Restructuring Policies as an Input for Development of Public Administration



Restructuring Policies as an Input for Development of Public Administration

Executive Summary

This paper is an attempt to explain restructuring policies as an input for development of public administration. The paper would start by defining the concept and importance of public administration. The next sections would explain the traditional and modern approaches to the development of public administration. Further sections in the paper would explain the concepts of restructuring and the motives and goals behind restructuring. Further an overview of the determinants that control the application of restructuring will be provided. The final section of the paper would highlight the steps and stages of evaluating restructuring polices as well as the impediments to the evaluation process of the restructuring policies administered within the domain of public administration.

Discussion

Public Administration: The Concept and Importance

Public administration is a process which consists of the procedures involved in effecting the objective or need of the government. This form of administration is a continuous activity of business by the government. The business, to carry out the law as deduced by the legislative bodies and interpreted by the judiciary. The tasks of public administration are handled through formal processes of organization and the management. Public administration is also an academic discipline that studies the processes of administration and prepares civil servants for the concerned field. The academic discipline, systematically focus to teach executive organization and management (NAICS, 91).

Public administration is primarily applied to problems regarding how to implement or effect law honestly, faithfully, efficiently, effectively and economically. The field is also concerned with the processes through which it contributes in creating and applying laws. The core idea is to streamline public administration processes for the public interest.

The process of public administration is as old as the government. In smaller societies, the role of public administration is limited and thus the institution by which administration is administered is limited and small in size. Conversely, societies those are large and complex with bigger governments take on more functions. The institutions of these governments are specialized and differentiated. The administrative processes of such institutions are also consequently specialized. These institutions are commonly referred to as commissions, departments, councils, agencies and/or bureaus. These institutions are complex, large and highly differentiated in terms of their size, roles and objectives (Encyclopedia Official Website, 1968).

UN economic and social council defines public administration as “centrally concerned with the organization of government policies and programs as well as the behavior of officials formally responsible for their conduct” (UN Economic & Social Council, 2006). These programs are diverse in their scope. This includes legislative processes, national defense, taxation, immigration, public order and safety, international assistance and foreign affairs etc. Public administration is multidisciplinary in nature It includes departments such as organizational theory, human resources, policy analysis, budgeting, statistics and ethics (Shafritz & Hyde, 2007).

In the USA, Woodrow Wilson is considered as the father of public administration. He said “It is the object of the administrative study to ...