public administration
State agency operations
Public administration is the implementation of government policy and the management of public programs and services.
It encompasses the work of agencies, bureaus, and civil servants who carry out the day-to-day operations of government—from collecting taxes to managing public health programs.
As an academic field, public administration studies how governments organize and deliver services: She earned her master's in public administration.
The term often contrasts with private sector management, emphasizing accountability to citizens rather than shareholders.
Allocating funds systematically
- planningArranging for future events
- human resourcesEmployee administration department
- operationsPlanned systematic activities
- coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
supervision · efficiency · performance · strategic planning · delegation · decision-making · procurement · resource allocation
Grants formal authorization
- licensingGranting official permission
- social servicesPublic aid programs
- service deliverySupplying promised assistance
- one-stop shopSingle source for everything
ombudsman · accessibility · responsiveness · case management · welfare · disability services · unemployment office
Bureaucratic obstacles to action
- civil servantsGovernment agency employees
- paperworkAdministrative written tasks
- proceduresSet methods for tasks
- regulationsEnforced rules and standards
compliance · hierarchy · officialdom · clerical · bureaucrats · files · records · formality
Official enactment of statutes
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- statuteEnacted written rule
- ordinanceOfficial government regulation
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
directive · reform · initiative · framework · guideline · provision · amendment · bill
Obligation for one's actions
- transparencyState of being see-through
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
authority · jurisdiction · ethics · representation · democracy · sovereignty · constitutionality · checks and balances
Status as state member
- civic engagementActive citizenship in community
- town hallLocal government headquarters
- voter registrationSigning up for elections
- community involvementActive participation in local affairs
civic duty · open meetings · grassroots · civic education · transparency initiatives
budgeting
Allocating funds systematically
- planningArranging for future events
- human resourcesEmployee administration department
- operationsPlanned systematic activities
coordination · supervision · efficiency · performance · strategic planning · delegation · decision-making · procurement · resource allocation · e-government
permits
Grants formal authorization
- licensingGranting official permission
- social servicesPublic aid programs
- service deliverySupplying promised assistance
one-stop shop · ombudsman · accessibility · responsiveness · case management · welfare · disability services · unemployment office
red tape
Bureaucratic obstacles to action
- civil servantsGovernment agency employees
- paperworkAdministrative written tasks
- proceduresSet methods for tasks
regulations · compliance · hierarchy · officialdom · clerical · bureaucrats · files · records · formality · standardization
legislation
Official enactment of statutes
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- statuteEnacted written rule
- ordinanceOfficial government regulation
mandate · directive · reform · initiative · framework · guideline · provision · amendment · bill · implementation
accountability
Obligation for one's actions
- transparencyState of being see-through
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
legitimacy · authority · jurisdiction · ethics · representation · democracy · sovereignty · constitutionality · checks and balances · rule of law
citizenship
Status as state member
- civic engagementActive citizenship in community
- town hallLocal government headquarters
- voter registrationSigning up for elections
community involvement · civic duty · open meetings · grassroots · civic education · transparency initiatives
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- governmentgovernment, ministries, legislature, judiciary, executive branch
- social sciencessociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, political science
- German PoliticsBundesrat, CSU, Nazi Party, Greens, federal republic
- political sciencepolitical science, political theory, political behavior, political economy, political institutions
- public policypolicy making, policy reform, economic policy, policy recommendations, education policy
public administrationprivate enterprise
Individually owned business operation
corporate management · business administration · commercial enterprise · entrepreneurship · free enterprise
public administrationanarchy
Disorder from absent authority
self-organization · grassroots organizing · spontaneous order
public administrationprivatization
State sells public assets
laissez-faire · deregulation · libertarianism · anarchy · free market
public, publish, publication, publishing, published, administration, publisher, publicly, administrator