What is the role of administration modern society? Why study public administration?
Administration provides a certain degree of organization to the chaos that is society. Administration seeks to protect peoples’ rights, regulate industry, ensure that public programs operate effectively, stabilize economic conditions, and enable a safe environment in which people can live and work. People study public administration because government seems to permeate every aspect of life, from buying food (FDA/USDA) to flying on planes (FAA); from watching TV / listening to the radio (FCC) to investing in equities (SEC); and from protecting the environment (EPA) to securing the homeland (FBI/CIA/police). The public sector constitutes an enormous segment of the economy and the workforce. Think about how much money and manpower goes into federal, state and local government, as well as the armed forces. Whether you like government or not, you cannot deny that it has become an integral part of society. Hence, this is why one studies “public” administration.
