Personal Action in Public Administrations

Public administration comprise of activities that are carried out by government to look after its citizen or in order for the state to manage or handle its key affairs (Donald &Harvey, 2011). It also involves individuals who make critical decisions that can have an influence on how resources are being used in the country. Therefore, thecareer public official has evolved over time; no longer are they subservient clerks carrying out the wishes of one superior or another. They are involved in the questions of how to get things done, while the politicians determine what things need to be done in the first place (Morgan, “Chapter 1: A Constitutional and Political Approach to Public Administration”, 2015).Throughout this paper I will briefly discuss the history of Public Administration, the importance of being nonbiased within government, and how transparency within government leads to greater accountability.

Although Public Administration was originally designed to carry out the intentions of elected officials, it also must remain politically neutral. This is especially true in my current position as a Business Auditor for Henrico County, as there is level of bias that can be evident when selecting which businesses to audit, and when supervisors sign off to approve the audits. This is a conflicting principle was known to the founding fathers.There was disagreement as to what constitutes proper representation of the people by public officials. They understood the importance for diverse opinions about democracy and that a balance was needed for contending principles and interests. Capable leaders were required to anticipate these irresolvable tensions and to build precautions against unchecked partisan abuse.These leaders also needed to reflect the governing principles that were embraced by the founding fathers.

When Woodrow Wilson raised concerns about reformation to make these different government structures operate more efficiently, there were questions as to how we could do this and also maintain our democratic values of individualism, equality, and liberty. A continued concern for operating efficiently while at the same time operating in a way consistent with these values marks the field of public administration today (Denhardt, ”Chapter 1: Personal Action in Public Administrations”, 2014).The role of the auditor is to issue an objective opinion on the financial statements, regardless of the effects that the work or opinion might have on client relationships. Like most skills auditors should cultivate, the ability to approach each audit engagement with the appropriate degree of professional skepticism, free from bias, must be intentionally nurtured through education and practice. Each is accountable for his or her actions, and a level of self-awareness should be present acknowledging that all individuals are susceptible to the effects of unconscious influences.

Public Administration is not only concerned with the implementation of government policy; it is an academic discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil servants for working in public service. With a diverse scope and a fundamental goal to advance management and policies so that government can function, it is the translation of politics into reality that citizens see every day. Public administration is concerned with the organization of government policies as well as the behavior of officials that are formerly accountable for their conduct.It is an organized approach that is based on an exhaustive legal framework replacing the former patriarchal and hereditary functions with bureaucracy. The public administrators therefore play an important role in running the government as machinery; a well-oiled machine where its citizens can place their trust and confidence. Although this Bureaucratic machine is not perfect andhas often been ridiculed, it is an ongoing amalgamation of various areas of study. The administration within it is the nuts and bolts that keep it together, for if that is stopped nothing would be accomplished.

References

Denhardt, R. B. (2014). Chapter 1: Personal Action in Public Administrations. In Public Administration: An Action Orientation(7th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Donald M &Harvey W.(2011). The State of Public Administration: Issues, Challenges and Opportunity. New York: M. E. Sharpe

Morgan, D. F. (2015). Chapter 1: A Constitutional and Political Approach to Public Administration. In Foundations of Public Service(2nd ed.). Routledge.