Book Reviews
| Author | Y. Pardhasaradhi |
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120140416 |
| Published date | 01 October 2014 |
| Date | 01 October 2014 |
950
I
INDIAN
JOURNAL
OF
PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
VOL.
lX,
NO.
4,
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2014
General
Theory
of
Public
Administration
LALOR,
STEPHEN
A.,
Dublin,ALUE&
GGMC, 2014, pp. 221, $ 22.50 (PB).
Constant explosion
of
new thoughts and ideas led to the evolution
of
disciplines like Chemistry, Physics, Political Science, Economics, etc. Each
of
these disciplines has, over the years, grown into autonomous areas
of
specialisation with distinct boundaries
of
their own. The explosion
of
knowledge resulted
in
the emergence
of
supra-disciplines like political
economy,
genetic
engineering,
etc.
This
was
accompanied
by
the
development
of
concepts and theories.
It
is
these concepts and theories
that form the basis
of
each discipline and
it
is these theories and concepts
that make each discipline distinct. Development
of
theory becomes an
inevitable concomitant
in
the evolution
of
discipline. Understanding
of
any
discipline, any specialised area
of
knowledge-presupposes, therefore,
understanding
of
the related concepts and theories. Theories are ideas
organised
in
a logical order to reinforce or demolish an existing conviction
or to form the basis for a new conviction. It enables one
to
distinguish
between real from the ideal and right from wrong. Theory represents a
systematic explanation
of
causal factors and their fusion within a conceptual
framework. Theory
is
based on logical reasoning and consists
of
a set
of
principles and generalisations which represent universal truths. These may
initially constitute testable hypotheses, which
in
different situations may
prove to be true or untrue when tested, others get incorporated into theory.
When it comes to Public Administration theory, it has undergone drastic
changes ever since the discipline emerged as distinctive from political
science. As we know today, governmental functions are on the rise, thereby
increasing the role
of
public administration to achieve societal goals.
Dynamic nature
of
society and complex nature
of
governmental activities
makes it difficult for generalist administrator to function
in
an old fashioned
way and yet realise the administrative goals. One
of
the reasons attributed
for the failure
of
the administrator to realise the objectives
is
inadequate,
understanding
of
the administrative theory. The inflated sense
of
achievement
and overrated sense
of
intellectual superiority
of
the generalist administrators
have largely contributed to the failures
in
administration. One witnesses a
general antipathy against theory, which
is
labeled as "Ivory Tower Thinking",
which the administrators feel is far removed from reality they confront.
Bureaucratic pretense
of
omniscience is another reason. The administrator
believes that "power
is
knowledge and his experience
is
greater than theory".
For this and many other reasons the administrators jealously guard their
traditionalism abhorring and resisting change.
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