La presentación diaria

50 development of the individual members in the organization, the relation of the client with the bureaucracy, and the broad problem of urban growth, technology and violence (Nicholas, 1986)

In sum therefore, political science and management are the major influences on the present stage of development of public administration. The present stage pays extra attention to areas of organization theory and information science, emphasizing areas like the state, local government, executive management, administrative law, and all those questions which seek to explain what the public interest is in democracy and under a highly bureaucratic set up that is confronted by high technology. Accordingly, core areas of the present state of the study are:

(a) Environment of public administration (ecology)

(b) Quantitative methods, public budgeting and financial management;

(c) Personnel administration (d) Public policy environment Self – Assessment Exercise

Examine the interdisciplinary posture of public administration

51 them with political considerations that are often unpredictable on a day – to – day basis. Political considerations may cause an industrial project to be embarked upon against all technical and professional wisdom. Yet, at the same time the government expects the administrator to use resources judiciously and to apply professional expertise in the solution of national problems.

2. There is a widespread expectation of benefits from public administration at little or no cost to the citizen. This is particularly the case in the ex – colonial countries of Africa and Asia where there is a strong heritage of government involvement in many welfare functions. A consequence of this great expectation is that the populace is not eager to calculate or make allowances for the cost of providing these amenities. Thus, public administrators must walk the tight rope of satisfying these popular demands with little or no resources at their disposal.

3. The resources needed by public administration are so diffuse and dispersed that there is a serious problem of coordination. The spatial division of labour in the system is designed to help out but it creates its own problems of coordination.

4. Associated with this diffuseness of resources is the diffuseness of roles necessary for public administration. Unlike a private economic enterprise where there is a single minded focus on one project, the objectives of even the ministries cannot be precisely defined and, therefore, neither can the roles necessary to accomplish them be precisely defined.

5. Public administration takes place in the full glare of the public eye.

It is in a sense everyone’s business, and what is more, some people outside the civil service take this business seriously. They are ever ready to proffer suggestions on how to perform better, to call for more action, to criticize and identify weaknesses and failures, and to

52 make political capital out of such failures. Thus public administrators are under constant public pressure; their attention is divided; and they are distracted. Under such conditions efficiency suffers. But this is a necessary sacrifice for the values of freedom and democracy. It is unthinkable that public administration should be a secret affair of the civil servants (Nnoli, 2003).

Self Assessment Exercise 3.5

Describe the environment of public administration 4.0 CONCLUSION

Attention has been drawn on the scope of public administration where diverse areas have been identified with the concept. Different views of seasoned administrators and academics in the area have been explored; this provides the major source of information for our discussion on the subject matter.

5.0 SUMMARY

We have discussed in this unit, the organization of public administration, public administration and efficiency, politics and administration dichotomy, the interdisciplinary posture of public administration and the environment of public administration.

6.0 TUTOR – MARKED ASSIGNMENTS

1 How would you explain the relationship between policy and administration in your study of public administration?

2. Why is public administration considered as an interdisciplinary field of study?

3 How would you describe the environment of public administration?

53 7.0 REFERENCES / FURTHER READINGS

Adebayo, A. (1984), Principles and Practice of Public

Administration in Nigeria, Ibadan: Spectrum Books and John Wiley

Appleby, P. (1949) Policy and Administration, Alabama: University of Alabama Press

Nicholas, H. L. (1986), Public Administration and Public Affairs 3^rd ed., New Jersey: Prentice – Hall

Nnoli, O. (2003), Introduction to Politics, Revised Second Edition, Enugu: Pan African Center for Research and Conflict Resolution (PACREP)

54 MODULE 2 BASIC PRACTICES OF PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATION

Unit 1 Functions Performed by Public Administration Unit 2 Methods of Inquiry in Public Administration Unit 3 Civil Service

Unit 4 Development Administration

55 UNIT 1 FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATION CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction 2.0 Objectives 3.0 Main Content

3.1 Sustaining the incumbent government in power 3.2 Provision of Employment

3.3 Identification and Management of Resources 3.4 Provision of social welfare services to the populace 3.5 Conducting Foreign Affairs

3.6 Negotiation, Conciliation, and Arbitration 4.0 Conclusion

5.0 Summary

6.0 Tutor – Marked Assignments 7.0 References / Further Readings 1.0 INTRODUCTION

Public administration performs a variety of functions which complement the activities of the various branches of government.

This unit therefore will discuss the various functions performed by public administration. Among the roles highlighted in unit are (a) sustaining incumbent governments in power (b) provision of employment (c) identification and management of resources (d) provision of social welfare services to the populace (e) conducting foreign affairs, and negotiation, conciliation and arbitration of conflicting interest in the state.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

h Describe how public administration sustains the incumbent government in power

h Explain how public administration provides employment opportunities

56 h State the position of public administration in the

identification and management of state resources

h List the responsibilities of public administration in the provision of social welfare services to the populace

h Mention how public administration conduct foreign affairs h Discuss the role of public administration in negotiating,

conciliating, and arbitrating the conflicting interest in the society.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT