Public administration Discussion responses

1. As we all may know there is a marked difference between both public and business administration. Public administration refers to those who are at the forefront of public service, working with individuals, communities and government agencies to coordinate with the public safety problems that can help the city grow. Business administration is more focused on profits involving marketing and finance. It can involve how to make a company more competitive with other businesses and how to increase sales and profits. 

I do not believe that the difference between both public and business administration is blurred. Both of these groups offer clear expectations and criteria of what services they do/ provide.

2. Public and business administration have two very different goals in mind, or they should have. Business administration for the most part, has a main goal of making a profit. Whether that be for the owner or the shareholder, the majority of the time that is the goal. In contrast, public administration has to do with administering government policy and managing it accordingly. Ideally the goal of these policies would be to help the people of any given city, state or country. Generally what happens in public administration should have the people’s concerns and problems in mind. As our society has progressed however, the difference between public and business administration has become more and more blurred. What the people want, breaks into the business administration’s goal of attaining more profit. This being the case, the private sector does its best to take over public administration. Since, it has a majority of the capital, public administraion, which originally was to help out the people, becomes skewed to helping private entities more. An example of clashing interests between the private sector and people , would be unionization. This in my opinion, is the purest way to define the dichotomy of interests between the public and private sector. Private entities do not want their employees to unionize because it gives them more power to bargain for better wages and working conditions. Due to this, the private sector tries to sway government to not pass pro union laws and sometimes tries to break them up. Clearly, this is in direct conflict with workers because they of course would rather have a say in their working conditions and pay, than not. Something as simple as the 2016 WAGE act should be something of a no brainer for those in public administraiton to pass, however it is not really the case. Hence why no one knows its existence. 

3. The more I thought about the differences between Public and Business Administration the more obvious it became. Public Administration focuses on making the world a better place, improving society and dealing with public policy. It is designed simply to help the citizens and listen to what they are saying. It is also about the environment and what is not only best for the people but for the planet as well. It involves non profit or governmental jobs and happens to be more rewarding as well. An example of public administration is running a charity for an important purpose. For Business Administration its more of a competition between sales, financing and marketing. They often think about how they can increase their sales and profits. This is not so much focused on bettering the society, the people, and our planet. Its alot more money absorbed and focused. 

4.  Some of the major differences between public administration and businesses administration can vary. Business administration generally focuses on the operation of a business. A person who works in business administration work may include financing, marketing. Whereas, public administration works more with non-profit organizations or is a government official. On the public administration side are people who help citizens or communities. According to our text The Craft of Public Administration, there are three main “ingredients” to public administration which include, people, action and interaction. These three main points help people accomplish tasks and build an administration. I personally don’t think the difference is blurred. I think it is very clear both serve different purposes. A business strives for itself to succeed. Whereas, public administration works together in order to achieve a common goal. 

5. Public Administration involves aiding the lifestyle needs of the community and providing services that are not oriented towards making profits. It’s often that administrators in this field work for their community in activists groups, charities, city managers, public analysts etc. In this position they would provide products and services to a wider audience, but not without taking into consideration how to do it economically and efficiently. Public Administration is also a necessary step in policy making, where these Administrators are the voice of the citizens they represent. Those within this field are tasked with the job of looking after large groups of individuals and understanding how to meet their needs and where to go to get things done. 

Business Administrators operate differently as it focuses more on economic markets, making profits and minimizing costs. It’s more detached when compared to Public Administration and jobs in this sector often include sales manager, financial analyst, business consultant etc. They perform duties that have helped promote the best payback for their employers. 

As with any job, both administrations have a goal to serve the people they choose as best they can. I don’t see a blur because I don’t see them in the realm of similarity when it comes to who they serve. Public Administrators are motivated by the good of the public while Business Administrators are motivated based on awards and profits. The former is about working towards better  social solutions within the community while the latter works towards economic success.