Knowledge of Public Administration
I believe that the most significant knowledge I have gained from the
program was the importance of applying a holistic approach to any
analysis, and the need to synthesize a variety of perspectives and
types of information into a cohesive model. For
example, it is not enough to just examine an issue from a financial
perspective. The successful administrator
must be able to skillfully utilize both theory and application as it
relates to management, HR, organizational behavior, leadership,
economics, budgeting, the policy process, planning, politics, and
research and planning. Simultaneously, it
is imperative that the administrator not lose sight of the over-arching
tenet of public administration – maximizing efficiency while remaining
effective and responsive to the constituency in a democratic manner. Through my studies I have become well-versed
in all of these (often competing) arenas and have learned how to
combine these factors into a unified, workable action plan.