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Theories of public administration

The chapters from the textbook Theories of public administration has over the development of editions been able to advance the pivotal themes offering significant enhancements and additions to the public administration. They help us get insights into the mapping of approaches to public administration through how one can acquire knowledge, the different approaches that can be applied and constraints associated. The book also shows the intellectual heritage whose contents are developed and influenced by great socialists.

(a)Why is Dwight Waldo appraisal of the importance of public organizations in our daily lives even more relevant today than it was written over fifty years ago? (P.1)

In 1955, Waldo was particularly an influencer of public administration as his ideologies helped in shaping the politics and public administration. With a focus on the first decades of his writings on the field of public administration, waldo mentioned of how the welfare, happiness and lives of people significantly rested on the performance of administrative mechanisms that surrounded and supported the people. Appraisal of public organizations is important according to waldo as the administration is everyone’s concern and those who would wish to survive, would be intelligent about it. On the years of development and his writings, the administration was not that broad and few people were in control making the basic administration decisions with purity mechanisms in place. The appraisal is more relevant in our contemporary life as there is population growth with the federal government employing over 20 million people. Different state departments need the administration of purity control mechanisms as our lives to depend on the wisdom of the officials in these government departments, from security, health to food sustainability. The administration is everyone’s responsibility, Waldo’s appraisal for public organizations to develop a purity mechanism as people’s welfare, happiness and lives depend on decisions made in these organizations was a future reflection of government components becoming a great interpreter. The reflecti0on on past and future public administrative prospects, Waldos ideas, concepts and questions may be instructive and relevant as his approaches to public administration ensured the understanding of many relevant questions and in ways devised solutions for them. In matters of governing the current structure of government, we better be intelligent about it. It is often the decisions of the head of state that may spark a war or the ethical mechanisms of organizations that will ensure production of good medicines for the better health of the people.

(b)What does Chester Barnard point out in terms of the importance of public organizations? (P.1)

Chester Barnard in terms of the importance of public organizations points out the essence of maintaining quality organizational life. Even though organizations and bureaucracy are viewed as impersonal mechanisms, Barnard views them as actions of individuals that constitute these organizations and their developed mechanisms. He points out that public organizations are important since they represent a series of human events referring to these organization being formed by informal groups. Thus, rather than being viewed as impersonal mechanisms they are very much personal. Public bureaucracy is important in public organizations as behind these mechanisms are a chain of human events with the understanding that shapes the everyday behavior of humans. Public organizations help in shaping the personal world of individuals with roles such as shaping behaviour as these organizations are products of human actions. The quality of organizational life helps in viewing public organizations in different perspectives. The understanding of public organization is essential as contrary to many people believe, despite the perspective that bureaucracy is routine to appear uncaring or even cruel many Americans have a low opinion on bureaucracy. Understanding bureaucracy and people in it one will learn that it is a very personal space such that the people in it experience pain, disappointments and joy. Despite it being considered as another government job, the players actually seek to deal with complex issues they face and make ends. Public organizations employees should consider it as a chance to participate in solving the difficult problems the public faces. People should view the public servants as full humans rather than instruments of developing policies. Thus, ensuring that the common goal of the organization is achieved and everyone is made aware of the organizational purpose.

(c)How does Chester Barnard define organization (P.17)

Chester Barnard believed that organizations were made from informal groups that embraced the notion of an organization to work on their objectives and goals timely and effectively. In regard to the public administration theorists who have focused on large and complex organizations structures, the definition of an organization has been based around the traditional bureaucracy structures thus the general definition whereby organizations are considered to be a group of people who often come together in an effort to accomplish a similar goal. Chester Barnard, however, defines an organization as “a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces of two or more persons”. This definition by Chester suggests that people should not focus on the formal mechanisms of organizations but rather emphasize on coordinated activities with similar objects to accomplish.

(d) What did Max Weber argue about Ideal Bureaucracy and what three” pure types” of legitimate authority did Weber identify? (P.31-32)

Max Weber a sociologist who was interested in how interacting subjects had constituted structures of meaning guiding future action. In an effort of seeking to understand aspects that seem ordinary in our lives developing a theoretical framework to understand what’s unique. This notion created the ideal type of way that Weber argues as a way of formulating social understanding. According to him an analysis of the impact of social events on humans is necessary. According to him the ideal type should not be the normal sense that is desirable hence should be pursued but rather it should be an abstraction and elaboration of certain elements whose combination had a special cultural significance. The types of legitimate accepted power that weber identified were;

1.The legal authority that is based on the belief that authority is made legitimate by laws, rules and regulations whereby power is vested through a system rather than a person who implements it. 2. The traditional authority that was based on beliefs and convictions of how important it is to endure traditions and those who rule within such traditions. It is accepted as legitimate since it has been in existence for a very long time 3. The charismatic authority that is based on emotions and attachments towards a specific person. This kind of power is accepted since it is attributed to a leader’s personal qualities.