Board 4 Govt 475
Public Administration involves the development, implementation and management of policies for the attainment of set goals and objectives that will be to the benefit of the general public. Since Public Administration involves taking decisions that affect the use of public resources there is often the question of how to utilize public resources for maximum public good. The National Association of Public Administration has identified four pillars of public administration: economy, efficiency, effectiveness and social equity. These pillars are equally important in the practice of public administration and to its success. This paper seeks to explain the role of each of the pillars in the practice of public administration.
This essay discusses the radical transformation of the principles and foundations of public administration from traditional to New Public Management. Firstly the essay will attempt to define the key terms of traditional public administration and the doctrine of New Public Management. Rabin J. (2003) explains that New Public Management embodies “a process in public administration that uses information and experiences obtained in business management and other disciplines to improve efficiency, usefulness and general operation of public services in contemporary bureaucracies.“Traditional Public Administration progresses from governmental contributions, with services perceived by the bureaucracy.
The study of public administration only continued to grow over the course of the next two decades. As the study of public administration expanded, so did the development of s...
The public sector faces an increasing pressure to run government like a business; to be more cost efficient, as small as possible, competitive, entrepreneurial, and focused on customer satisfaction. When the focus shifts to incorporating business practices in public administration, the quality of the public service decreases and the interaction becomes less about a commitment to public service and more like the manufacture and marketing of a product.
Max Weber, Henri Fayol and Luther Halsey Gulick all addressed issues, concerning how an overall organization should be structured, bureaucratic administration, while Frederick Taylor’s theory of scientific management concentrated on techniques for increasing production (Tomkins, 2005). This essay will focus on the disadvantages and the advantages, including the effective and efficient components, of bureaucracy in public management.
Public policy can be defined as “What ever governments choose to do or not do” (Dye, 2008, p 2). In the context of this essay, public policies are a set of actors by the government in order to reach out to the masses. The ministries and departments are mandated to deliver specific mandates in the form of public goods and services.
Public sector reforms adopted in a number of countries such as USA, UK and New Zealand in the last fifteen years and characterised by efficiency units, performance management, contracting out, market type mechanisms, and agency status have come to be known as the New Public Management or NPM. Appearance of the NPM as shifting the paradigm from the old traditional model of administration has been promoted by a remarkable degree of consensus among the political leadership of various countries and is presented today as the major tool for public sector management reforms.
...ot function properly. Politics and administration should be seen as very interconnected. It is worth reiterating just as the structure of governments has changed over the years, the structure and role of public administration have also changes dramatically. Furthermore, it is important to state that public administration has grown from its traditional role of merely implementing policies adopted by the “political” branches of government to playing very significant role in the formation of public policies. This is definitely more evident in regards to professional expertise bureaucratic officials provide during problem identification, agenda setting, policy formulation, and evaluation that shape the content of public policy today. Overall, the idea that Wilson has proposed gives an accurate idea of what the relationship should be between politics and administration.