New Public Management and Issues with it.
Even though above section highlights the core fundamental of the new public management, and how it intends to change the landscape of the public administration when applied in a structured and planned way. Though there are several success stories around new public management inspired reforms of organizations associated with public administration, but what one notices first when looking at the public management and public administration framework is the difference, not the similarities between the two (Barzelay, 2001).
It is interesting to observe that the public administration is underlined by its concentration of power, force and several level of inefficiencies on one side, whereas on other side it has orientation towards public good. With new public management, which follows the principles of the private business environment focus is more towards profit maximization. Unlike public administration where the underlying theme is of public good, new public management focuses more on quality of services, cost optimization and ultimately how much profit is being generated out of the services being offered. In other words it can be said that new public management views public as a more of a “harvests”; it does not differentiates between public and private interest. Usage of business fundamentals and techniques within the public domain thus confuses the most fundamental requirement of any state. Especially of a democracy, with a liability: low costs and speed can’t be equal importance when compared with critical aspects like regularity, transparency and due process.
Low cost and speed which is touted as one important aspect of new public management and it ultimately boosts the critical fundame...
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...0s: variations on a theme. Accounting, organizations and society, 20(2), 93-109.
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The main aim of public service is to deliver services that are of need to its people. How fast a public manager can address its people’s problem and concerns indicates its effectiveness. Responsiveness of the manager develops trust between him, the government, and the people. According to (Rainey, p106) bureaucratic responsiveness implies two things; responsiveness to the people’s wishes or responsiveness to the interest of the government.
Wilson described public administration as “the most obvious part of the government; it is government in action; it is the executive, the operative, the most visible side of government, and is of course as old as government itself.” Furthermore, public administration is efficient and detailed implementation of public law. Every particular application of general law is a demonstration of administration.
This is an attempt at defining the term “public” in Public Administration based on my understanding of PA readings, lectures attended and, personal insights.
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Jay M. Shafritz, E.W. Russell, Christopher P. Borick. "Introducing Public Administration" Pearson. 7th Edition, 2011.
Public sector reforms adopted in a number of countries such as USA, UK and New Zealand in the last fifteen years and characterised by efficiency units, performance management, contracting out, market type mechanisms, and agency status have come to be known as the New Public Management or NPM. Appearance of the NPM as shifting the paradigm from the old traditional model of administration has been promoted by a remarkable degree of consensus among the political leadership of various countries and is presented today as the major tool for public sector management reforms.
Pfiffner, J. P. (2004). Traditional Public Administration versus The New Public Management:Accountability versus Efficiency. Unied States: George Mason University.
Rabin, J. (2003). Encyclopedia of public administration and public policy: K-Z. United States: CRC press.
Public Administration involves the development, implementation and management of policies for the attainment of set goals and objectives that will be to the benefit of the general public. Since Public Administration involves taking decisions that affect the use of public resources there is often the question of how to utilize public resources for maximum public good. The National Association of Public Administration has identified four pillars of public administration: economy, efficiency, effectiveness and social equity. These pillars are equally important in the practice of public administration and to its success. This paper seeks to explain the role of each of the pillars in the practice of public administration.
Good, David A. “The Politics of Public Management.” University of Toronto Press Inc., (2003). P. 1-233.
Since its emergence as a field of study, there have been some important contributions to public administration. Its goal has always been to improve productivity which then improves workplace performance. All of the contributions have been aimed at completing the work with the highest level of efficiency and at the lowest cost.