THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1025 TUTORIAL PRESENTATION.

TUTOR: MRS MULUNDA, M.

STUDENT: MACHULU GERALD MATHEW.

Comp#: 13027786

TIME: 08-09hrs Thursday.

TOPIC. 1: Define the concept of public administration, outline its history, evolution and its
emergence as a social science discipline.
DEFINATION
J M. Pfifner, administration is organisation and direction of human and material resources to
achieve desired ends. Two essentials of administration are cooperative efforts and pursuit common
of objectives. There is a broad and narrow view on the activities of public administration. Broad
view include all governmental activities with the purposed to fulfil public policy. Narrow view
only activities concerned with the executive branch of the government. According to Basu (2004,
p. 4). Public administration is the non-political bureaucratic machinery of the government for
implementing its laws and policies in action. Whereas Dimock, (1955, pp. 511) Public
administration is the enforcement or fulfilment of public policy as declared by those in competent
authorities.
HISTORY
Public administration as an activity has been with man since the development of organised
societies. This can be proved through the existence of traditional literature on public
administration. Aristotle` politics and Machiavelli’s the prince are contributors to administrative
thought and practice. However public administration as academic discipline is said to be a little
over hundred years. It was born in the USA in 1887 and Woodrow Wilson is said to be the father
of public administration. He was born on 28 December 1856 in Virginia USA. In 1886 he received
his PhD from Princeton University. Before he was elected as president of USA, Wilson served
professor in political science at the same university. In 1887 he published a seminal essay in
political science quarterly entitled the study of administration. This essay became the foundation
of public administration as an academic discipline separate from political science. Public
administration has undergone a number of evolutionary stages up to the present age. These are
what constitutes the evolution of public administration.
1.1887-1926 Politics-Administration Dichotomy
Politics/administration dichotomy is simply separation of administration from politics. He argued
that administration lies outside the proper sphere of politics, hence political questions are not
administrative questions. He went on to say that politics is the field of a statesman and
administration is that of a technical official. Administration should be concerned with efficient
management of government business and should be removed from uncertainties and strife of
politics.
Goodnow J Frank in his politics and administration 1900, pointed out that politics is concerned
with expression of policies or state will, while administration is has to do with execution of these
policies. Apart from that institutional location of politics was said to be with the legislature and
higher levels of government. While administration was identified with the executive wing of the
government and bureaucracy.
2.1927-1937- Principles of Administration
This stage was concerned with the reinforcing of the politics-administration dichotomy. The
central theme of this period was belief in the existence of certain administrative principles. In order
to evolve a value free science of management. Scholars at this stage had a task to discover and
advocate principles so as to increase efficiency and economy of public administration. W F
Willoughby`s principles of public administration 1927 was the first to be published. Other
important publications include Gulick and Urwick`s science of public administration. The great
depression in USA is said to have contributed a lot to the development of public administration
principles. Schools of administration also were established to train men and women in
administration techniques. This period is considered to be golden years of principles in the history
public administration. It was at this stage that public administration commanded respectability and
its products were in great demand both in government and business.
3. Era of Challenge
The dominant theme during this period was the advocacy of human relationship behavioural
approach to the study of public administration. This began as a reaction against mechanical
approach. At this time the so called principles of administration were challenged and called as
naturalistic fallacies and proverbs. Scientific management was as well undergoing broadening
humanising process in response to social needs and forces.
The most notable contribution in this connection came from Hawthorne experiments. Hawthorne
experiments challenged the scientific management school by clearly demonstrating the effect of
social and psychological factors on the worker`s output. This drew attention on the effects of
informal organisation on formal set-ups. Leadership and influence and impact of conflict and
cooperation among groups in organisational environment. It revealed the vital importance of
human relations in organisations. This challenge was heightened by the increase in the divergence
between theory and practice and idea and reality. World war two also demonstrated more than any
other event that these principles had limited applicability in public administration. They further
argued that administration cannot be separated from politics because of its political nature and
functions.

4. Public Administration as Management

Simon`s administrative behaviour and Robert Dahl`s essay entitled the science of public
administration are the two publication which brought about the fourth evolutionary stage. Simon
rejected both classical principles of administration and politics-administration dichotomy. He
argued that all administration revolves around rationality and decision making. He further
identified two mutually supportive streams of thought, the first was engaged in the development
of a pure science of administration which required a solid base on the social psychology. The
second stream of thought was concerned with the normative aspects of administration and
prescription for public policy. Dahl`s essay identified three problems in the evolution of the science
of public administration.
1. He said it was impossible to exclude normative considerations from problems of public
administration.
2. Inescapable facts that the study of administration would include the study of man.
3. Pronounce universal principles of administration based on examples drawn from limited
national and historical settings.

5.1971-present age. Public Administration as Public Administration

In 1970 the National Association schools of Public Affairs and Administration was founded
(NASPAA). This gave administrationist self-confidence in doing research and other relevant
administrative dealings. Consequently progress was seen in the area of organisation theory and
information/science. Applied techniques and methodologies of public administration were as well
refined in the light of new developments during this period.
The New Public Administration
In 1970 a conference of young public administrationist on new public administration was held.
This was sponsored by Dwight Waldo, in 1971 proceedings were published in a book called
Minnow brook perspective. New public administration was very much aware of normative theory,
philosophy and activism. This means that it focus went beyond efficiency, effectiveness, budgeting
and administrative techniques.
It dealt with; values, ethics, the development of individual member in the organisation, the relation
of the client with the bureaucracy, the broad problems of urbanism, technology and violence.
New Public Administration
In 1990 new managerial approach to public administration. This was as well seeking to improve
public sector performance. It argued that traditional bureaucratically organised public
administration is broke and broken. It provided not solution to the changing society problems. The
major themes of new public administration were relevance, values, equity and change.
In the United States of America NPM, was adopted by vice president AL gore’s National
Performance Review (NPR).
A report, from red tape to results. Creating a government that works better and costs less.
Guarantee of effective, efficient and responsive government.
It called for; putting customers first. Making service organisation complete. Creating market
dynamics. Using market mechanisms to problem. Empowering employees to get results.
Decentralising decision making power. Streamlining the budget process. Decentralising personnel
policy.
Today new public administration
Is becoming dominant managerial approach. This can be seen in the fact that its key concepts are
now standard language of public administration. Key concepts include Result oriented, Customer
focused, Employee empowerment, Entrepreneurship and outsourcing has dominated the main
stream of public administration.
Finally, the overall public administrative culture is changing to be more; Flexible, innovative,
problem solving, entrepreneurial, enterprising. Instead of being rule bound, process oriented and
focused on inputs rather than results.