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M.P.A.-12
Administrative Theory
ASSIGNMENT SOLUTIONS GUIDE (2013-2014)
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given in the Assignments. These Sample Answers/Solutions are prepared by Tutor for the help of the student
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SECTION - I
Q. 1. Discuss the meaning, nature and scope of Public Administration.
Ans. The term Public Administration originated with the publication of Woodrow
Wilsons work, The Study of Administration in 1887. Wilson is considered the founder of
the academic discipline of Public Administration. In his work, he make a distinction between
politics and administration. The origin and evolution of Public Administration as a distinctive
subject can be traced from 1887 onwards. It is a young social science. It is a instrument of
government is mainly concerned with the performance of these activities, like enforcement of
law and order. It is a discipline just like History, Economics, Political Science, etc. Today it is
a separate discipline and it deals with an aspect of human behaviour. In every society there
are some activities like maintenance of law and order and defence, what is most essential for
the public interest.
The English word administer is derived from the Latin word ad and ministrate which
means to serve, to care for or to look after people. J.S. Hodgson describes
administration as a kind of activity found in both public and business affairs. In the opinion
of H. Simon, Administration can be defined as the activities of groups cooperating to
accomplish common goals. For J.M. Pfiffner, Administration is the organisation and direction
of human and material resources to achieve desired ends. E.A. Nigro views, Administration
is the organisation and use of men and materials to accomplish a purpose. Thus it is clear
that, administration is collective activity which involves rational organisation and management
of men and material.
Public Administration is a field of systematic study and it is a specialised academic field.
It deals with the machinery and procedures of governmental activities. It is mainly concerned
with the three branches of governmentlegislative, executive and judiciary. Some well known
definitions of Public Administration are:
According to Luther Gullick, Public Administration is that part of the science of
administration which has to do with government and thus, concerns itself, primarily with the
executive branch, where the work of government is done through there are, obviously, problems
also in connection with the legislative and judicial branches.
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For Waldo, Public Administration is the art and science of management as applied to
the affairs of state.
In the opinion of L.D. White, Public Administration consists of all those operations having
for their purpose the fulfilment or enforcement of public policy.
According to Woodrow Wilson, Public Administration is a detailed and systematic
application of law. Every particular application of law is an art of administration.
For H. Simon, By Public Administration is meant in common usage the activities of the
executives, branches of the national, state and local governments.
Nature of Public Administration
Nature of Public Administration has been clearly discussed by the help of two views
Integral View and Management View.
1. Integral View: The supporters of this view areHenri Fayol and L.D. White. According
to this view, Public Administration is a sum total of all the activities undertaken in pursuit of
and in fulfilment of public policy. These activities include managerial, technical, mannual and
clerical. Prof. L.D. White express of view on Public Administration that Public Administration
consists of all these operations having for their purpose to fulfilment or enforcement of public
policy. In the view of Dimock, he holds that administration is concerned with the what and
how of government. The what is the subject-matter which administration to perform his
tasks. The how is the technique of management which cooperative programmes are carried
to success.
2. Managerial View: Luther Gullick, Herbert Simon, Smithburg and Thompson are
the supporters of this view. According to this view, Public Administration deals with the activities
of people especially who are involved in the field of planning, organisation, commanding,
coordinating and controlling. According to Luther Gullick, administration has to do with getting
things done; with the accomplishment of defined objectives.
These two views differ from each other in many ways. The managerial view refer to the
activities of a few persons at the top, whereas the integral view includes the activities of all
persons engaged in administration. The integral view activities refers to mannual to managerial,
from non-technical to technical whereas in the managerial view takes only account only the
managerial activities in an organisation. Luther Gullick defines these techniques by word:
POSDCORB which means planning, organisation, staffing, direction, coordinating,
reporting and budgeting.
Scope of Public Administration
Public Administration covers every area and activity governed by public policy. Today it
has increased, both in magnitude and direction to look after the welfare of the people through
the new tools and techniques made available by science and technology. Several thinkers
have explain their view, on the scope of public administration, which is briefly discussed in the
following:
I. Luther Gullick: Luther Gullick uses the word POSDCORB, which means: planning,
organisation, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting.
Planning refers to the method to accomplish the purpose.
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Organisation refers to the formal structure of authority.
Staffing means the recruitment and training of the personnel and their condition of work.
Directing means making decisions and issuing orders and instructions.
Coordinating refers to the interrelating the work of various divisions of the organisation.
Reporting means to informing to the executive who is responsible about what is going
on.
Budgeting refers to fixed planning, control and accounting.
II. Walker: According to Walker scope of public administration has been divided into two
parts:
1. Administrative Theory, and
2. Applied Administration
1. Administrative Theory: It basically includes the study of structure, organisation,
functions and methods of all types of public authority, at all levels, for examplenational,
regional, local and so on.
2. Applied Administration: Applied Administration has ten basic principal functions which
are discussed in the following heads:
(a) Political: It study the executive-legislative relationship and minister-official relationship.
(b) Legislative: It is based on delegated legislation and preparatory work done by the
officials.
(c) Financial: It refers to the preparation of budget section.
(d) Defensive: It is study of military administration.
(e) Educational: It is related to all aspects of educational administration.
(f) Social: It deals in the social field such as housing, food, social security and employment,
and so on.
(g) Economic: It covers all administrative activities in the economic field, i.e., industries,
agriculture, foreign trade, commerce, public enterprises, etc.
(h) Foreign: It is based on international cooperation, international agencies for international
peace and prosperity.
(i) Imperial: It includes problems and techniques of imperial domination over other nations
etc.
(j) Local: Public Administration also deals with the local bodies.
III. Pfiffner: Pfiffner also divided the scope of public administration into two parts such
as,
(a) Principles of Public Administration
(b) Sphere of Public Administration
The Principles of Public Administration has some problems, which are discussed in the
following:
1. Organisation: It is the structure of individuals which helps into productive relationship.
2. Management of Personnel: It mainly deals with the direction of the individual which
help to achieve ends.
3. Method and Procedures: It is the technique of administration and the process of
working.
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4. Material and Supply: It is also most essential goods which help administrative work
is carried out, e.g. cardboard, tag, furniture, etc.
5. Public Finance: It is essential because without it work cannot be performed.
6. Administrative Accountability: Both internal as well as external responsibility to law,
court, legislative and the people.
Pfiffners sphere of public administration deals in central government, state government,
its regional and local authorities and also the public corporations.
Critical Evaluation: According to Waldo, Public Administration has grown so broad
and so much is involved at its periphery that it stands in danger of disappearing completely
as a recognizable focus of study.
Period of 1948 to 1970, it is the period of public administration when it lost the identity.
Political science is called as the mother of all sciences and Public Administration is a part of
the political science. But today, public administration is an independent or full discipline just
like other social sciences. Public administration has specialised study in following major
areas:
1. Administrative or Organisation Theory
2. Public Personnel Administration
3. Public Financial Administration
4. Comparative Public Administration, and
5. Public Policy
According to traditional view, public administration mostly deals with executive functions
of the government. But in the contemporary view, public administration is not only concerned
with execution of policies but is concerned with policy formulation as well as its execution.
Today in the most of the countries administrators implement public policies and subsequently
they also play a major role in policy-making. In countries like U.K. and India the top civil servants
certainly weild more influence in policy-making than do average members of Parliaments.
Therefore, today, public administration deals with both implementation and policy-making.
According to F.M. Marx, Administration is always the servant of policy..... Administration
denotes means and means have no significance except in terms of ends. On the whole,
public administration performs a dual role in administrative process e.g.
(a) Provides an informal professional input for the formulation of the policy, and
(b) It helps in implementing and evaluating the policy.
Q. 2. Modern management techniques are an extension of the F.W. Taylors
Scientific Management Movement. Explain.
Ans. The term Scientific Management coined by Louis Brandes in the year 1910. From
that time onwards Taylor also began using this term. He pointed out that management is a
true science, resting upon clearly fixed laws, rules and principle as a foundation. He argued
that management comprised a number of principles which can be applicable in all types of
organisations, The same principles can be applied with equal force to all social activities to
the management of our homes, the management of our farms, the management of the business
of our tradersmen, large and small of our churches, our philanthropic institution, our universities
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and our governmental departments. Very soon Taylor became popular. Engineering schools
began to give courses on shop management and industrial management. School of business
administration also started giving courses in these areas. Many popular scholars were taking
interest for further research in the area and published many articles and books. Many followers
of Taylor served as advisors to hundreds of companies.
Later on scientific management became a movement. It resolved industrial problems
through the use of objective principles. It had a tremendous effect on industrial practices in
the United States. Its popularity spread to Germany, England, France, Sweden and other
European countries. It acquired the status of international movement. Its greatest success
was in Russia. In 1917 after the Bolshevik revolution, Lenin welcomed Taylors techniques to
Russia. This movement have been supported by all contending factions at the higher levels of
the Russian Communist Party. Lenin had urged Russian industrial managers to apply the
principles of scientific management for increasing production. Throughout the 1930s and
1940s great efforts were made to increase the productivity and efficiency in Soviet industries
through the application of the principles of scientific management.
Q. 3. Define the concept of Bureaucracy as propagated by Weber and also
highlight its limitations.
Ans. Bureaucracy was first developed systematically by Max Weber, an eminent
sociologist, in the nineteenth century. According to him, every organisation can be defined as
a structure of activities (means) directed towards the achievement of certain objectives (ends).
To maximise efficiency and productivity every organisation develops a system of specialisation
(division of tasks) and a set of systematic rules and procedures. Here Weber emphasised on
bureaucractic form of organisation. It can only attain the highest degree of efficiency and also
control over human being in the organisation. It is superior to every other form in precision,
stability, discipline and reliability. Weber identify three important factors for the necessity of
bureaucracy in modren society.
Firstly, for the development of modren large scale organisation, a bureaucracy is essential.
Whatever may be the evils of bureaucracy, it is indiscipline for the running of complex
administratives structures.
Secondly, for the development of modern technology bureaucratic organisation is essential.
Whatever may be, the economic system in the organisation, capitalistic or socialistic, a
considerable degree of bureaucarctic specialisation is requied to attain a high level of
organisational efficiency.
Thirdly, for the capitalist system, bureaucractic organisation is essential. Because a
capatlist system required a stable state and a well organised adminis-tration for its proper
functioning.
Max Weber in his theory of bureaucracy raised the question as to how one person exercises
power over others. His answer was that the exercise of power becomes acceptable if it is
justified or legitimised. Legitimation in one way leads to one type of authority. Thus he laid
down three types of authorities:
(i) Traditional Authority
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(ii) Charismatic Authority
(iii) Legal-rational Authority
The confirmity with customs and personal arbitrariness are two characteristics of traditional
authority. Charism and its acceptance forms the basis of charismatic authority. In a legal
rational authority, obedience is owed to the legally established impersonal rules. Legal-rational
authority is the best example of bureaucracy. The position of the bureaucrat, his relation with
the ruler, the ruled and his colleagues are regulated by impersonal rules.
Weber has prescribed the following characteristic of a rational bureaucrat:
1. Division of Labour: The total task of the organisation is divided into a number of
specialised functions and each employee performs a specific function and becomes efficient
in that field. As every employee performs a specific function and become efficient, productivity
and efficiency of the organisation no doubt increase.
2. Impersonability: The bureaucratic form has no place for personal whims, fancies or
irrational sentiments. Official activity is conducted in a business manner without bias.
3. Personal and Public Ends: The demands and interest of personal affairs are kept
completely separate to prevent them from interfering with the rational impersonal conduct of
the organisations activities.
4. Hierarchy: Hierarchy is the another important charactertistic of a bureaucractic form
of organisation. There is a separation between superior and subordinate offices, i.e. each
lower office is under the control and supervision of a higher one.
5. Abstract Rules: Bureaucracy operates in accordance with a consistent system of
abstract rules laid down regarding the performance of official jobs. The role of rulers has
been stressed by Weber so that personal favouritism, arbitrariness or reposition may not
hinder the working of an organisation. Every act of personal direction of official must be
justified by impersonal ends.
6. Monthly Salary and Pension Right: Officials hold office by appointment and on the
basis of a contractual relationship between themselves and the organisation. Then there are
fixed salaries which are given in accordance with the nature of the job of responsibility as well
as the social status. Promotion and career advancement are on the basis of seniority and
merit. In addition, pension scheme and provident fund are provided at the time of retirement.
7. Official Records: One important feature of between of Webein bureaucracy is that
the adminisrative acts, decision and rules are formulated and recorded in writing. Documents
make the administration accountable to people and provide a ready reference for future action.
Conclusion
All these features are bureaucrat constitute Max Webers bureaucracy an ideal or rational
type of bureaucracy. But the ideal type of bureaucracy is never actualised. The characteristics
of bureaucracy were precision, continunity, discipline, strictness and reliability. These
characteristics of bureaucracy made it techincally most efficient. But Weber defined
bureaucracy in term of its structural characteristic. To him bureaucracy emerged as neutral,
hierarchical, organised, efficient and inevitable in contemporary society. It means, Weberian
bureaucracy is impersonal and the authority which he exercised only by virtue of the office
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they held. Its behavioural characteristics are objectivity, precision and consistency. Alvin W.
Gouldner has rightly observed that Weber characterises the ideal bureaucracy as
possessing hierarchically arranged, continuously operating offices, the behaviour of whose
occupants is channelled and circumscribed by general ruler. Bureaucratic authority is said to
reside in the office, not in the occupant, while official activity is separated from private life.
The existence of general, learnable rules of procedure structuring behaviour in the office is
considered nuclear to the type.
According to Max Weber, the limitations of bureaucracy fall into five major categories:
(i) Collegiality
(ii) Separation of powers
(iii) Amateur of administration
(iv) Direct democracy
(v) Representation
They are explained below:
(i) Collegiality: Weber considered that collegiality would always have an important role
to play in limiting bureaucracy. In hierarchy system, it has disadvantages in terms of speed of
decision and responsibility.
(ii) Separation of Powers: It means dividing responsibility and functions between two or
more bodies. It led to avoid monopoly of decision by a single body or person.
(iii) Amateur of Administration: In the modern society profession administration become
powerful and they are always dominated.
(iv) Direct Democracy: In the direct democracy form of government, the officials were
guided by and answerable to an assembly. Office of the bureaucracy is permanent.
(v) Representation: Another method of limitation of bureaucracy is representation. In
the democracy form of government the authority of the state will be elected by representative
of the people.
SECTION - II
Q. 6. Examine the view of Abraham Maslow on The Hierarchy of Need Theory.
Ans. Human being is an organism, which drives into action to satisfy its needs. Hierarchy
of human needs starting in an ascending order from the lowest to the highest needs, when
one needs are satisfied then the another needs arises. Human behaviour is a reflection of
more than one need. The self-actualisation need is at the highest end.
Maslow identified some of the basic human needs is an ascending order in the following:
Physiological Needs: This needs are the basic needs of human life, without which
the human can not survive. Such as food, water, clothing, shelter, sleep and sexual
satisfaction are the physiological needs.
Security or Safety Needs: Security or safety needs are which the people to live free
from physical danger and fear of loss of a job, property, food, clothing or shelter.
Affiliation or Acceptance of Needs: Human beings are social animals, so they want
to establish relationships with others in the society.
Esteem Needs: This kind of needs generates such satisfaction as power, self-
confidence, social position and prestige.
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Need for Self-actualisation: Self-actualisation refers to mans desire for self-fulfilment,
namely, to the tendency for him to become actualised in what he is potentially.
As Maslow maintains that self-actualisation is the highest need in his hierarchy.
He discusses some of the basic characteristics of human needs:
(a) The hierarchy of needs is neither rigid nor a watertight.
(b) The basic human needs are the same and common irrespective of the societies and
culture in which they live.
(c) Human behaviour is a reflection of diverse needs, it can not be a single needs.
(d) A satisfied need is not necessarily a motivator.
Q. 9. Analyse the impact of New Public Management in the light of the current era
of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation.
Ans. Management is the process, which performs certain defined functions. The persons
who perform these functions are known as Manager. Generally, public management refers to
the organisation, which is management by the government. The management system of
organisation has been changed in the twenty-first century, due to the growth of government
expenditure, alongwith poor economic performance. Here has been a powerful influence of
neo-liberal political ideology; impact of new right philosophy which is propagated in the 1990s
in UK as well as USA; and public choice approach. These factors playing a major role in the
evolution of a new public management restructing government system along market policy,
distinguishing strategic policy formulation from implementation; emphasising on quality
improvement; and stressing upon effective services provison and value for money for the
customer.
Impact of New Pubilc Management
The new public management had a major impact on administrative systems of Western
democracies, which is briefly discussed in the following:
In the United Kingdom, the Thatcher Government initiated key reforms in the public
administrative systems and he favoured on free markets and limited government. An office
for public service was created in the cabinet office and ministers are responsible for the
reorganisation of the government. The various actitivies of the different ministers carry out
different departments. Financial devolution is one of the major initiative in United Kingdom at
the central government. The basic tenet of NPM is decentralisation and it gives explict place
and status to the people services. John Major government, intended, in 1991 to bring market
closer to the state through citizens charters. In the year of 1992, public services was introduced
in UK and it was extended to other areas such as health and social care services. Both public
and private sectors jointly work together for the welfare of the people.
In the USA, creating a government that works better and costs less. The basic objective to
establish federal organisation, customer-oriented and to prescribe a new type of government
that functions cheaply and efficiently.
The National Performance Review promoted certain measures in achieving the
abovementioned objectives:
Cutting Red-Tape: The goal was to cut unnecessary red tape and to achieve this certain
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steps were proposed. They inclueded addition of the significant rules, decentralisation of
personal policy to promote effective appointment, promotion, reward, resignation policies.
Putting Customers first: This give importance to citizens as users of public services
and proposed to provide scope to customers to voice against the problem and dismantle
government monopolies.
Empowering Employees to Get Results: This aimed employees get high quality result
through education and training, improvement in work environment; and emphasising
responsibility for results.
Cutting Back to Basics: This meant to the core activity of government through
reformulating the programmes to save costs; investing in effectiveness of government
institutions; and eliminating unnecessary tasks and activities.
Thus USA govrernment focussed on strategic management of human capital, improved
financial performance and so on.
In the Australian Government, service charters were introduced in all government
departments and business enterprises and they give more importance for health and
education services. Public service system make more efficient, flexible responsive,
accountable and decentralisation, etc.
In New Zealand civil servants are accountability, corporatisation of government commercial
enterprises and customer service were created. The reforms in New Zealand aimed at
reducing the size of the core public service, setting up new form of state-owned enterprises,
etc.
India is a developing nation who is introduced managerial reforms as part of the aid
conditionalities imposed by donor agencies such as the World Bank and International
Monetary Fund. India also attempt to introduce citizens charters, strengthen redressal
grievance mechanism, e-governance initiatives.
On the whole, New Public Management bring change in system and structure of state. It
bring new ideas and it is mainly based on production, marketisation, service orientation,
decentralisation and policy-administration dichotomy. New public management focus on
restructing government operations along market policy, strategic policy formulation and
implementation and stress on effective services provision and value for money for the customer.
Market have come to occupy in very position in the new public management. The nature
of state has been changed due to the growth of new public management. Therefore, new
public management evolve new system of public service which is based on public interest. In
the parliamentary form of government the cabinet or minister formulate the policy and policy
is implemented by the bureaucrate. Legislative bodies have been generally considered the
watchdogs of political responsibility. The civil servants are only accountable to the political
hierarchy and courts of law, and they generally enjoy security. Thus, new public management
deals with the political and socio-economic condition of the individual and it believe in
management orientation and individualism philosophy.