Waldo (1955) – Public Administration has dual Usage

- Field of practice (Professional)

- Field of study (Scholarly Discipline)
Public Administration as a field of practice – Administering public affairs and carrying
out govt functions
Public administration as a field of practice includes
- Enacting laws, maintaining peace and order, processing of claims, building roads
and bridges, issuance of license, setting standards for environmental protection,
providing health and welfare services.
Public administration as a field of study or discipline
- Systematic study and improvement of govt capacity and practice in forming
policies, making decisions, implementing them, and securing desired results.
As a scholarly pursuit – advancing theoretical and practical knowledge in the field using
scientific methods like empirical studies, case methods analysis, surveys, quantitative
analysis etc.
As an art, Public Administration involves creativity, leadership, a good sense of
judgment, closely allied to the practice of public administration
As a science, there Is a body of knowledge or theories that can explain or predict
certain phenomena, uses empirical research and systematic methods
Public – collective, community
- Govt and various institutions
Administration – attainment of objective of cooperative human action