Is Public Administration An Art, A Science or Both? Explain

1. Is Public administration an Art, a science or Both? Explain.
Answer: It is both, Public Administration is a Science when you are teaching the subject.
It is an Art when you implement it. According to M. Ruthnaswamy "As Administration
consist of deeds or acts with a practical end in view, it is an art." Public Administration is
not merely a theory but an art which is learned by practical application of knowledge. It
deals more with actual practice rather than mere theoretical concept. A public
administrator cannot be a success by merely being a theorist. The best knowledge can
be gained over time by constant practice. To the proponents of this view, Public
Administration is an art of getting things done. Public Administration as a Science,
people in this school of thought have identified certain specific and clear principles on
which day-to-day administration of states is being run and managed. These specialists
are also of the opinion that Public Administration has well defined field and sufficient
data for application to arrive at facts and has obtained considerable perfection to claim a
place in the family of physical sciences. Existence of a body of principles in a discipline
entitles it to claim the title and status of science. If Public Administration can prove that it
has developed a set of principles, it obviously qualifies to be rated as science.
2. How does Public Administration differ from Private Administration?
Answer: The following are the difference of Public Administration and Private
Administration.
 Public administration deals with public policies, state affairs, government
functions, and providing of various services to the general public; but private
administration deals with the management and operations of private
organizations usually business entities.
 Public administration operates in the governmental set-up; while private
administration operates in the non-governmental set-up.
 Public administration is closely related with the political process and often
conducts itself as a part of the larger political process; while private
administration concentrates on the commercial and business activities.
 Public administration usually covers all the territory within the jurisdiction of
the government or a nation; while private administration may cover the multi-
country operations or activities of an organization spread over a number of
national jurisdictions, or only a very small office.
 Public administration is usually carried out on continuous basis; while private
administration is basically carried out on periodic basis.
 Public administration has a bureaucratic approach; whereas private
administration usually has an egalitarian approach.
 Public administration involves numerous types of public services and
governmental activities; while private administration may involve only with a
limited set of activities as private organizations function on the basis of
division of labor or core competency.
 The public administration is welfare oriented and works with a service motive;
whereas the private administration is typically profit oriented.
 Objective of public administration is to provide the best service to the public at
large; while objective of private administration is shareholders’ wealth
maximization.
 The scope of public administration is determined by the government laws or
regulations; while the scope of private administration is determined by the
management of the organization.
 Public administration is subjected to many laws and regulations along with a
focus on transparency and equal treatment; but private administration is
subjected to less number of laws and has permissible levels of discretion and
differential treatment to the customers or clients.
 Public administration has considerable authority and power over the public
and territories; but private administration has little authority or very limited
authority related to the specific activities and employees of the organization
only.
 Decision making in the public administration is typically pluralistic, transparent
and subject to public scrutiny; but decision making in the public private
administration is monopolistic, discretionary and often secretive.
 Public administration is accountable to the general public at large or the
representatives of the people; while private administration is accountable to
the owners of the organization.
 Public administrators or officials are usually appointed through a competitive
process; while the private administrators may be appointed on the basis of
personal choice or liking.
 Revenue or income for the public administration is typically generated through
taxes, duties, fees, penalties and other dues paid by the citizens; while
revenue or income for the private administration is typically generated through
operating profits.
3. Explain the comparative approaches in Public administration.

Answer: There are three disparate approaches to deal with the basic question of what
public administration is. These approaches are traditionally labeled as managerial,
political and legal and they are often overlapped. Their primary influence has been to
pull public administration in three separate directions. There are three disparate
approaches to deal with the basic question of what public administration is. These
approaches are traditionally labeled as managerial, political and legal and they are often
overlapped. Their primary influence has been to pull public administration in three
separate directions. Managerial approach focuses on the three core values of public
administration: maximization of effectiveness, efficiency and economy. Thus, this
approach is oriented to minimize the distinctions between public administration and
private administration. The managerial approach to public administration is related to
executive functions in the government which emphasizes the management and
organization of public organizations. (It is emphasized that management in the public
sector is very much similar to that in the private sector). The political approach to public
administration is related to legislative functions in government and is more concerned
with the formulation of policy decisions. The legal approach to public administration is
related to the judicial functions in government which emphasizes the administrators' role
in applying and enforcing the law. It is also concerned with the adjudicatory role of
public organizations. These approaches have different origins, stress different values
and structural arrangements; and view individuals in remarkably different ways because
each approach focuses on different functions of public administration.
4. What do you understand of good governance in Public Administration?

Answer: Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that
meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The
concept of efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use
of resources and the protection of environment. Also, good governance seems to be a
general consensus that key factors include: technical and managerial competence;
organizational capacity; reliability; predictability; and the rule of law; accountability;
transparency and open information systems; and participation. Technical and
managerial competence of civil servants is an obvious factor of good governance.
5. Explain briefly and illustrate by examples the administrative features of

developed and developing countries.
Answer: Developed Countries are the countries which are developed in terms of
economy and industrialization. The Developed countries are also known as Advanced
countries or the first world countries, as they are self-sufficient nations. Like Australia,
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United States.
The countries who are going through the initial levels of industrial development along
with low per capita income are known as Developing Countries. These countries come
under the category of third world countries. They are also known as lower developed
countries. Developing Countries depend upon the Developed Countries, to support
them in establishing industries across the country. The country has a low Human
Development Index (HDI) i.e. the country does not enjoy healthy and safe environment
to live, low Gross Domestic Product, high illiteracy rate, poor educational,
transportation, communication and medical facilities, unsustainable government debt,
unequal distribution of income, high death rate and birth rate, malnutrition both to
mother and infant which case high infant mortality rate, poor living conditions, high level
of unemployment and poverty.

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1. Is Public administration an Art, a science or Both? Explain.

3. Explain the comparative approaches in Public administration.

4. What do you understand of good governance in Public Administration?

5. Explain briefly and illustrate by examples the administrative features of

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