Introduction
Public administration has developed for many decades. It is necessary to note that the period between the 1930s and 1950s was one of the most remarkable in the history of the field (as well as the history of the USA).
That was the period of a severe economic crisis, called the Great Depression, and the World War II. These two major events shaped the development of the society and brought certain issues to the fore. Major public administration theorists of that period were Luther Gulick, Louis Brownlow, Charles E. Merriam and Chester I. Barnard.
Major Theorists and Their Contribution
One of the most significant theorists that contributed greatly to the development of the field of public administration was Luther Gulick. He emphasized that administration was all about human beings cooperating (controlling and assisting) other human beings (Shafritz & Hyde, 2012).
The theorist focused on development of proper strategies aimed at managing human resources within the governmental bodies, which were seen as organizations. At present, a lot of attention is paid to the points highlighted by Gulick as these points help understand the structure and role of public administration.
Louis Brownlow was one of the theorists who had to come up with ideas to address the issues associated with the Great Depression. Geopolitical situation was also very insecure. Louis Brownlow believed that creation of the generalized society could be the answer to all the issues (Cox et al., 2010).
As far as the field of public administration is concerned, the theorist stressed that only effective cooperation between intergovernmental bodies (i.e. local, state and federal) could help create effective government (Shafritz & Hyde, 2012). The major contribution Brownlow made is his ideas about effective cooperation which were later brought to life.
Unlike the theorists mentioned above, Charles E. Merriam was trying to combine theory and practice, scientific research and administration. One of the greatest contributions Charles E. Merriam made was his attention to scientific research within the field of public administration.
He believed that scientific method was essential for development of public administration (Shafritz & Hyde, 2012). Merriam’s findings and methods also helped public administration theorists identify major aspects to address within the field of public administration.
Finally, Chester I. Barnard also had a profound impact on the development of public administration. Being an executive of a company, Barnard understood the importance of proper management within an organization. The theorist stressed that any governmental body was an organization which was to be managed properly (Shafritz & Hyde, 2012).
Barnard’s concept of the formal and informal organizations has also become one of the milestones of public administration. At present, theorists as well as practitioners understand the importance of creating proper environment and relationships within organizations. More so, a variety of strategies have been developed to address the issues mentioned.
This attention to particular relationship within governmental bodies (as well as the field of public administration) is, to a significant extent, raised due to the concepts articulated by Barnard.
Conclusion
On balance, it is possible to note that Luther Gulick, Louis Brownlow, Charles E. Merriam and Chester I. Barnard had a profound effect on the development of the field of public administration. These theorists focused on different facets of public administration and came up with valuable concepts to address the issues that existed between the 1930s and 1950s. Notably, the concepts developed are still up-to-date and valuable for the present-day public administration.
Reference List
Cox, R.W., Buck, S.J., & Morgan, B.N. (2010). Public administration in theory and practice. New York, NY: Longman Publishing Group.
Shafritz, J.M., & Hyde, A.C. (2012). Classics of public administration. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.