ESSAY QUESTIONS (60 marks)

Instruction: Answer ALL questions.

1. Explain briefly on comparative public administration as a field of study? In your opinion,

discuss TWO (2) benefits of understanding the operation of public administration in other
countries. Justify your answer with relevant examples.
(30 /marks)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Comparative Public Administration is a risk mitigator and a potential cost saver permitting the

practitioner to either put into place or try out something that another country, municipality, or

other public sector entity has done. Such as in the United Stated, state governments have been

called “laboratories of democracy”. As an example, the Bill of Rights came from the

Commonwealth of Virginia. As with innovation, few innovative ideas are truly “new”, they

usually consist of “standing on the shoulders” of others who have come before you. The same is

true of comparative Public Administration. However, before implementing something learned

from a comparative analysis, study it to make sure that it fits with your situation, political entity,

charter or constitution and the public being served.

Theoretically comparative public administration is subset of public administration but practically

comparative public administration tries to apply the same rules as developed countries have used

to excel in service deliver to citizens to the developing and under developed countries where as

the original public administration tries to experiment and discover new ways of dealing with the

unique problems faced by individual societies.

1.1 BENEFITS OF UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATION OF PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

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Benefits of understanding the operation of public administration in other countries is to be able to

know the strengths and weaknesses of national administration that includes two or more systems

public administration. This is because it highlights a wide range of academic disciplines, spans

multiple agencies, and is closely related to a number of different professions. The people will be

able to understand what the government is doing if they understand the comparison of public

administration. A country's public administration exists inside a political sphere, and it is this

political context that gives it its "general" character. Public administration can also explain about

the implementation of public interest. It’s also about doing collectively what cannot be done

individually.

A basic understanding of public administration increases the clarity that public sector

administration is legitimate and bound by legal instruments. This is because public administration

is a law that acts in the form of laws, regulations, rulings, codes and others. The executive nature

of public administration allows the will of society to be translated into action by those responsible

for running the public bureaucracy. It is within the framework of each of these fields that the

political, legal, and management aspects of public administration are transformed by public

administrators into government jobs.

Furthermore, through analysing the comparison of public administration, one can learn about the

history of a country's administration. It can describe human practices and civilizations when

humans started living in society in an orderly manner and how they started administrative

practices when they started living cooperatively in society. The Mohenjo-Daro and Harrapan

civilizations are great examples of administrative practice. Both cities had well-designed roads,

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barns, wells, and walls to protect them. Such urban planning shows that the authorities manage

the city well.

History of public administration as a discipline of knowledge can explain the changing role of

government for example in the United States (US) and then in Europe because the Great

Depression in the US and Europe brought large -scale unemployment and low wages and falling

demand for goods. In a situation like this, the country’s administrative system and the role of

government have taken appropriate action by investing to provide employment. Thus, the role of

government is seen as a major driver in the economy.

Another benefit when studying the comparison of public administration, the individual is able to

translate this aspect of the role of public administration in various branches. It is a very

significant area of study to understand how administration is implemented in different countries,

how it works and why it works. It can also help improve the public administration system.

Among them is public administration is the executive branch where the country performs its three

historical roles namely a) regulator, b) facilitator, and c) service provider. In this context, the role

of public administration is as follows:

a. Public Administration as a Service Provider

For example, failure to maintain order and order will create insecurity among the community and

create a crisis of confidence among them about the ability of the state to give them their

fundamental rights to the safety of their lives and property. However, while carrying out its duty

to maintain order and order, the public administration will restrict the rights and privileges of

certain individuals or groups.

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Similarly, if the state machinery fails to provide essential public goods and services such as food,

shelter clothing, educational health, etc., it will be considered a failure of the state, causing a

crisis of the legitimacy of its right to rule. The Arab Spring is one of the recent manifestations of

the country’s failure to meet the basic needs of the people.

b. Public Administration as Regulator

Over time, the state gradually relinquished its role as a service provider and focused more on its

other two roles, namely as a regulator and as a facilitator. Public administration, as the main arm

of the state to carry out the role of the state, has always played a greater role than life in any

society. Thus, whether it is trade or investment regulations on the one hand or regulations that

determine the number of children a family can have or define dress codes for the public, public

administration is the one that makes the shots in implementing policies enacted by the state.

The magnitude of this role provides a broad picture of the scope of public administration in a

society. While carrying out this role, public administration influences every aspect of society.

2. Illuminate THREE (3) factors that may influence the administration of public sector
organisations in a particular country. You need to provide real examples to support your
answer.
(30 markah/marks)

2.0 INTRODUCTION

Public administration is like business admin but modified for the public sector. For example

subjects include non profit accounting and budgeting. The objectives are different. The goal is to

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provide service not accrue profit. Similarly with statistics, the emphasis is measuring the

quantatative data derived from qualitative measures. It is different from statistical measures of

counting money and number of customers because the emphasis in government is to measure

spending effectiveness. Public administration includes political science and economics with a

view to understanding public policy. It is a field that grew from political science. With public

admin the emphasis is the ‘business of government’ as opposed to studying government as an

abstract entity. Similarly it doesn’t stick to business because the objective of government

spending is effective use of government funds.

It has been noted that public administration is a more prominent field in less developed countries

or areas. Because the public sector in developing countries is disproportionately large in

comparison to the private economy than in more developed nations or regions, many presidents

hold a master's degree in public administration. A perfect example may be the differences

between rich provinces or states vs have not provinces or states. In the latter public admin is a

much bigger discipline as opposed to regions within richer private economies where the public

sector has a smaller impact on the overall economy.

This has been true in the past but we are in an age where there is the declining role of government

accompanied by the increasing size and power of global private for profit corporations which

now seek to influence public policy

2.1 THREE (3) FACTORS THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE ADMINISTRATION OF

PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

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 a. Politic factor

In the initial days, both Politics and Administration are under the stream of Political Science but

with increasing functionalities and with the growing importance it was established as a different

discipline. Woodrow Wilson in 1887 through his essay, “The Study of Administration” came up

with theory that politics and administration are inherently different and should be approached

differently and thus he was credited with Politics-administration dichotomy.

i. The relationship between politics and public administration.

Politics in its broadest view has many facets and to examine the relationship between politics and

public administration. We can be concerned with the view that, Politics as the art of governing

the state. Usually called as Legislature. By definition, Politics is the study or practice of the

distribution of power and resources within a country. It also deals with the theory and practice of

political systems and political behavior.

Politics is actually how a government is functioning as per its declaration, by adhering to the

constitution of the nation. But, Even the policies framed by politicians take the inputs from the

administration. Public Administration, on the other hand, is the most visible aspect of

government. It's referred to as the Executive.

Public administration is defined as the comprehensive and methodical execution of public law.

Every act of administration is a specific application of the law. It is deliberate action conducted

with the intent of achieving a specific goal. Whether giving inputs regarding policies or executing

through bureaucracy, it is actually how a policy reaches to the masses.

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Simple words, even though they have interlinking nature regarding framing and implementation

of policies. It is widely accepted that Public Policies are framed by Legislature or the actual

politics with the help of executive of the government whereas implemented by the Executive or

administrative part through the Legislative process.

Despite the distinction of politics and (public) administration it is often related to Woodrow

Wilson theory on government. Under this theory, politics is the field where the govermental

action is decided (where the “what the government will do” is decided), and it’s mostly the field

of action of elected officials and other politicians (at least in democratic republics).

Instead (public) administration is the field where governmental action effectively carried out (and

where it’s often asked “how the government will do it”), therefore it’s also the field where (the

mostly unelected but hopefully sufficiently qualified and impartial) public employees work.

Now this model isn’t always that clear cut, sometimes politics gets into administrative matters

and administrative matters influence politics. Therefore today it’s mostly understood both as

different parts of the greater constellation of public policy-making processes. Now that’s about

public politics and administration, private (or corporate) politics and administration instead, can

be quite different or similar to the model already described.

b. Economics Factor

Public Administation deals with government spending and investments such as overnight stock

transactions that turn each night hopefully makeing a profit for a government fund. Economists

have a role in public administration of money. They can determine what is the optimal expense
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for the most the good. Economists use scientific proofs to track goods, services, and

expenditures. They use this to determine what investments and expenditures a the most of the

resources used to fund projects and programs.

Public administration also is the planning and action part of government. Government is required

to make and implement policies for the welfare of people and growth of nation. Growth should be

holistic, that is, social, economic, political. Since economic growth of citizens and country

determines the report card of government, politicians turn towards administration for the

formulation and execution of policies keeping in view the viability and sustainablity of the fixed

resources that administrators have at their disposal.

Such an example government wants to increase the agricultural output in 5 years by 5% for rural

development. To do this they turn to administrators who chalk out a strategy for implementing

various schemes like BRIM, Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR), Bantuan Prihatin

Nasional (BPN) 2021 (Berita Harian, 2020) budget to be allocated towards these schemes,

estimated output per year, subsidies on electricity, water, ferilizers etc, growth in the sector,

foreign trade and social cost benefits. It implies that administration needs to be aware of the

economic scenario and economics related towards planning and implementation.

c. Social Factor

Social factor may influence the administration of public sector organisations. That is because a

vibrant civil society is clamoring for effective service delivery at affordable rates irrespective of

the costs of providing these services. The citizens and the civil society organizations demand

constant improvement in their quality of life and are not much bothered about costs or sources of
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funds for meeting their demands for convenient availability of quality goods and services at

affordable prices. They demand a responsive bureaucracy which is politically neutral,

professional, well-trained, performance-oriented, and relatively open.

Because of the rising complexities of life, modernization, and conflicts, as well as limited

resources, good governance and government are becoming increasingly important. In such

circumstances, providers of public services are expected to be especially proactive (Midgley, J.

2012). Similarly, interactions between stakeholders are predicted to be systematic, legal powers

within general public to be coordinated, and conflicts to be avoided and resolved in the interest of

common prosperity.

Different components, as well as administrative structure as a whole, appear to receive more

focus in provider aspects of community administration. Furthermore, they establish a

collaborative approach toward the parties, particularly in terms of openness and thus higher

system performance, in addition to regulatory compliance. The effect can be felt in both

directions. The aspirations of governmental consumers and companies stimulate sensitivity and

engagement of the government administration, whereas service-minded government employees

significantly improve the life circumstances of the parties in government agencies while

balancing private and public interests. Good administration is a broad approach which can only

be fully realised when all of its components are reasonable and independently accomplished with

at least a critical realisation value.

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References

Berita Harian. (2020). Budget 2021: People's Caring Assistance replaces BSH, ready for better

assistance rates

Chuck Williams .(2010). Managing Effectively, 4th Edition, South Western CengageLearning. 

Midgley, J. 2012. Social Protection and Social Policy: Key Issues and Debates. Journal of Policy
Practice. 11 (1/2): 8-24

Richard L. Daft .(2012).  New Era of Management, International Edition, South WesternCengage
Learning.

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