Fundamental Concepts of Public Administration

Public administration attempts to explain how decisions in government are made as well as administrating projects to carry out those decisions. Through a well-structured and community-oriented set of regulations and practices, public administration allows society to enhance the quality of its systems. Because of its specific role, public administration comprises a wide variety of disciplines. The aim of this book is to offer a general understanding of some of the fundamental concepts affecting the shaping of public administration, as well as present some of the major issues public administration has to face. The first part of the book focuses on theoretical and applied knowledge regarding aspects of politics, governance, research and bureaucracy, as well as on frameworks for policy and program design. The second part of the book focuses on issues regarding the commons and their management, core of a public administration aimed at communal development.

Public Adminstration is regarded as an instrument of change and is expected to accelerate the process of development. It is possible for a state to exist without a legislature or judiciary; but not even the most backward state can do without administrative machinery. The modern state cannot confine its field of activities to merely maintenance of law and order, dispensation of Justice, collection of revenue and taxes and participation in welfare activities. The modern welfare state is expected to provide more and more services and amenities to the people. Public Adminstration is the machinery used by the state to place itself in a position to make plans and programs that can be carried out.

Today every aspect of human life come within the range of Public Adminstration. Various departments of government such as education, social welfare, food, agriculture, health, sanitation, transport, communication etc. are run by the department of Public Adminstration. Thus Public Adminstration is rendering various types of services to the people from birth to death of an individual. The success of government is dependent on the ability of public administration. The future of civilized government rests upon the ability, to develop a service and philosophy and a practice of administration competent to discharge the Public functions of civilized society.