Chapter 1.
Finding the Public in Public Administration
Initial Comments
Life would be wonderful if all important questions could be resolved with clear and
straight-forward answers. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case in the study and practice of public
administration--these conundrums cannot be "wrapped up" so easily. Take, for example, the
word public in public administration: what precisely does it mean? Or to extend that question
into the profession of public management: Is it possible for public administrators to grasp on to a
concrete definition of the public interest as a guiding principle to direct their actions?
Yes and no to the above. On one hand, public management as a profession is premised on
an unshakeable belief in a democratic system in which those who tend to the affairs of
governmental entities are bound to service for the public good of a broad citizenry. But on the
other, what is meant by "public" and "public interest" can be interpreted from several different
angles, especially as applied to particular situations. Our text author, George Frederickson,
provides you background for understanding why the term "public" can be subject to many
different "spins" in American society in this first chapter "Finding the Public in Public
Administration." In reviewing Chapter 1, please focus on points that underscore difficulties in
defining public interest in the U.S.: The American experience has been substantially influenced
by a "can-do" utilitarian philosophy which, while energizing individual productivity, tends to
"crowd out" our concern for a greater good among all. In the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), individuals and communities came together for “the
common good” for the collective purposes of rescue and recovery as a sole concern. Thus, this
calamity unified us into community in stark contrast to the prevalence of individual pursuit of
individual gain and special interest in more normal times. In the midst of crises, public interest
emerges as clear and understandable. But in ordinary times, it is much more difficult to decipher
what version of "the public interest" we expect public officials to serve.
Linked to Frederickson's Chapter One is the case study "A Jail in City Center." As with
each of the eleven course units, you are expected to approach these materials in ways the seek
out an integration of ideas--especially those from the text that apply to the case and that relate to
linked issues of local interest to Hawaiians. While this case offers a wonderful example of how
"the public interest" can be interpreted differently, it also injects a complicated factor frequently
present in public affairs--separate governmental jurisdictions (county vs. city vs. water and sewer
district) serving different constituencies, all of which leads to competition of which/whose
"public interest" should prevail. How shrewd a strategist should a public manager (like Jerry
Swanson) be in the competitive fray on his/her constituency's behalf--or are there other more
fundamental values--beyond the jurisdiction's interests--that professionals need to attend to in
pursuit of a "broader public good?"
Welcome to the study of public administration and the arena of public affairs!!! While
simple and direct answers are in short supply, fascinating and challenging situations abound. In
your course preparation, please take the time to be reflective in order to develop a mature grasp
of the public sector landscape. Be cautious of answers arrived at too quickly and automatically
as "common sense"--that upon deeper reflection appear less appropriate.
Objectives
1. to recognize how and why the public interest can be interpreted differently with regard to a
particular situation and to identify those factors that (historically and currently) account for
difficulty in defining a coherent public interest.
2. to appreciate more fundamental, compelling principles that may direct a public manager
beyond the particular demands of his/her immediate constituency.
3. To visualize how particular situations (lack of time, shortage of money, a particular issue--like
public safety during times of crisis) may force both constituents and public officials into actions
that compromise (what some envision as) the public interest.
4. to understand how competition arises in public affairs and to recognize ethical dilemmas that
pit the strategic behavior of local officials against a broader sense of the public interest.
Key Questions
1. Which (three) of the case study questions (listed on page 81) appear most germane to
Frederickson's key points in Chapter One? Explain your choices.
2. How (if at all) does utilitarian theory relate to the case (that is, does any "side"--city, county,
etc.) appear more/less utilitarian than the other?) What ethical ramifications arise?
3. In defining public, Frederickson refers to the classical Greek association of publicness with
levels of personal maturity. Do you agree with this connection in reference to contemporary
America? Is there a "more or less mature" set of concerns expressed in this case? And can crises
such as the 2001 terrorist attacks serve as agents of personal maturation? Explain.
4. Frederickson differentiates among various ways the term public can be framed in public
administration (see pages 27-43). Illustrate how this case can be "spun" differently assuming
each of the following perspectives of "public":
--as interest groups
--as rational chooser
--as citizen.
Portfolio Options
1-1 What does the term public good mean to you (if anything)? Develop an essay drawing on
personal experiences or recollections about community or public life (either good or bad).
Conclude this essay by indicating whether and/or how Chapter One has affected your
thinking about what public means. (1 or 2 units)
1-2 Have you lived in different regions within the U.S. or world? If so, draft a commentary that
compares/contrasts prevailing sense of “public interest” between/among those regions/ Cite
examples and then speculate about reasons for differences. (1 or 2 units)
1-3 Frederickson distinguishes between “collective and noncollective (inchoate) publics.”
Discuss your agency’s/organization’s experiences involving noncollective publics with
considerable detail on issues and problems encountered. (1 or 2 units)
1-4 Read two articles related to local law enforcement issues: “Lawsuits may pull plug on traffic
light cameras” and “Police criticized for memo on traffic-citation quotas.” Draft a response
focusing on (a) whether there are significant questions concerning public interest in either or
both (be careful how you make that judgment) and (b) whether a utilitarian philosophy (versus one more
grounded on civic virtue) affects your interpretations in (a).