The environment of public administration

When many people think of public administration as an activity, they visualize large offices crammed with rows of faceless bureaucrats sitting at desks and producing an endless stream of paperwork. But this view captures only few of the important things that professional civil servants actually do.

Public administration also has many more participants, such as the executive, the legislature, the courts, and organized groups, which are involved in the formulation and implementation of public policy. And if a public administrator focuses the attention on only some of them, others may become neglected and that may lead to the jeopardy of the entire program.

Summing up, it is important to underline that the theory of public administration is very diverse, is rapidly developing and depends much on what we know about why humans behave as they do when they interact with each other.

Ex. 2. Read the text again for understanding its main points and answer the "What"-questions given bellow:

1. What does the theory of public administration as an interdisciplinary subject take into account?

2. What do the terms public and private convey to the general public?

3. What is a dominant form of administration?

4. What can be done to motivate employees?

5. What should each employee be provided with?

6. What are the main principles according to which employees are hired and promoted?

7. What dilemma do both public and private organizations have?

8. What do individuals bring to organizations?

9. What are the participants of public administration?

10. What are the tangible dimensions of an organization?

Ex. 3. Now read the text for detailed information to complete the following sentences and develop the idea:

1. Managers of private organizations are commonly pictured … .

2. Each employee is accountable … .

3. Organisations hire and promote employees taking into account … .

4. Most work in organisations is a mix of … .

5. People’s activity in informal groups … .

6. Routine jobs can generate … .

7. Both in business and government organisations bureaucracy is … .

8. Food, shelter, health care and … are … needs of individuals.

9. It may lead to … if a public administrator focuses the attention …

10. … are rewards which are distributed by managerial staff.

Ex. 4. Answer the following 'Why'-questions:

1. Public organizations are commonly pictured wasteful and private ones efficient. Why don’t these perceptions withstand careful scrutiny?

2. Bureaucracy has promise but it may also create problems and abuses of power. Why?

3. Why is stability need said to dominate in organizations?

4. Why fundamental, spiritual or individual needs should be first taken into account to encourage innovative performance?

5. Why is an adequate system of rewards a powerful incentive for above-average performance?

6. Why do people’s activities in informal groups have a profound effect on their work? Are they as important as formal assignments?

7. Organisations are said to be cultural and meaning systems as well as places for work. Are you for or against it? Why?

8. Why do many people thinking of public administration as an activity visualize large offices crammed with rows of faceless bureaucrats sitting at desks and producing an endless stream of paperwork?

D. Post-reading Exercises

Language Study

Ex. 1. Insert prepositions where necessary:

1. Private organizations are commonly pictured to be run by hard-nosed managers who worry … profits and consumers.

2. Both types of organizations, private and public, have much … common.

3. Both organizations, especially public ones are crowded … individuals who bring … organizations a complex mix of need.

4. Fundamental needs of individuals are bought … money earned … work.

5. People … informal groups get together to share … common interests, not to work, but nevertheless, these activities have a profound effect … their work.

6. When people think … public administration as an activity they visualize faceless bureaucrats sitting … desks and producing … an endless stream of paperwork.

7. In case a public administrator focuses the attention … only some of his duties and neglects … others, which may lead … the jeopardy … the entire program.

8. Each employee in an organization is accountable … the top executive … a chain of commands.

Ex. 4. What is the English for:

A волокита, бюрократизм служащий злоупотребление (властью) прибыль, выгода исполнять (обязанности) противостоять заявлять гарантировать, обеспечивать удовлетворять (запросы) недостаток, отсутствие

B не выдерживать пристального (внимательного) изучения создавать проволочки (задержки) в работе нанимать и продвигать сотрудников (по служебной лестнице) объявить о банкротстве система поощрений вызывать недостаток интереса и скуку комплекс сотрудничества и взаимозависимости иметь общие интересы реальные (ощутимые) размеры сконцентрировать внимание на …

Pre-discussion

Ex. 1. Retell the text finishing the following sentences and adding 4-5 phrases of your own:

1. The text under discussion deals with …

2. Primary attention in the text is paid to the basic aspects of organization theory which involves …

3. Bureaucracy, being a dominant form of administration is generally defined as …

4. To attract and keep individuals, to encourage dependable and innovative performance …

5. Public administration is an activity involving a lot of participants …

Ex. 2. Translate into English:

1. Принято считать, что государственные организации расточительны, а частные эффективны, и все же это восприятие не выдерживает пристального изучения.

2. Государственные и частные организации имеют много общего. Например, и те и другие нанимают и продвигают сотрудников по службе в соответствии с их знаниями и умениями.

3. И те, и другие организации, в особенности государственные, очень многочисленны (по количеству сотрудников).

4. Материальные потребности личности, такие как потребности в еде, жилище, медицинском обслуживании, уверенности в будущем удовлетворяются за счет средств, заработанных посредством выполнения определенных обязанностей.

5. Люди объединяются в неформальные группы по признаку общности интересов. Это могут быть спорт, музыка или любая другая деятельность вне работы.

Ex. 3. Give your viewpoint on the following questions:

1. A young specialist, apart from possessing profound knowledge of law or economics, is sure to know the theory of public administration. Why?

2. The organisation theory viewы an organisation as bureaucracy, human relations, a structure of subgroups, etc. Why?

3. What is the most adequate system of rewards which should be introduced in a business organisation to attract and motivate employees? Why?

Unit 4