CAIDEN, GERARD

1. Meaning of Public Administration

What is public in public administration?

Presence of collective problems that do not respond to individual initiative

Recognition of the supremacy of certain collective needs over individual self-interest
Refers to the subject matter of public administration that is, people organizing themselves: (1)
as a public and (2) as a collectivity in recognizing and achieving common goals

What is administration in public administration?

The institutionalization of administrative capacity for collective purposes is the foundation of

public administration
Organization of public affairs, social purposes, and collective decision-making
Management of public institutions, public offices and public property
Administration of by public officials, covering attitudes, behaviors and actions
Implementation of pronouncements made by recognized public authorities
Organization of enforcement machinery to ensure public conformity
Relations between the public and private officials appointed to further collective interests

2. Public administration should not be considered administration of the public but admin for the
public

Two of Platos rule of governing (Cicero in De Officiis)

To keep the good of the people clearly in view regardless of their own interests they will make
their every action conform to that
To care for the welfare of the whole body, political and not in serving the interest of someone
party to betray the rest

3. Public administration differs from political science in its emphasis on bureaucratic structure and
behavior and in its methodologies

SHAFRITZ, JAY more elaborate

Definition:

Management of public affairs or the implementation of policies

Four categories of public administration:
1. Political
2. Legal
 3. Management
4. Occupation

A. Political:
PA is what the government does
PA can be direct or indirect
- Direct: services being done by the government itself ex. Infrastructure, roads;
accomplishes the basic functionaries ex. License
- Indirect: services done by the private sector or NGOs because of privatization ex.
PPP, contractualization; government is responsible for regulating ex. Permits
PA is a phase in the policy making cycle
PA is implementing the public interests
PA is doing collectively that which cannot be done individually
B. Legal
PA is the implementation of laws // law in action
PA is Kings largess
PA is regulation
PA is theft