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PLANNING AS A FUNCTION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND EVALUATION (FROM PROGRAM EVALUATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, 1979, BY ALBERT C HYDE AND JOY M SHAFRITZ - SEE NCJ-64272)

NCJ Number
64278
Author(s)
O F POLAND
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE ROLE OF PLANNING IN AIDING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DECISIONMAKERS. PLANNING HELPS THEM BY ASSESSING THE FUTURE, SETTING GOALS, AND PROPOSING PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH PLANNING IS CONCERNED WITH TTHE DEVELOPMENT OF GOALS AND THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, IT IS DISTINCT FROM ACTUAL DECISIONMAKING. IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, PLANNERS ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE UNCERTAINTY FACING THE DECISIONMAKER BY ASSESSING THE FUTURE, ASSISTING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND ARTICULATION OF GOALS, AND ASSISTING IN DRAWING UP PLANS FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE GOALS. PLANNING OCCURS IN MANY PROCESSES OF ADMINISTRATION, FROM STRATEGIC PLANNING TO PROGRAM PLANNING TO ROUTINE PLANNING OR CONTROL. THE HISTORY OF PLANNING IS BRIEFLY TRACED, INCLUDING CITY PLANNING, ECONOMIC PLANNING, AND TWO RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND THE USE OF THE BUDGET AS A PLANNING DOCUMENT. SYSTEMS ANALYSTS EVOLVED AS AN OCCUPATIONAL GROUP FROM THE OPERATIONS RESEARCH TERMS OF THE MILITARY IN WORLD WAR II. THEY HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON DEFENSE POLICY, AND THEIR PRESTIGE HAS LED CIVILIAN AGENCIES AS WELL AS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO EMPLOY THEM AS WELL. SYSTEMS ANALYSTS HAVE LOOKED UPON THE BUDGET AS A PLANNING DOCUMENT AND PROPOSED A TYPE OF ANALYSIS WHEREBY VARIOUS MEANS TO ACHIEVE GOALS ARE COMPARED ON THE BASIS OF THEIR COSTS AND EFFECTIVENESS. PLANNING IS SEEN AS A SPECIALIZED FUNCTION WHOSE IMPORTANCE HAS BEEN ENHANCED BY THE WORLD'S RAPID CHANGE, ESPECIALLY TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE. WHILE THE FUTURE CANNOT BE PREDICTED, PLANNERS CAN IDENTIFY THE CHOICES SOCIETY CAN MAKE AND EXPLORE THE POSSIBLE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF EACH CHOICE. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (MRS)

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