Public Administration: Roles, Coordination, and External Influences
Scope of Decision in Public Administration
The scope of decision in public administration encompasses central public administration, regional and local governments, specialized agencies (such as the Central Bank), and public enterprises (e.g., RNE, TVE, Mail). These entities are staffed by civil servants and contract staff. Public administration maintains a stable structure over time, regardless of changes in government. Their roles in policy include:
- Providing information to the government and parliament
- Analyzing information
- Implementing approved measures
Public administration has a large and growing influence on decision-making for four key reasons:
- Public administration provides necessary information to political powers and implements measures, creating pressure to secure public budget allocations.
- Technical reasons: Public administration produces the technical arguments for policy.
- Due to the complexity of economic decisions, political power delegates powers to the upper echelons of public administration. The government establishes general guidelines, which the public administration then develops.
- The government indirectly implements measures with high political costs through administrative agencies.
The Need for Coordination in Public Administration
Public administration requires significant coordination in practice. Decisions often concern multiple sectors of the government system, and powers are shared among several agencies due to decentralization and autonomous bodies. Opposing views can arise, leading to tensions between ministries responsible for management and those responsible for control (e.g., health, development, versus economics and finance). These entities have different roles in decision-making due to their varying priorities. Mechanisms for coordination include negotiation, prevalence, and brokerage agencies.
Autonomy in Public Administration
Public administration exhibits autonomy through the existence of autonomous organizations like the Central Bank and the National Energy Commission. These organizations or agencies have transitioned from within the administrative apparatus to possess their own statutes and make decisions independent of the government. This trend towards autonomy is growing, driven by the process of liberalization. For example, granting autonomy to agencies that regulate aspects of liberalized sectors, such as the National Energy Commission.
There are three main reasons for granting autonomy to a public entity:
- The government must meet certain obligations regardless of its ideological ascription. Autonomy allows for the delegation of responsibilities and ensures compliance with these obligations.
- The actions of public bodies are not undermined by changes in government.
- In principle, independence generates more efficient behavior. However, a potential problem is that leaders may act in their own self-interest.
Territorial Decentralization
In addition to autonomy, there is significant territorial decentralization. This means that the territorial structure of the state has a substantial influence, including the role of regional governments (federal or similar) and local governments. The theory of fiscal federalism suggests that the roles of each level of government should be based on effectiveness and efficiency. Stabilization and redistribution are typically handled at the national level, while the provision of public services is managed at the regional or local level.
External Influences: Pressure Groups
External influences, such as pressure groups, play a significant role in shaping economic policy. These organizations, individuals, or entities share common interests and seek to influence the development of economic policy. Their goals are to obtain regulations or measures that benefit them, either by securing new benefits or protecting existing ones. Examples include business organizations, trade unions, farmer federations, and consumer groups. Note that power is asymmetrical; diffuse interest groups with many members often have less influence and cohesion.
Pressure groups employ various intervention techniques:
- Election processes: Supporting or rejecting parliamentary actions, appointing officials.
- Direct techniques: Engaging in contacts with authorities, strikes, lobbying by experts and lawyers, and reporting.
- Formation of public opinion: Conducting media campaigns.
- Using corruption policies and officials.
Pressure groups exhibit strategic behavior, often hiding direct or indirect effects on other agents. They have discretion in their claims and emphasize their weakest members. To mitigate undue influence, lobbyists should be registered, countervailing powers should be created (e.g., strengthening consumer organizations), rules of democratic representation within lobbies should be established, and financial assistance should be declared.