The simplest way to define public administration is as “management of public programs”
(Denhardt & Denhardt, 2009, p. 1) or as “government in action – the management of public affairs or the implementation of public policies” (Shafritz, Russell, & Borick, 2011, p. 6).
However, public administration (PA) is a complex interdisciplinary field that includes a variety of agencies and is linked to several distinct professions. Shafritz, Russell, and Borick
(2011) propose 18 different definitions that help to grasp the richness and subtlety of the term
“public administration.” The definitions of public administration are combined in four broad models: (1) political, (2) legal, (3) managerial, and (4) occupational. Political: Public administration comprises all the activities of government employees.
This is what government does. Public administration is implementation of public interest. PA exists within a political environment and this political context is what makes it “public” or different from private/business administration. Legal: Public administration is bound by law. Public administration is application of laws and regulations. PA is law in action in the form of statutes, regulations, ordinances, codes, etc. Managerial: Public administration is execution of decisions, and art/science of managing organizations. The