Public administration is the implementation of government policy and also an academic discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil servants for working in the public service. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" whose fundamental goal is to "advance management and policies so that government can function." Some of the various definitions which have been offered for the term are: "the management of public programs"; the "translation of politics into the reality that citizens see every day"; and "the study of government decision making, the analysis of the policies themselves, the various inputs that have produced them, and the inputs necessary to produce alternative policies."
Public administration is closely related to the field of public policy, which is the study of how governments make decisions and the impact of those decisions on society and individuals. Public administrators are public servants working in public departments and agencies, at all levels of government. In the United States, civil servants and academics such as Woodrow Wilson promoted civil service reform in the 1880s, moving public administration into academia. However, "until the mid-20th century and the dissemination of the German sociologist Max Weber's theory of bureaucracy" there was not "much interest in a theory of public administration".
The field is also concerned with the proper functioning of the public sector, as well as with the management of the interactions between the public sector, the private sector, and civil society. Public administration is also concerned with the implementation of government policies, which involves working with elected officials, civil servants, and the public to formulate and implement policy decisions. Public administrators work in a variety of settings, including federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as non-profit organizations and international organizations.
There are many subfields within public administration, including financial management, personnel management, and policy analysis. Public administrators may also specialize in a particular area, such as health care, education, or environmental policy. In addition to traditional governmental roles, public administrators may also work in non-profit organizations or in the private sector in roles such as consultants or lobbyists.
The study of public administration can be traced back to ancient civilizations, with the Chinese and Roman empires both having developed complex systems of administration. In the modern era, the field of public administration has evolved significantly, with the development of theories and practices such as the scientific management movement and the study of bureaucracy.
In conclusion, public administration is a vital field that plays a critical role in the functioning of governments and the implementation of public policy. It encompasses a wide range of activities and roles, and public administrators work in a variety of settings to ensure that government policies are effectively implemented and that the public sector is functioning efficiently and effectively.