Answer:
APPROACH AND STRUCTURE
1. Write an introduction on NPA.
2. Write some basics about NPA.
3. Then write how government NPA was context driven process.
4. Comment part: was it a context-based process only.
5. Conclude.
INTRODUCTION: New Public Administration emerged during 1960s which can be considered as the reaction to the prevalent conditions in the world in general and USA in particular.
BODY: NPA is considered as a first re-invention in PA based on values/ends/goals rather than the traditional PA which is based on means/value-free or mechanical grounds. The NPA has been the intellectual child of Minnowbrook Conference I which was held in the background the crises in the decade of 1960 USA. It was a radical movement initiated by young scholars in PA led by Dwight Waldo. The term NPA was coined by Frank Marini. The two books “Towards a New Public Administration, The Minnow- brook Perspective” edited by Frank Marini and published in 1971 and “Public Administration in a Time of Turbulence” edited by Dwight Waldo and published simultaneously gave currency to the concept of New Public Administration. The central theme of NPA was summarised by Robert T Golembiewski in his outline of 5 goals and 3 anti-goals.
NPA emerged in 1960s largely due to three major factors:
- Institutional crisis– PA as an institution has means oriented and not able to respond.
- Disciplinary crisis- Discipline was in crisis; Honey Report 1967
- Situational crisis– USA was facing at that time
CONTEXT OF NPA
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NPA has broken fresh grounds and imparted new substance to the discipline. The period of 1950s and 1960s is referred as the period of positive government- full of hope, optimism and aspirations. The government was marked by welfarism. However in nitty gritty there was more chaos, problems, crises than ever.
The welfare state had become overburdened. There was a huge gap between the promises made by the government and actual delivery of services.The society had become ruthless in USA and all the disciplines of studies including political science had to respond to the political and social upheaval. The old scholars of PA favoured behaviouralism and a value-free approach. They took up the instrumental view.
On the other hand, the young scholars of PA took a dicretionist view. They were completely against the old school. The young scholars were led by Dwight Waldo.
Comment part: NPA was mooted by scholars like Dwight Waldo,Frank Marini etc. who tried to dilute the features of leviathan society. They opined restructuring and rejuvenation of public values and public interest. This led to value laden administration and thus a welfare society. The discipline was in crisis which also influenced NPA. So, absolutely, it cannot be considered a context driven.
CONCLUSION: Although it was also criticissed for lack of substance and radical in words but still, NPA can be overwhelmingly regarded as the context driven process as TPA or classical approach had become obsolete to cope with the contemporary society. A more flexible , dynamic and democratic approach was need of the hour which gave birth to NPA. So, it was also known as the first reinvention of the government.
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