Scope of public administration in Nigeria

Public administration is a cooperative effort of a group of people to achieve specific objectives through the Scope of public administration in Nigeria. It’s a systematic process that involves people working in the private sector and public for the purpose of administering policies, provision of human rights, and equal distribution of resources.

The Scope of public administration in Nigeria highlights some of the core functions of public administration. Hence, it is a cooperative effort of groups/individuals to achieve the aims of the general public and government. Public administration is also more related to management and its importance for good governance in the activities of government.

Williams (1985) emphasized the point when he defines public administration as the technical knowledge of the field which enables the administrator to perform his duty. In sum, public administration deals with the mobilization, deployment, and management of men and materials to achieve the purpose of the government. Public administration sector jobs consist of establishments of Federal, State, and Local Government agencies that administer, oversee, and manage public programs and have executive, legislative or judicial authority within a given area (Nwosu, 1985).

Further, public administration is the techniques of management and principles to which operative programs are carried through to success (White, 1986). In essence, public administration is the sum total of all the activities of organizations or groups that are directed towards the accomplishment of the interests of the general public.

Scope of public administration in Nigeria

Public administration is a broad and encompassing area of study; and as a result, one cannot with a sense of certainty point up the specific focus and scope of public administration. The field of public administration today transcends government circles and includes other areas, namely, schools, churches, mosques, markets, postal services, transportation, international relations, etc. However, further insight into the scope of public administration can be understood using the following schools of thought:

1. The Integral School

2. The Managerial School

3. The ‘Body of Knowledge’ School

4. The integral school

To the Integral School, public administration is a sum total of all the activities in pursuit of and in fulfillment of public policy. These activities include not only managerial and technical but also manual and clerical. The central argument of the integral scholars is that public administration is generally concerned with all the activities of government. This is undertaken by one or all of the three arms of government.

This argument is reflected in the definition of public administration provided by one of the integral scholars, Leonard White. Chiefly, he defined public administration as consisting of those operations where the purpose is fulfillment or enforcement of public policy (Tout, 1927).

Thus, public administration covers the three core activities of an organization which includes accomplishing goals, maintaining organizational vitality, and defending the organization. The integral view, therefore, shows the vastness and multiplicity of the Scope of public administration. This is true in Nigeria in any other nation or state.

1. The Integral School

In Nigeria, for instance, public administration is carried out within different categories of public organization. These include Federal, State, and Local Government, Civil Services. Further, within them are multiple tasks that fall within the domain of public administration. While delivering a Public Lecture on the English Civil Service, Tout pointed out the reason for the vastness of the scope of public administration. He said that “however much we may gamble, this growth of the bureaucracy is inevitable” (Gulick, 1937).

2. The Managerial School

The Managerial School sees public administration is an area that is specifically concerned with only those persons engaged in the performance of managerial functions in an organization. This implies that only those who plan, program, and manage the activities of an organization are the main focus of public administration. The functions of these people are numerous and are focus on the achievement of certain goals. Gulick et al. (1980) comprehensively outlined these functions using the acronym POSDCORB, meaning:

• P – Planning
• O – Organizing
• S – Staffing
• D – Directing
• CO – Coordinating
• R – Reporting
• B – Budgeting

3. The ‘Body of Knowledge’ School

As a body of knowledge, public administration is directed towards the understanding of government and administration. Therefore, we view public administration as an academic field of study. Also, it is concerned with the workings of government in the pursuit of some set objectives. It is best to consider it a branch of social sciences. Particularly, one that has a strong root in political science. Further, it borrows ideas, methods, theories, frameworks, and tools of analysis from economics, sociology, psychology mathematics, business administration, and physical and biological sciences (Balogun, 1983).

4. The integral school

Within this context, public administration also promotes the use of human cooperative action, at the theoretical or practical level. It also solves the practical problems that affect government performance. Therefore, it examines and studies all actions relating to the formulation, implementation. Additionally, it evaluates policy and the search for the productive, efficient, and effective use of money, materials, and men in the public realm.

References

• Simon, A. (1970), Public Administration, New York, Vikas Publishing House.
• Nwosu, H. (1985), Problems of Nigerian Administration, Enugu, Fourth Dimension.
• Balogun, M.J. (1983), Principles of Public Administration, Ibadan, Malt House.
• Mbah, M. (2007), Foundations of Political Science, Onitsha, Rex Charles and Patrick.
• Williams, D. (1985), Public Administration, The People’s Business, Toronto, Little Brown and Co.
• White, L. (1986), Introduction to the Study of Public Administration, London, Oxford University Press.
• Tout, C.B. (1927), Third World Politics: A Comparative Introduction, London, The John Hopkins University
• Press.
• Gulick, W. (1937), The Rudiments of Public Administration, New York, Orange Publication.
• MacRea, S. and Douglas, P. (1980), Public Administration: An Introduction, New York, Pitman Publishing