GMGA 1013

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
OBJECTIVES OF THE CHAPTER

1. The concept of Public Administration

2. Functions and Role of Public Administration
3. Public Administration or Public Management
READ THE FOLLOWING NEWS ARTICLES

1. Without a government for a year, Belgium shows what happens to politics

without politicians. Retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/without-a-governme
nt-for-a-year-belgium-shows-what-happens-to-politics-without-politici
ans/2019/12/19/5c13cb48-20de-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.ht
ml?fbclid=IwAR2xg3gz38NNBaG5gptrq1ErKpFy5VFqzoiQhGcKHr0VhGq
_U1MRwhs7xqs
2. Kerajaan boleh berubah, perkhidmatan awam kekal Retrieved from 
https://www.bharian.com.my/kolumnis/2020/02/660189/kerajaan-b
oleh-berubah-perkhidmatan-awam-kekal
 
3. The King & The King Servant 
https://www.thepatriots.asia/the-king-and-the-chief-servant/
RESOURCES

1. You can trace various definition of PA in this article: Nwanisobi, B.C &
Christopher, I.C. (2020). Definition of Public Administration: Various
Scholars. American International Journal of Business Management (AIJBM)
ISSN- 2379-106X, Retrieved from
https://www.aijbm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/I395661.p
df

2. To know more about PA, the history, the theories, the changing of PA to
public management Listen to a recorded talk of Prof Ahmad Martadha on
the Philosophy of PA minute 5.22 until 1:19:32
https://www.facebook.com/101670067860578/videos/409565663
295407
 
DEFINING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (PA)

PA is an abstract, subjective and dynamic concept. The scope of

PA and it understanding is so comprehensive, vast and greatly
debatable.

Given that there is no concrete and generally accepted

definition (Kernaghan & Kenneth (2010) in Aderibigbe &
Oluwafemi (2014)
Why do we 1. PA concepts and terminologies are not static and do not apply in a
need to uniform way in all places and cultures because this concept is
gradually changed with time and made accordingly to the
define each necessities
theoreticians
of
and
organizations,
practitioners
societies,
as well
political
as
systems,
individuals'
terms? – interpretation. Hence there is no concrete definition of PA -
requires one to have a very good understanding to confidently
including the explain the concept
2. PA, through its nature, is different from private or business
term PA administration.
3. To establish the general boundaries and to express the main
concept of discipline and practices of public administration
4. To place the concept in a large political, economical and social
context,
5. To provide a common understanding.
6. diverse names, jargons and technical words involved in defining
the concept
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION known with various names

The bureaucracy (birokrasi) / Public

DIFFERENT bureaucracy (birokrasi awam)

NAME
The Old Public Administration
(Pentadbiran Awam Lama / Tradisional )

Government organization / social

organization / Government

Public Administration / Public Management /

Public Service, Executive Branch of the
Government

(Aderibigbe & Oluwafemi, 2014 ; Ahmad Atory, 2001; Lynn, 2006; Nhema, 2016; Norma
Mansor & Raja Norliza, 2015)
1. GENERAL DEFINITON OF PA
The term administration rooted from a
Latin word read as ad and ministrate

To manage who?
• PUBLIC / PEOPLE

MEANS
• POLITICIAN
• STATE
• PUBLIC AGENCY AND ITS
ADMINISTRATORS
to serve; to manage. • PRIVATE SECTOR
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
to care for or to look after people, to • International Organization (WHO, the World
manage affairs Bank, UN, OIC, OECD, UNDP, UNESCO,
ASEAN, COMMONWEALTH and others
• INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIP
to lead, direct or lend a helping • GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT
hand RELATIONSHIP

Various stakeholders
to Govern
DEFINING PA Scholars define PA in two views:

Subject Matter a field of study (i.e., a discipline) and academic perspective separate from political science
View • emerged in the 1880s (general & mostly acceptable view)
• refers to the discipline / the study / field of inquiry deals with a diverse scope about
public sector / public service / government / public with a fundamental goal –
advancing management and policies so that government can function well.
• body of knowledge relates to the operational processes of the government;
• “A program that prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of
local, state, and federal government and that focuses on the systematic study of
executive organization and management. Includes instruction in the roles,
development, and principles of public administration; the management of public policy;
executive-legislative relations; public budgetary processes and financial, management;
administrative law; public personnel management; professional ethics; and research
methods).

Professional • the implementation of government policy

and Practices • A profession; a job
View • centrally concerned with the organization of government policies and
programmes as well as the behavior of officials (usually non-elected) formally
responsible for their conduct”
Various DEFINITIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Woodrow Wilson Herbert Simon - “By

“Public Public Administration is
Marshall E. Dimock -
Administration is a meant the activities of “Administration is
detailed and the executive branches concerned with ‘what’ and
systematic of the national, state, & ‘How’ of the government.
application of law.” local governments.” The what is the subject
matter, the technical
knowledge of a field which
enables the administrator
Dwight Waldo - to perform his tasks. The
Leornard. D. White “Public
‘How’ is the technique of
“Public Administration Administration consists of management according to
is the art and science all those operations having which co-operative
of management as for their purpose the programmes are carried
applied to the affairs fulfillment of public policy as to success.”
declared by authority.”
of the state.”
.
Various DEFINITIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Dimock(1973:31-32) the fulfillment or Nigro and Nigro(1973:18): The cooperative group

enforcement of public policy as effort in a public setting Covers all three branches-
declared by the competent authorities. executives, legislative and judicial and their
It deals with the problems, and interrelationship. Has an important role in the
powers, the organization and formulation of public policy and is thus a part of
techniques of management involved in the political process is more important than, and
carrying out the laws and policies also different in significant ways from private
formulated by the policy-making Administration.
agencies of government
the organization and Pfiffner and Presthus (1960:3) lay
• PA is concerned with
management of people more emphasis on the coordinating
the management of
and materials to achieve role of administration. In their
public Programs
public purposes opinion, administration consists of
• PA is the production
(Widianingsih, 2005). getting the work of government
of goods and
done by coordinating the efforts of
services designed to
people so that they work together to
serve the needs of
accomplish their tasks
citizens
(Demir, 2016)
Various DEFINITIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
use of managerial, political
concerned with the organization and legal theories and
of government policies and processes to fulfil
programmes as well as the legislative, executive and
judicial mandates for the The aggregate machinery (policies,
behaviour of officials (usually
provision of government rules, procedures, systems,
non-elected) formally regulatory and service organizational structures, personnel
responsible for their conduct. functions. and so forth) funded by the State
budget and in charge of the
management and direction of the
Luther Gulick, "public affairs of the executive government
all processes, organizations Administration is that part of the
science of administration, which The management and implementation
and individuals (the latter of the whole set of government
acting in official positions has to do with government and
activities dealing with the
and roles) associated with thus concerns itself primarily implementation of laws, regulations
carrying out laws and other with the executive branch where and decisions of the Government and
rules adopted or issued by the work of government is done, the management related to the
legislatures, executives and though there are obviously provision of public services.
courts problems in connection with the
legislative and judicial branches

United Nations Economic and Social Council 2006

ADMINISTRATION OR MANAGEMENT
ADMINISTRATION MANAGEMENT
Latin Origin AD and MINISTRATE > MEANS: to MANUS > to control by hand or
serve; to manage; to care for or to gain result
look after people, to manage affairs;
to lead, direct or lend a helping hand;
to govern
existence End of the year 1800 Around 1980s
People work in the administrator manager
office call as
Focuses on process, procedures and Procedures, laws regulations, rules
propriety (the details or rules of and regulations but using business
behaviour conventionally considered and corporate principles to achieve
to be correct) based on rules and result
regulations Main concern
RESULT: Input > Output >
Outcome.

(Abdullah Sanusi, 1993; Hughes, 2003; Leonina-Emilia & Ioan 2010)

THE ‘LOCATION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION’ UNDER THE GOVERNMENTAL
SYSTEM – PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM – MALAYSIA

Could be traced from the three organs of government

LEGISLATIVE • To MAKE laws, policies (programs, projects, rules and regulations, plans)
(PERUNDANGAN) • (i) YDPA, (ii) House of Representative, (iii) Senate
• Authority from Constitution
EXECUTIVE (EKSEKUTIF) • To EXECUTE / IMPLEMENT laws, policies (programs, projects, rules and
– the Cabinet (a council of regulations, plans)
ministers that are • The Government consists of the YDPA, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers
accountable collectively to and the public services. The Government runs the country according to
the Parliament) the Constitution and the laws made by Parliament (The Malaysian Bar,
2010)
Public Administration • Lead by the Prime Minister. Article 43 of the Constitution, members of
the Cabinet selected from members of either houses of Parliament.
• Formally, the YDPA appoints all Ministers on the advice of the Prime
Minister
JUDICIARY (KEHAKIMAN) To INTERPRET laws, policies (programs, projects, rules and regulations,
plans)
Government has the function for PA; PA: the main thrust of government activities
activities of the government are commonly divided into three major of government branches

Ahmad Atory 2001; Hilling, 1966; Leonina & Ioan 2010; Wang Xiangdong 2005
University of Rhuna Sri Lanka, n.d
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & PUBLIC

Public / community / people / citizens /

The public and public administration are inseparable. Public refers
to something that has to do with general, common and national
interest.

‘the public’ in the term ‘public administration’ itself, derives

from the fact that decisions are made by a public body,
namely by governments and the many constitutive
institutions that we know as the state, whose actions have
the force of law.

the motivation of the individual public servant was assumed to be

thatSkills
Add of –the
70%public interest; in that service to the public was

provided selflessly – 80%

Hughes 2003 , Maddison & Denniss, 2009; Sapru, 2011;

University Of Pretoria, n.d.; Skills – 90%
Functions and Role of Public Administration
1. The basis of government.
2. efficiency as the primary goal of PA (Ahmad Martadha, 2019;
Pfiffner, 1985). The meaning of efficiency
https://www.viu.com/ott/my/en/all/video-korean-drama-
tv_shows-100_days_my_prince_episode_10-1165090418?
containerId=playlist-25747538 – MINUTES 2455-2535
3. an instrument for executing laws, programmes (policies) of the
state.
4. a stabilizing force in the society as it provides continuity.
5. instrument of national integration.
6. delivering public goods and services (ie services like safety,
utilities) to all without bias
7. maintaining public order, social security, welfare and economic
infrastructure and enforcement of contractual
8. treating all public equally.
9. accomplishing public purposes efficiently social equality

WHAT ARE THE OTHER FUNCTION OF PA THAT YOU CAN THINK OF?
QUESTION

So, what is
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION?