Essentials of the new public administration
The "Essentials of the New Public Administration" is a book written by Frank J. Thompson, a renowned scholar in the field of public administration. The book was first published in 1975 and has since become a classic in the field. Here are some of the key essentials of the new public administration:
- Humanization of the bureaucracy: The new public administration emphasizes the importance of human relationships and the need to treat citizens as individuals rather than just as clients or customers.
- Participatory governance: The new public administration encourages citizen participation in the decision-making process and recognizes the importance of involving citizens in the governance of public organizations.
- Decentralization and devolution: The new public administration advocates for decentralization and devolution of power to lower levels of government and to non-governmental organizations.
- Managerialism: The new public administration emphasizes the importance of effective management and leadership in public organizations, and recognizes the need for public administrators to be skilled managers.
- Policy-oriented administration: The new public administration focuses on the importance of policy-making and implementation, and recognizes the need for public administrators to be policy-oriented.
- Interorganizational relationships: The new public administration recognizes the importance of interorganizational relationships and the need for public administrators to work collaboratively with other organizations.
- Citizen-centered approach: The new public administration emphasizes the importance of a citizen-centered approach, which focuses on the needs and concerns of citizens rather than just on the needs of the organization.
- Ethics and values: The new public administration emphasizes the importance of ethics and values in public administration, and recognizes the need for public administrators to be guided by a set of core values.
- Accountability and transparency: The new public administration emphasizes the importance of accountability and transparency in public administration, and recognizes the need for public administrators to be accountable to citizens and to be transparent in their decision-making processes.
- Adaptability and flexibility: The new public administration recognizes the need for public administrators to be adaptable and flexible in response to changing circumstances and to be able to adjust to new challenges and opportunities.
These essentials of the new public administration reflect a shift away from the traditional bureaucratic model of public administration, which emphasized efficiency, effectiveness, and neutrality. Instead, the new public administration emphasizes the importance of human relationships, citizen participation, and policy-oriented administration.