Question

Discuss the significance of field administration

Answer 1

Public administrators play a vital role in preparing government decisions. As a public administrator, you will research the possible consequences of policy plans and proposals. You will evaluate not only the effectiveness of policy plans, but also whether they are compatible with our democracy and correspond to our values. You will devise persuasive alternatives and test their political feasibility. You will also design and organise the development of the details of policy proposals. Finally, you will investigate whether the policy has, in reality, had the effect that was envisaged on paper.

Answer 2

5 Reasons Public Administration is an Important Field

Everyone from grade school onward learns about the three branches of government, but the unsung workers behind all government and policy are the public administration professionals. Without these individuals, the day-to-day functions of government would cease and innovation in policy would slow to a crawl. For those interested in the field of public administration (PA), here’s why professionals in the field are essential.

1. Planning

Legislators are chiefly responsible for bringing new laws and policies to their system. Their administrators are the professionals who handle the detailed planning process before implementing a new program. For example, if a city council is considering enacting a new community service program through the city’s parks department, it would be the task of public administrators on staff to draft the nitty-gritty plans to make that idea happen.

2. Coordination

A lot is often made of the power of inter-departmental cooperation. Mayors’ offices tout the value of working closely with governors’ offices, and local law enforcement working with state and federal law enforcement, and so on. The reality behind inter-departmental cooperation is communication between each department’s respective public administrators. PAs are the points of contact between different policy-affecting groups, so the success of such partnerships are dependent on the skills of the administrators.

3. Advisory Value

There are many levels of public administration work. The field starts at the most basic levels of public service, such as in DMV offices, but it reaches to the highest echelons of government. Elected officials seek out policy experts to act as their advisors, meaning that public administration professionals are often the people behind some of the biggest decisions in public policy enacted by government executives and legislators. For example, a career that starts at the DMV can rise to the state department of transportation, the governor’s transit advisory committee, and even the realm of federal transit policy.

4. Efficiency and Sustainability

Because public administrators are the people on the ground, so to speak, they have the most in-depth understanding of where waste and inefficiency occur in a given department. Especially in tough economic times and with a growing concern for environmental responsibility, administrators are the watchdogs who identify and eliminate waste, corruption, and unsustainable practices in government offices and programs. It’s a bottom-up responsibility that makes government more efficient from within.

5. Non-Profit Viability

Public administration expertise isn’t just limited to government work. Non-profit organizations (NPO) that focus on policy-related causes, need public policy experts on staff who understand how government works so they can support those causes. Public administrators in the non-profit sphere are advisors to NPO managers, and liaisons to government officials, to make sure the organization’s efforts work hand-in-hand with legislators and executives. Without PAs, non-profits would often be stuck in an uphill battle against the complexities of public policy.

Professionals in the field of public administration are the workers who make the government functional. They are essential at all levels, from the smallest local office, to the highest halls of executive and legislative power.