Public administration (PA) can be viewed from two perspectives: first, it is an academic discipline, a body of knowledge, and a subject of study of government affairs. Second, it also refers to the activities of administering governmental affairs. The former refers to PA as a science and the latter indicates it as an art. Thus, the nature of public administration refers to whether public administration is a science or an art.
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Public administration as a science
Science is a systematic body of knowledge derived from empirically. To be a science, a discipline should have certain features such as the absence of normative aspect, value-free (not influenced by personal opinions), objectivity, universality or generality, predictability i.e. result must be predictable.
Characteristics of public administration as science are:
Public administration uses/utilizes the scientific methods of observation, analysis, and experimentation in the process of discharging administrative functions.
Administrative principles/theories are based on observed phenomena, systematic classification, and analysis of data.
It possesses a systematic body of knowledge.
In public administration, there are certain fundamental principles of general application that characterize it as a science.
We can teach, learn, and research PA scientifically. Thus, it is a science.
Woodrow Wilson (father of public administration) also viewed PA as a subject of study and called it the science of public administration. However, it is not an exact or pure science like natural sciences.
It is a social science and deals with the behavior of people in organizations and society. The behavior of people is much more complex and varied than other natural phenomena. It makes a controlled experiment very difficult.
Administrative theories/principles cannot be applied universally.
Conclusion: PA is a science: it is a body of knowledge as well as a discipline and by nature, it is a social science. It is a systematic study that makes a generalization about the administration. It is an area of intellectual inquiry.
Public Administration as an art
The art of public administration can be acquired (features of art). For instance, a person can become the best administrator after proper education and training.
An administrator with his/her skill, expertise, and application of knowledge can produce marvelous/wonderful results.
The application of administrative theories and principles to the solution of practical problems is an art.
Practitioners/ administrators apply principles of administration as a guide in solving various practical problems.
It consists of a series of actions as well as doing activities. Thus it is an art i.e. the art of government.
PA as the government in action is considered the art of government. Administrative principles/theories are used by the practitioners in describing, analyzing, and solving problems in a variety of situations.
PA is also an art: it is concerned with the application of administrative principles and theories into action (in real life situation). Practitioners/administrators use administrative theories into practice. It is an activity of administering public affairs. Thus, it is an art of getting things done.
Public Administration is both social science and an art
By nature, public administration is both a science/social science as well as an art. However, it is more of an art than a science because its theories and principles are mostly based on practical experiences rather than theoretical propositions.
Conclusion: By nature, PA is a social science like other social sciences viz. political science, economics, sociology, etc. The principles and theories of PA are not applicable in all social settings equally. However, this nature (nature of social science) does not diminish/reduce the value of PA as a body of knowledge and discipline.
Public administration as a profession
Public administration as a profession has some characteristics of a profession such as a career service, specialized knowledge, skill and experience, code of ethics, etc. Thus, so some scholars view it as a profession.
Public administration as a philosophy
Philosophy answers those questions that science cannot. It is concerned with the search for truth by using logical methods.
Public administration is very difficult to interpret since it is a complex discipline. A mixture of science and art as well as a turbulent situation under which it operates has made it a complex discipline.
It also deals with complex human behavior in an organization and society. Thus, it is considered to be a philosophy that has the capacity to deal with a variety of administrative issues.