Question 2: Chapter 1

Public Administration

The study of systems ensuring policies, human resources, organizational structures, and financial and control mechanisms for public services.

Public Management

The operational side of Public Administration, covering planning, leadership, motivation, and performance management.

Bureaucracy

A structured, hierarchical, merit-based system of administration, originating from Max Weber’s work.

Paradigm

A framework for studying a discipline.

New Public Management

An approach introduced in the 1980s emphasizing efficiency, economic rationalism, and managerial techniques in public services.

Governance

The process of decision-making across government, private sector, and civil society.

Embryonic Stage

The initial phase of Public Administration development, focusing on moral and political issues in state functioning.

Bureaucratic Stage

A phase characterized by structured administrative systems and the need for expert civil servants.

Contemporary Stage

The current phase of Public Administration, marked by evolving debates and interdisciplinary influences.

Cameralism

A 17th-century concept emphasizing increasing a nation’s economic power through wealth growth, influencing Public Administration studies.

Lorenz von Stein

A German professor advocating for Public Administration as an interdisciplinary field combining Sociology, Political Science, and Public Finance.

Woodrow Wilson

Credited with formalizing Public Administration as a distinct field, proposing a separation between administration and politics.

POSDCORB

An acronym coined by Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick representing Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting.

Fayol’s Principles of Management

Guidelines for effective management, including division of work, unity of command, and stability.

Conseil d'État

A French institution overseeing legal accountability and fostering elite civil servant education.

Post-1945 Bureaucratic Stage

A period where the separation between politics and public administration blurred due to complex state responsibilities.

Welfare State Funding

Significant government budget allocations for public services like health and education, reflecting commitment to welfare.

Weber’s Bureaucratic Model

A hierarchical model emphasizing clear divisions of labor, rigid rules, and merit-based promotion in public institutions.

Colonial Influence

The impact of colonial policies on public administration structures in Africa, particularly from European powers.

New Public Administration Initiative (NPAI)

A 1990s initiative in South Africa aimed at redefining public sector operations post-democracy.

Hood’s Seven Components of NPM

Key elements of New Public Management focusing on professional management, performance measures, and resource discipline.

Post-NPM Era

A period emphasizing governance, accountability, and collaborative decision-making in public administration.

Authority

The right to make decisions and utilize resources to achieve specific goals.

Decentralization

The distribution of administrative functions and authority from a central institution to lower levels of government.

Social Contract

An agreement between the state and society for mutual cooperation in providing social benefits.