Public Adminstration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Adminstration - Essay Example However, this idea changes with a little exploration into the term and what it means. According to them, "Public means the citizens of a given area-the people of a town, county, state, or country. If an issue is considered in the public domain, information and discourse about that issue are available to the people and can be known to all. The word 'public' also refers to activities the state administers on behalf of the entire community" (Rouse & Berkley, 2003, pg. 4). Rouse and Berkley also let readers know that serving the people is the job of public administrators. "Organized collectives of citizens constitute a variety of public communities in the United States." These include national, state, and local governments, townships, state recreation areas, public utilities, school, sanitary, water districts, public libraries and parks, public defenders, public roadways, and public students (Rouse & Berkley, 2003, pg. 4). There is much debate regarding whether public administration should be considered a craft, art, or science. First it is essential to look at the definitions; a craft is "the skilled practice of a practical occupation or a skill in an occupation or trade" (Wikipedia, 2008, pg. 1). Art is a "skill that is attained by study, practice, or observation" (Wikipedia, 2008, pg. 1).