PUBLIC MANAGEMENT ISSUE
Introduction
Public management or administration is generally described as development and implementation of government policy. This is highly linked to pursuing of the public good through enhancement of social justice and the civil society in general. This paper is dealing with public management issues on land management. There is further elaboration on what public administrators need to know. This includes what is the most important thing. There is also elaboration on what is likely to be more important in the next two decades. There is also the policy making process and the role of administrators in it. This paper also includes the types of relationships that exist between private organizations and public organizations. It also includes ethical problems that an administrator might encounter in when making decisions. There is elaboration of what public managers can do to have better use of their time. This paper also has the steps that would be taken to initiate a cultural change in an organization. (Baskin, 1992)
Public administrators always need to know about communication. This is because; this work involves dealing with the community or people. It therefore requires that a person or a public administrator understand the art of communication. This is very important as they have to understand people have got different personalities and therefore dealing with them requires the right communication skills. It is important that public administrators understand and also have good public relations. They need to understand how to carry out both the verbal and non verbal communication. They need to know about passing on information to the public. This is very essential as it automatically helps them to carry out their responsibilities effectively. They also need to know how to address crowds because their responsibilities generally involve speaking to the public and in most cases they are in large numbers.
Another aspect that public administrators need to know is about formulation of policies. This is because their tasks as public administrators involve formulation of policies that have to be geared towards improving the general lifestyle of the people. Apart from this, public administrators need to know how to manage finances. This is because their work in relation to land management involves handling government finances and therefore they need to have prior knowledge in managing finances. This is essential in enabling public administrators carry out their responsibilities effectively. (Baskin, 1992)
Public administrators need to know or rather to be aware of the problems that exist in the community and the nation at large. This is essential because it will help them in ensuring that they deal with the problems that are in the society or rather community. For instance having the knowledge that a community lacks important facilities like hospitals will enable public administrator to forward the issue to relevant authorities so that people in the area can have health facilities like hospitals and dispensaries. (Gray, 1986)
Public administrators need to know very well their area of jurisdiction. This is especially in line with the specific regions that are in the area. This helps public administrators to know which people that they are in charge of. Public administrators also need to know the culture of the people that they are administering. It is very important because people normally have different cultures and even how they relate to each other. Public administrators need to have prior knowledge on the culture of the people that they are administering including their taboos. They also need to know about the language that is used by the people. All these are very essential in ensuring that they accomplish their responsibilities effectively.
They also need to know how to efficiently and effectively manage various identities of large number of constituents. This is to enable personalized service to every individual or citizen. This also includes government agency employees and businesses as well. In the next two decades, these issues will still be important for public administrators to know. Apart from that they will need to know much about external forces that might affect their responsibilities. In the next two decades there will be increased globalization and they will need to know more about information technology in order to carry out their responsibilities effectively. (Budd, 1993)
Policy making
The purpose of developing a frame work is to have a base or a foundation of working with a community. The frame work is not limited on local issues, but also can be applied on wider programs and polices. In many cases external professions influence the development of policy frame work. The outcome is normally unsustainable and hard to implement policies. The policies end up not taking the best of the available resources and not being able to be of much use to the community. A good frame work should in cooperate the communities priorities first and take into account their need and requirements. The community based frame work has an approach which results into equitable, applicable and sustainable change. (Smith, 2003)
Policy making process is very essential especially to administrators. The following is the policy making process that is used by public administrators.
Financial assessment
During this stage there is evaluation of the costs or the finances that are required in the formulation of policies. Every policy making involves finances and therefore financial assessment is carried out to ascertain whether the existing budget or rather resources can implement the policy. (Budd, 1993)
Environment
There has to be the evaluation of the impacts of the policy on the environment and also on the human resources that are available. This is ensuring that all the logistics are well in place.
Resources
During this stage public administrators have the role of finding out whether the resources available can implement the policy or not. The resources involve monetary and also human resources. This is because implementation automatically needs people who will go at the ground level to carry out the tasks. For instance formulating a policy where there is free surveys of the land in order to know how much land is in use calls for have adequate surveyors. (Gray, 1986)
Participation
In this there is ensuring that all the stakeholders participate in the policy making. This can either be active or passive participation. Public administrators have the role of ensuring that citizens participate in policy making by getting their views on the whole matter. They can also participate actively by giving required labor. For instance citizen can give manual labor if policy is being formulated on tilling fallow land.
Evaluation
In this stage there is evaluation of the effects of the policy. This is to ascertain whether it is sustainable or not. As in trial tests carried out and evaluation carried out on whether it is working or not.
Putting on ground
Lastly the policy can be put on ground. This is where there is implementation of what was initially planned and written down in relation to the relevant steps taken.
Role of public administrators in policy making process
Policy making is quite complex and really demands the best of public administrators. The role of public administrators in policy making process is to educate the public on the policy in relation to the positive and negative aspects of the same. Public administrators have the role of communicating to the public all the issues concerning the policy. They also have the responsibility of getting information at the ground level concerning the policy. They therefore have to carry out extensive research that will help have the true information at the ground level. This includes getting information concerning the necessary resources that are available for the implementation of the policy.
They have the role of carrying out the financial assessment in relation to formulation and implementation of the policy. They need to be mediators between the government and the citizens. This is whereby they get information from people and deliver it to the necessary authorities and from the government to the people etc. The role of public administrators is to carry out decision making after getting all the views from stakeholders and evaluating them. (Smith, 2003)
Relationships between public and private organizations
In each and every nation, there are normally both public and private organizations. All these play a very big role in the development of the economy and also in the provision of goods and services to citizens. There are three major types of relationships that exist between private and public organizations. They are as follows;
Management relationships
This is one type of relationship that exists between private and public organizations. They share policies that govern the organizations. This is because both private and public organizations deal with people. Policies that govern employer and employee relationships are shared by both private and public organizations. Therefore the two organizations, which are private and public, have management relationships where they share issues concerning management and leadership of the organizations. This is because management problems in both public and private organizations are common and they are similar. Management in private organizations borrow leaf from public organization management styles and vice versa. This is therefore one of the major relationships that exist between the two types of organizations. (Smith, 2003)
Business relationships
This is also one of the major relationships that exist between private and public organizations. Public and private organizations deal with various businesses for instance production of goods or provision of services. One realizes that both private and public organizations have business relationships because whatever one produces or provides is needed by the other. There are private organizations that manufacture products that are very essential to public organizations. For instance, private Companies that manufacture stationeries like paper, books and even pens are of great help to public organizations. All these are used to the general well running of the organization. One finds that both private organizations and public ones trade or buy goods and services from each other. This enables the smooth running of the organizations. It is good to be aware that no organization whether private or public is self sufficient.
Recruitment and Training relationships
Public and private organizations normally carry out recruitment and training of employees. Training involves a behavior modification which is normally carried out in a formal and systematic manner. It is as a result of planned experience, instruction and education. Training and development plays a big role in achievement of organizational goals. Most of these goals are normally long term in nature. Training is part of the strategic framework of both private and public organizations. Recruitment is also carried out in both private and public organizations. In most cases public organizations rely on private ones to recruit for them employees. Public organizations are known to carry out training of employees for private organizations. This is the relationship that exists between private and public organizations. (Ridley, 1938)
Ethical problems might be encountered by public administrator
Ethics is defined as the norms or standards of behavior that guide moral choices about the conduct of the personnel in any organization. Ethics as in business ethics can be defined as form art that examines principles and rules, problems, special duties or obligations that apply to people in commercial businesses setting. Business ethics involves the principles and ethical rules that govern people within an organization. Ethical problems usually arise in business and there are different measures taken against those who are involved. Professional ethics includes problems of company functioning in relation to other businesses.
Ethical problems when carrying out decision making are quite inevitable. Analysis of public administrator shows that he or she is bound to encounter some ethical problems when carrying out decision making. Ethical problems that a public administrator can encounter while carrying out decisions include issues that are not ethically correct according to the culture of the people that the policy is being administered. For instance a public administrator in charge of land management can decide to formulate a policy whereby people will be required to plant generic crops in order to increase farm produce. This can be shunned because the people view generic agriculture as unethical. It therefore becomes very hard to implement or even make a decision that is viewed by other people as unethical.
Every organization has a code of ethics that has to be followed when carrying out various responsibilities. This is also relevant to public administrators. Public administrators normally have to comply with various rules, laws and regulations in line with their duty. One of the unethical problems that they might face when carrying out decision making include giving out confidential information in line with their work. This is a problem because they are bound to encounter pressure from family members and spouses to give confidential information in line with their responsibilities. This is unethical but one has to put in mind that if they also don’t confine in spouses or family members then they may be viewed as not trusting these recipients. (Ridley, 1938)
Another ethical problem that public administrators might encounter in their decision making process is inline with using government assets for personal issues. Public administrators are normally given assets like vehicles and money to use in line with carrying out responsibilities. Public administrators might encounter problems when making decisions to use public funds and assets for their own private affairs. In most cases these issues may be emergencies and yet using public funds or asserts for their own private matters is quite unethical. This is one of the major ethical problem that an administrator might encounter in the decision making process.
Better use of time
Time as a resource is normally very limited, public managers need to ensure that they use their time well. This is because this resource just like any others is irreversible. Public managers can make better use of their time by getting involved or rather participating in community projects and not just giving instructions only. They can also make better use of their time by having a time schedule for each activity done in the day. This will help them to make maximum use of their time. There also need to be accountability measures put in place so that they can be accountable on how they use their time to their seniors. This will help them make better use of their time.
Steps to initiate cultural change
The change process that we would use would be very simple- observing, analyzing and then adjusting.
Step one- Observation
This is the first step of the process that we would use. In this step we would find out what constitutes or what the organizational culture is like. We would also be very keen on the organizational needs. In this step we realize that personal satisfaction works better and therefore we would try to ensure that the change is relevant to every stakeholder. In this stage of the process, we will try to explain to every staff or stakeholder for that matter the benefit of changing the culture in this organization. This will be explained so that they see the benefit at the individual level and not just at the organizational level.
Then we would try to remove any inhibitions in stakeholders whereby some say that they tried this or that strategy before and it did not succeed. This are normally called cries of despair and we will try our best to explain to the stakeholders the need of changing the culture therein. (Greer, 1999)
Step two-Analysis
Next there will be analysis of various aspects. In this step there will be collection of information needed in ensuring culture change. This stage will involve looking out for the success factors or in other words the factors that will enable us to succeed. There will be the calibration of collected data. And make stakeholders to understand that there are never ideal situations for carrying out changes. The analyses will involve whether the information makes sense or not. Whether data collected will be useful or not and whether it is too little or just too much. Stakeholders will be requested for data that will help change the culture.
Step three- Adjusting
Of course when trying to bring in change we will have perceived benefits, a timeline for carrying out and also the realized benefits in relation to change in culture. In this step there will be reality checks which will be carried out quite often. There will also be continuous integration. Through this strategy we would be in a position to change the culture in the organization. (Greer, 1999)
Conclusion
Public administrators need to know the problems that exist in the society and generally their area of jurisdiction. Administrators have role of carrying out research at ground level in line with policy making. Business relationships exist between private and public organizations. Administrators might encounter ethical problems related to giving confidential information inline with their line of duty. They can also make better use of their time by getting involved in community projects. All in all public administrators have an important role in land management.
