Public Administration First Unit Prof. Jonathan Levy “Dr. JL”

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Final project – Chapter 9 For your Final Project, you will interview a Public Administration professional. You will analyze their managerial and administrative processes by examining the impact of a current issue or situation on those processes. The person should be employed in government or a nonprofit organization. This assignment will not only give you an opportunity to learn more about the field, but will also give you some real-world context for the skills and concepts you will study throughout your MPA program.

City of Bell, CA In Bell, California—America's Most Corrupt Little Town—the corruption revelations never cease, ever! Today: the City of Bell operated a protection racket on city businesses, stealing money at will. Nice work, guys. The ongoing investigation of the town's insane municipal practices (used to pay unbelievably lavish salaries to top city officials) has turned up this nice tidbit, via the LA Times: the city essentially just demanded that random businesses hand over thousands of dollars, with flimsy, illegal justifications.

What is public administration? “PA may be defined as all processes, organizations and individuals associated with carrying out laws and other rules adopted or issued by legislatures, executives and courts.” Inclusive definition: administrators are the foremost, but not the only individuals in PA Gordon/Milakovich (authors)

Other definitions of PA “Public administration is detailed and systematic execution of the law” Woodrow Wilson includes only the administrator excludes policy formulation as well as elected officials

still other definitions “Whatever governments do for good or ill. It is public administration’s political context that makes it public--that distinguishes it from private or business administration.”

What can we conclude about PA? it is conveys activity concerned with public service (what government can give to people) tends to be concentrated in the executive branch usually connected with implementing the law

PA is also a field of study People take undergraduate and graduate courses to learn how to manage public programs and respond to public needs Also learn how to operate in a public rather than a private environment

How are public and private administration different? goals incentives flexibility performance measures oversight other ways?

Tensions faced by public administrators Efficiency v. Effectiveness reaching public goals or measuring activities? Responsiveness v. Accountability responding to public needs or filling out reports? Difference between outputs and outcomes

Public opinion of PA Has support of PA has decreased since 1950s, even though professionalism and accountability have increased?

For Tuesday: Blast case Who bears the blame for the disaster in Centralia? What are the central causes of the tragedy? What are the lessons we can take from this case? What connections do you see to Wilson’s essay?

 I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.  That’s good enough for government work. People don’t like government…

Part II Structure of Public Administration in the American Politics System Cabinet-level departments, Independent regulatory agencies, Government corporations, Units of the Executive Office of the President, and Other independent executive agencies

Part III how does Wilson justify looking to other countries for ideas for public administration? what does Wilson mean by the “murderous fellow” sentence? solving what problem will allow us to “pilot the world”?

Bureaucracy What do you think of when you think of bureaucracy? Bureaucracy is a way of organizing to achieve work Class example Bureaucracy is intended to maintain control and coordination of large groups

Max Weber ( ) German economist and social historian wrote essay on bureaucracy in 1911 remains the most influential statement of what bureaucracy is, and what problems are three types of authority traditional, charismatic, legal-rational

Major elements of a bureaucracy Fixed authority and official jurisdiction specialization written, formal rules impersonal administration hierarchy of offices chain of command career service with employment based on qualifications

Negative consequences monopolize information hard to destroy ambivalent about democracy dehumanizing of the bureaucrat ability of anyone to control powerful