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After reading this article you will learn about the need for philosophy of administration.
Ordway Tead has recommended the formulation of a philosophy of administration on the ground that this would “lead to a much more widespread professional self-consciousness and convinced sense of direction and social justification among executives than is now characteristic.”
A philosophy of administration is very important because of the increasing influence of administration and administrators on social life. Professor Dimock rightly observes “Administration is now so vast an area that a philosophy of administration comes close to being a philosophy of life.”
He points out the following objectives which the philosophy must accomplish:
(1) It must bring into light all elements entering into administrative actions.
(2) All these elements which enter into administrative actions should be coordinated and integrated and systematized into proper and unified relationships.
(3) Wherever certain principles are developed, they should serve as valid guides for future action under similar conditions.
(4) Administration is as much concerned with the means as much it is with the ends and hence a proper fusion of the two is the best criterion of administrative excellence.
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(5) A good administrative system should be to the entire satisfactions of the people.
With the change in the functions of the state, the need to adopt a philosophy of administration needs no emphasis. In olden days, the functions of the state were restricted only to the maintenance of law and order but today this is not so.
The modern states are welfare states and they owe their existence and draw their powers from the will of the people. It is, therefore, essential for the administration to come up to the expectations of the people.
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In other words, the administrators must adopt a philosophy and create a conviction in themselves to serve the people to the best of their capacities. As Professor Dimock says “Public administration is more than an art. It is a philosophy”.
The learned Professor further adds, “Philosophy is a body of belief and practice aimed at achieving better performance. It is good policy and technique. But most of all it is a real integration, a blending of everything that is important.”