Question 1

Describe the differences between public and private administration in terms of (1) constitutional arrangements, (2) the public interest, (3) markets, and (4) sovereignty.

Accepted Answer

1) Constitutional arrangements: 
Public administration operates within the framework of the constitution and is subject to constitutional checks and balances. Private administration, on the other hand, is not bound by the constitution and operates within the confines of company policies and regulations.

2) The public interest:
Public administration is primarily focused on serving the public interest and providing services to the citizens. Private administration, on the other hand, is driven by profit motives and serves the interests of the shareholders or owners.

3) Markets:
Public administration is not driven by market forces and operates in a non-competitive environment. Private administration operates within competitive markets and is subject to market forces and competition.

4) Sovereignty:
Public administration operates under the sovereignty of the state and is accountable to the government and citizens. Private administration operates under the sovereignty of the company or organization and is accountable to its owners and shareholders.

Question 2

How ought the Department of Homeland Security be structured? The textbook suggests along the hierarchical lines of traditional public management. Do you agree with this approach? What is gained by organizing it along these lines? What is lost by not organizing it according to NPM, political, or legal lines?

Accepted Answer

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should be structured in a way that allows for efficient and effective management of its various agencies and programs. The hierarchical lines of traditional public management, as suggested by the textbook, can be a suitable approach for organizing the DHS.

There are several advantages to organizing the DHS along hierarchical lines. This approach allows for clear lines of authority and decision-making, which can be crucial in emergency situations or when quick action is needed. It also promotes accountability and oversight, as managers are responsible for the performance of their subordinates. Additionally, hierarchical structures can provide a clear framework for communication and coordination among different agencies and departments within the DHS.

However, there are also potential drawbacks to exclusively organizing the DHS along hierarchical lines. New Public Management (NPM) principles, which emphasize performance-based management, customer focus, and decentralization, could potentially bring innovation and efficiency to the DHS. Similarly, organizing the DHS according to political or legal lines could ensure that the department is responsive to the political and legal priorities of the government.

In conclusion, while hierarchical lines of traditional public management can provide stability and clear lines of authority within the DHS, it is important to consider the potential benefits of other organizational approaches. A combination of hierarchical, NPM, political, and legal lines may be the most effective way to structure the DHS, ensuring both efficient management and responsiveness to changing political and legal priorities.

Question 3

Any discourse on public administration uses terms like "the public interest," "equity," "effectiveness," and "efficiency." Can these terms be defined in a fashion that could provide specific guidance for public administrators? How would you define them?

Accepted Answer

Yes, these terms can be defined in a way that provides specific guidance for public administrators.

"The public interest" refers to actions and policies that benefit the general population or common good rather than just specific individuals or groups. This can be defined as the overall well-being and welfare of the public and can guide public administrators to make decisions that prioritize the needs and interests of the community as a whole.

"Equity" in public administration refers to fairness and impartiality in the distribution of resources and opportunities. This can be defined as the principle of treating all individuals and groups fairly and equally, taking into account their unique needs and circumstances. It guides public administrators to consider and address disparities and ensure that all members of the community have access to the same opportunities and resources.

"Effectiveness" in public administration refers to the ability to achieve desired outcomes and goals. This can be defined as the extent to which a program, policy, or action achieves its intended results and makes a positive impact. It guides public administrators to evaluate the success of their initiatives and make adjustments as needed to ensure that they are producing meaningful and beneficial results.

"Efficiency" in public administration refers to the ability to accomplish tasks and goals with minimal waste of resources. This can be defined as the ability to achieve desired outcomes with the least amount of time, effort, and cost. It guides public administrators to optimize their use of resources and streamline their processes to maximize productivity and minimize waste.

By defining these terms in a specific and actionable way, public administrators can use them as guiding principles to make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and implement policies and programs that serve the public interest, promote equity, and achieve meaningful and efficient results.

Question 4

Take each of the approaches to public administration-managerial (traditional and NPM), political, and legal-and state the values associated with each approach. Continue the discussion by taking any three of the following six characteristics, and explain how it relates to each of the different approaches: organizational structure, view of the individual, cognitive approach, budgeting, decision making, and characterization of government function.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Take each of the approaches to public...

Question 5

Explain how the values embodied in the NPM approach may at times be at odds with the values of the political and legal approaches.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how the values embodied in the...

Question 6

Politics is salient to public administration because
A) most public employees are hired on a partisan basis
B) all administrative functions are highly political
C)public administrators are involved in the public policy cycle
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Public administrators play a crucial role in the public policy cycle, from formulation and implementation to evaluation, making politics inherently relevant to their work. Choices A and B are overly broad and not universally true.

Question 7

Which of the following is not a central value of the managerial approach?
A) accountability
B) economy
C)effectiveness
D)providing for political representation in public administration

Accepted Answer

The managerial approach focuses on efficiency, economy, and effectiveness in public administration, emphasizing accountability in achieving these goals. It does not inherently include providing for political representation, which is more aligned with the political or democratic aspects of governance rather than managerial principles.

Question 8

According to the chapter, the political approach considers individuals as
A) members of groups
B)ill- informed
C)interchangeable with one another
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

The political approach to analyzing individuals focuses on their identities and interests as members of various groups, rather than viewing them as ill-informed or interchangeable.

Question 9

A good or service that individuals cannot be excluded from and that is not exhausted as more individuals use it is known as
A) public interest
B) public good
C)public choice
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

Public goods are defined by their non-excludability and non-rivalrous characteristics, meaning individuals cannot be excluded from their use, and one person's use does not reduce availability for others.

Question 10

Unlike private firms, governments cannot readily
A) go bankrupt
B) dissolve
C)seek lower labor costs in other geographic areas
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Governments have unique characteristics compared to private firms, including the inability to go bankrupt in the traditional sense, the difficulty in dissolving, and restrictions on seeking lower labor costs in other geographic areas due to political, legal, and social obligations.

Question 11

Contemporary federalism in the United States is best characterized by
A) a strict separation of federal from state functions
B) subordination of the federal government to the states
C)dependence of the state governments on the federal government for the administration of state programs
D)dependence of the federal government on the states for implementation of federal programs

Accepted Answer

Contemporary federalism in the United States involves a cooperative relationship where the federal government relies on states to implement federal programs, reflecting interdependence rather than strict separation or subordination.

Question 12

According to the chapter, which of the following is least valued by the political approach to public administration?
A) representativeness
B) responsiveness
C)clear lines of administrative jurisdiction
D)interest groups

Accepted Answer

The political approach to public administration places less emphasis on clear lines of administrative jurisdiction compared to values like representativeness, responsiveness, and the influence of interest groups. This approach focuses more on how public administration can be responsive and representative of the public and how it interacts with various interest groups, rather than strictly on the organizational structure and clear jurisdictional boundaries.

Question 13

The cognitive approach of the legal perspective is best described as
A) theoretical
B) social scientific
C)inductive
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of The cognitive approach of the legal perspective...

Question 14

According to the chapter, the legal approach treats individual intentions as
A) subjective assessments
B) objective facts
C)always irrelevant
D)always relevant

Accepted Answer

The legal approach often treats individual intentions as objective facts, focusing on how intentions are manifested through actions and evidence rather than subjective assessments.

Question 15

The judiciary's power to dispense with the harsh application of the law and adjust remedies to specific groups and individuals is known as
A) adjudication
B) equal protection
C)due process
D)equity

Accepted Answer

Equity refers to the branch of law that allows courts to apply principles of fairness in order to grant relief or remedies that are not available under strict interpretations of statutory law. It enables the judiciary to tailor decisions to the specifics of a case, providing remedies that might not be available under the rigid application of the law.

Question 16

The U.S. Constitution
A) comprehensively provides for federal and state public administration
B) comprehensively provides for federal administration
C)contains no provisions for public administration
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of The U.S. Constitution
A) comprehensively provides for federal...

Question 17

According to the chapter, the best approach to public administration is
A) managerial
B) political
C)legal
D)none of the above is best

Accepted Answer

The best approach to public administration depends on the specific context and goals, suggesting that no single approach is universally best.

Question 18

Which approach frowns upon using social classifications for the sake of analyzing and predicting individual behavior?
A) traditional management
B) New Public Management
C)political
D)legal

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which approach frowns upon using social classifications...

Question 19

Osborne and Gaebler's idea that government should "steer, not row" is referring to their support of
A) incremental decision making
B) privatization
C)deregulation
D)benchmarking

Accepted Answer

Osborne and Gaebler's concept of "steer, not row" suggests that the government should guide and set policies (steer) rather than directly provide services (row), which implies a support for privatization, where services are often outsourced to the private sector.

Question 20

Benchmarking
A) encourages experimentation
B) promotes results-oriented public administration
C)permits greater flexibility
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking encourages experimentation by comparing processes and performance metrics to industry bests and best practices from other companies. It promotes results-oriented public administration by focusing on outcomes and how they compare to standards or other entities. It also permits greater flexibility by identifying areas where improvements can be made, allowing organizations to adapt and adjust their practices for better performance.

Quiz 1: The Practice and Discipline of Public Administration: Competing Concerns

Describe the differences between public and private administration in terms of (1) constitutional arrangements, (2) the public interest, (3) markets, and (4) sovereignty.

Any discourse on public administration uses terms like "the public interest," "equity," "effectiveness," and "efficiency." Can these terms be defined in a fashion that could provide specific guidance for public administrators? How would you define them?

Explain how the values embodied in the NPM approach may at times be at odds with the values of the political and legal approaches.

Politics is salient to public administration because

Which of the following is not a central value of the managerial approach?

According to the chapter, the political approach considers individuals as

A good or service that individuals cannot be excluded from and that is not exhausted as more individuals use it is known as

Unlike private firms, governments cannot readily

Contemporary federalism in the United States is best characterized by

According to the chapter, which of the following is least valued by the political approach to public administration?

The cognitive approach of the legal perspective is best described as

According to the chapter, the legal approach treats individual intentions as

The judiciary's power to dispense with the harsh application of the law and adjust remedies to specific groups and individuals is known as

The U.S. Constitution

According to the chapter, the best approach to public administration is

Which approach frowns upon using social classifications for the sake of analyzing and predicting individual behavior?

Osborne and Gaebler's idea that government should "steer, not row" is referring to their support of

Benchmarking