Professional Bodies and Public Administration as an Academic Discipline: The Nexus and Contributions

Abstract

Public administration as an academic discipline comes forth in the United State of America. After the seminal essay entitled 'The Study of Administration published in the 'Political Science Quarterly' in 1887, written by Woodrow Wilson, which is considered to be its symbolic beginning as a field of inquiry. However, before this development, public administration has no unique identity; rather fused with political science; has no advocacy for it scientific study; talk less, comparative approaches. But as a result of this essay, scholars in the United State of America in specific and across the globe general, such as Frank Goodnow, Eldy Wight, Marx Weber, host of others continue to enrich it. Thusly, professional bodies also started emerging with the aim of making public administration look so special and professional, like International Institute of Administrative Science (IIAS), American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) among others. The main objective of this study is to examine the contributions of these professional bodies toward the development of public administration as an academic discipline. The study used qualitative method of research, using secondary research method of analysis. The study found that, professional bodies have contributed to the development of public administration as an academic discipline through providing a space for exchanges that promote knowledge and good practices of the field by means of organising and sponsoring conferences, seminars, consortia, and even establishing National academy of public administration. The study recommended that the professional bodies should device a means for increasing their proficiency by participating in the activities of government at all levels through their members working with various public organisations to observe, areas of strengths and weaknesses in the management of public affairs, enforcement of public laws and fulfilment of public policies with a view to propound possible solution in addressing the weaknesses and innovating ways to serve the public better.