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Theories of Public Administration - Coggle Diagram
Theories of Public Administration
Scientific Management Theory
Principles
Create a new way of thinking about work and a new way to go about how the work should be done.
Provide the workers with the necessary skills for the job.
Promoting an idea of teamwork is best.
There should be an equal division of work between management and the workers.
Philosophy
Motion and time study.
Specialisation.
Standardisation.
Planning.
Techniques.
Slide rule.
Work commands.
Work level.
Wage systems.
Implementation systems.
New cost systems.
Nature
The theory believed in methods of science to help solve problems within management.
It was said it would promote the efficiency of the workers.
This would be achieved by fixed laws, rules and principles.
Criticism
This theory views the workers as a machine.
It is impersonal and doesn't consider the human factor.
It misunderstands human motivation and the workers' need for a social environment.
Simon and March called it, "Physiological organisation theory" saying that it neglects the psychological aspects.
Father
Fredrick Taylor
The Classical Theory
Elements
Planning
Organising.
Coordination.
Command.
Control.
Principles
Division of work.
Unity of Command.
Scalar Chain.
Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest.
Centralisation.
Order.
Remuneration.
Equity.
Authority and Responsibility.
Stability.
Initiative.
Discipline.
Esprit de Corps.
Unity of Direction.
Nature
It is also known as Administrative management, Mechanical and Structural theory.
It focuses on formal organisation and normal management process.
Fayol believed that there was a single 'administrative science' whose principles were multi-purposeful; to government, religious groups and other organisations.
Criticism
The same rules and principles cannot be used for the different organisations.
The theory isn't beneficial for organisations which are forever changing.
The rules and principles treat the organisation as a closed system, towards the external environment.
It views its workers as being passive.
Father
Henri Fayol.
The Bureaucratic Theory
Domination
Charismatic
The power of authority is being exercised in a helpful way.
This is usually done when the workers have respect for the authority.
Traditional
It is an older method of domination.
The person with the authority, enjoys their inherited status.
Their authority comes from customs.
This would usually be used on personal relations, servants and relatives.
Legal
It is based on the rightness of law.
The laws are obeyed because the people believe in them.
Their laws delineate in a rational way the hierarchy.
The positions that all the workers hold are treated fairly.
Characteristics
Hierarchical arrangements.
The workers stick to these responsibilities well in the work environment.
A clear division of the workload.
The rules should always be enforced during work.
Impersonality.
Contracts are used to appoint officials.
The offices' functions are clearly known.
Professional qualifications are essential for the selection process of officials.
There is a monthly salary and a pensions fund.
The post of an official is their sole or major occupation.
There is a structure within the business, with possible promotion/ merit.
The post and resources shall not be appropriated by officials.
The official is subject to a disciplinary system, if needs be.
Nature
There are different forms of domination, which determine how authority is used.
Domination; it is a power relationship between ruler and the ruled
Authority is for the controlling of the ruled.
The Authority in an established work environment will set out rules that must be followed.
It plays a role in both the private and public sector.
It has a specific form of social organisation.
It is the most efficient and rational way to understand and organise the workers.
Hierarchies are very important in maintaining order.
Has the characteristics of being impersonal and rational.
It was the most technically proficient form of organisation.
Criticism
It is rigidity and impersonality.
The ideal type is not feasible.
Red Tape.
Management tries to protect themselves; their authority and positions.
Father
Max Weber.
Human Relations Theory
Nature
The mental health status of the workers, needs to be emphasised.
Elton Mayo gave guidance throughout this theory.
Hawthorne's experiments proved that the working conditions are heavily influenced by social and human relationships.
High morale leads to increased productivity.
The way a worker feels about themselves and their work is very important.
Elements
The Individual; all workers are seen to be unique and their uniqueness is recognised as being important.
Work Groups; the importance of the social aspects of being in a group and being accepted/ appreciated by them.
Participative Management; the workers need to have a say in decision making, especially when the conclusion of that decision will affect them.
Father
Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Contribution
An organisation as an open system.
The importance of the worker's attitudes.
It changed the management training.
The relationship between management and the workers; supervision and labour.
The Behavioural Theory
Nature
It has to do with scientific research of human behavior.
It is the analysis of public administration from the micro-level perspective of workers individually and in groups.
Movements
The Behavioural and the Human Relations Movement.
Both movements dealt with human elements within the organisation.
Human Relations dealt more with interpersonal relationships.
Behaviouralism dealt more with the inside of the workers' focus.
Father
F.B. Skinner.
Maslow's hierarchy
Nature
It is a theory of motivation, using five categories of human need.
Maslow wanted to understand what would motivate people.
He believed that people had a set of motivations that didn't relate to rewards.
The pyramid
Self-actualisation; it is for workers to reflect on the work that they have done (performance evaluations).
Esteem needs; the way the worker sees themselves and how their peers see them.
Belongingness and social needs; it is the way the administrator gives support to the workers.
Safety needs; the workers feel as if their position is secure, with the help of the administrator.
Physiological needs; the resources of basic needs for the workers to ensure they are functioning at the best of their ability.
Father
Abraham Maslow.
Different workers have different sets of needs.
It is not empirically supported.
This is not helpful to 'starving artists', these basic needs don't satisfy them.
The System Theory
Structure
It takes a holistic approach, by considering all the elements within the organisation.
The organisation and the environment are interdependent, & should be analysed together.
It is used for the making and implementation of the public policy.
A method called the 'Black Box' is used in the decision making process.
Black Box
Inputs are given by the environment, to the policy makers.
Then decision making begins in the 'Black Box'.
Outputs from the administration get involved, in the form of decisions and policies to be implemented.
The implementation is looked over by the environment.
It ends up going back as feedback to the political system.
Nature
David Easton and Chester Barnard were the main proponents.
It sees the organisation as having sub-divisions.
The organisations and the external environment are dependent on each other.
It is an open system.
It is the opposite of Classical Theory.
Criticism
There is room for human error to occur, because the system couldn't predict it.
Father
Ludwig Von Bertalanffy.
The Contingency Theory
Nature
It is also known as the Situational Theory.
It claims that there is no best way to organise.
It believes that the organisation should be dependent on the situation.
The situation should be analysed, and that will help to create and adjust the organisation.
Main ideas
Organisations are an open system, which need to be dealt with carefully when it comes to the management, to help balance the internal needs to the external environment.
Organising is fully dependent on the task at hand.
Public Administrators main goal is to achieve alignments and good fits.
Different organisations need different organisations.
Father
Wialliam Richard Scott