DQ 1-1

DQ 1-1 Responses

1.

After reading the material of this topic I would define public administration as a field to study that focuses on government policies for those who want to work for a public service department or non-profit agency.  Public administration provides services for the needs of the public. I currently work in the public administration filed as a public servant for the workforce development department under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).  There is no greater joy than helping others and as a public servant I am able to make a difference in people’s lives every day.  I feel that my definition is not very different than others definitions I have come across however when tell people I am obtaining my master degree in public administration they think I want to sit behind a desk pushing papers doing administration work. Public administration has historically been seen as a boring field and according to Public management and governance the Public administration field is looked at like as a  “image of bureaucracy, life-long secure employment, ‘muddling through’ and lack of enterprise – dark suits, grey faces and dull day jobs” (Bovaird,2016). However, working in the public administration field I find this to be untrue as we work out with the public, provide services and resources to the public, are engaged with the public, and most importantly those who choose the public administration field have the ability to make a difference in their communities.

 

Reference

Public Management and Governance Edited by Tony Bovaird and Elke Loeffler 2016

2.

Based on my understanding of Bovaird and Loeffler (2016), Public Administration is an area of study that focus on the implementation of government policies by people who work in the public and non-profit services.

 

I have worked in an assisted living home as a direct support staff and part of the job is to maintain policies for the well-being of residents and report and assist to meeting with the Director. I have come to learn that my boss’ job as a director and an administrator, it’s not just about sitting behind the desk, delegating work or supervising the entire building. It’s also review policies, making changes in policies to the best interesting of residents and employees. Bovaird and Loeffler in their book “Public Management and Governance” (2016) have described Public Administration as a boring bureaucratic, life-long secure employment without enterprise in which one gets to wear formal attire. But it is not a boring job and it’s more than bureaucracy. It gives you the chance to make changes, leading, organizing, financing, and managing organization. It gives you opportunity to create plans and policies that helps others and transform lives.

 

References:

Bovaird, T. and Loeffler, E. (2016). Public Management and Governance. Retrieved from https://viewer.gcu.edu/kwCm8X

3“Public administration conjured up an image of bureaucracy, life-long secure employment, ‘muddling through’ and lack of enterprise – dark suits, grey faces and dull day jobs. (MSG Management  Study  Guide. (n.d.))

Public administration is leadership carried out in the public interest.  It is implementation, fulfillment and enforcement of government policies, controlling and allocation of government resources and programs to redistribute to the public in the most efficient and effective manner. Woodrow Wilson states that public administration is a detailed and systematic application of law.  A simple definition that I came across and liked is; public administration is nothing but policies, practices, rules, and regulations in action. (LD White)

While there appears to be no clear and concise definition of what public administration is, there is a consensus that it is an administration that interprets government policies and distributes government money according to the policy and best interest of the public.  I work in the public sector and I can understand why there is not one concise definition of public administration.  There are so many levels of public administrative duties and expectations from policy makers, elected officials down to the DMV clerks.  With so many levels it would be hard to summarize it in one statement.

Bovaird, T., & Löffler, E. (2016). Public management and governance. London: Routledge.

L D White,( 2016) Public Administration and management

MSG Management  Study  Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/what-is-public-administration.htm ‘public administration’.

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