| Most authors differentiate public administration and | | | | obscurity, the public manager must operate in the public |
| private administration by educational institutions (public | | | | eye. His or her actions are constantly subjected to |
| schools vs. private schools). Although it's a good | | | | public scrutiny. (Denhardt) The publicness of the work |
| example to provide a comprehensive analysis | | | | of the public manager doesn't end in merely carrying |
| between the two sectors, I found it not the | | | | out public policy, the public manager has to respond to |
| quintessence for a comparative analysis. Historically, in | | | | the demands of the public. Denhardt speaks of the |
| our country, public schools have a much higher quality | | | | "inevitable tension" between efficiency and |
| education than private schools, and studying | | | | responsiveness, the pressure to manage effectively |
| economics and public administration, it is not just the | | | | and to be simultaneously responsive to public |
| nature of bureaucracies, nor the scope of public | | | | concerns. This pressure often leaves public |
| administration that the case today was reversed. | | | | organizations in a "no-win" situation, trying to serve a |
| While some authors identified over a dozen factors | | | | public that demands effective government but balks at |
| that differentiates public to private administration, | | | | paying for it (taxes). The public also demands |
| Denhardt only speaks of the three fundamental | | | | accountability in government, an assurance that those |
| differences between the two. In this paper, I would | | | | who formulate, implement and administer public |
| elaborate Denhardt's three points since, together with | | | | programs will act responsibly. |
| economist Boadway's Difference between Public and | | | | One quality that makes public sector different from |
| Private Sector, I found these as the most undisputable | | | | private is in the form of unit analysis. (Boadway) Apart |
| and concrete comparisons. | | | | from publicly owned-companies, most public institutions |
| The most apparent difference between the two | | | | are part of a larger chain of command and control |
| sectors is their organizing principles or goal. (Denhardt) | | | | where it is harder to draw a line between the different |
| While private administration has a definite mission, | | | | parts of the system- and where legal frameworks |
| which is the pursuit of profit or stability or growth of | | | | provide little help in this. For instance: public agencies- |
| revenues, public administration, on the other hand, has | | | | like research councils or directorates of health- interact |
| ambiguous purposes. Furthermore, the dilemma in | | | | closely with ministries as well as subordinate institution |
| ambiguity of purposes is exacerbated by too many | | | | and "users". The innovation activities in these institutions |
| unnecessary and inoperable agencies, with purposes | | | | are heavily influenced by decisions made above and |
| that overlap and bloated bureaucracies. One might say | | | | below the chain of commands. The closest parallel to |
| that the goal of public administration is to enact public | | | | private sector will be large conglomerates or |
| policies, but the overlapping and the main ambiguity of | | | | multinational companies. The complex system of |
| most of these policies, and the vagueness of the | | | | organizations with various (and to some extent |
| enactment of these policies make public | | | | conflicting) tasks, is one of the reasons for the |
| administration's purpose to be more ambiguous. | | | | inefficiency of public administration. Although, some |
| Nevertheless, the fact that public institutions are not | | | | authors in public administration, such Woodrow Wilson |
| profit driven, should not lead us to believe that public | | | | in The Study of Public Administration, where he |
| sector employees and managers are not concerned | | | | reiterated that the evolution of public administration |
| about financial matters. As is the case with private | | | | together with its complex system and increasing |
| companies, public sector units and organizations fight | | | | number of bureaucracies is to complement the |
| for funding and influence. | | | | population growth, but a population with sufficient |
| Another factor that makes the public sector different | | | | number of agencies to manage them and with high |
| from the private is decision making. (Denhradt) In public | | | | marginal productivity for each public employee, is |
| administration, the decision must be and should be | | | | better than a bloated bureaucracy with little or zero |
| pluralistic. The founding fathers intentionally created a | | | | marginal productivity, and worse, unnecessary and |
| democratic republic where all key decisions are made | | | | redundant purpose. |
| in politicized environment. This allows for maximum | | | | Lastly, although political aspect is both apparent in public |
| participation: open debate, multiple veto points - a | | | | and private sector, political aspect is more important in |
| decision making hierarchy where consensus must be | | | | the public than in the private sector. Policy decisions |
| achieved at each level, ideally, an informed decision. | | | | normally affect companies directly and indirectly, |
| While private administration's decision-making is much | | | | through laws, regulations and financial support. The |
| more simple- it's monopolistic or close to monopolistic. | | | | public sector is at least formally controlled by elected |
| This type of decision-making would avoid any conflicts | | | | politicians. The intimate link between this governance |
| in interest; hence, the goal is clearly defined. | | | | dimension and funding of current expenses of the |
| The visibility of public administrators is another notable | | | | activities implies a very strong link between ownership |
| difference between public and private sector. While a | | | | and control on the one hand and the growth strategies |
| manager in a private business may work in relative | | | | of the subsidiary organizations. |