Administration is a long and slightly pompous word with various humble meanings. The word administration was derived from the Latin words ‘ad’ and ‘ministiare’ which means to serve. To administer is to manage, direct or serve. It also means to care for or to look after people or management of affairs. In simple terms, administration is the process of managing affairs. It is practised by all kinds of organizations from household to the most complex system of the government. For instance; the giving of instructions by the husband to the wife in a home to prepare food, looking after ailing of the children by the mother and preparing tea and all the duties that a husband deems fit in a home all comes to the administration in that particular home. When it comes to the government, the collection of income-taxes by Income-tax Departments, the disbursement of salaries by the Treasury to the officers constitute some instances of administration. Administration may be defined as the organization and direction of human and material resources to achieve desired ends. Administration is mainly concerned with proper organization of men and material to achieve desired ends. It consists of ‘doing the work’
References: John M. Gaus (1950) “Trends in the Theory of Public Administration”, Public Administration Review p. 161 Robert T. Golembiewski, (1977) Public Administration as a Developing Discipline part I p.117 Tead Ordway (1959) Edition: Administration: Its Purpose and Performance p. 67 Vishnoo Bhagwan and Vidya Bhushan (2003), Public Administration, S. Chang & Company Limited, Ram Nagar, New Delhi White L.D. (1958) Introduction to the Study of Public Administration, 4th Edition, p. xvi