The sector of the economy that is under the control of the national, local, and state government is referred to as the public sector. This sector includes services such as taxation, defense of the nation, fighting of fire, protection of the police, different social programs, and protection of the police. The public sector is involved in the production of goods and services such as healthcare, management of wastes, security and providing homes for the less fortunate in society. People in management positions in public sector use certain principles while governing these sectors. The public and private sector work hand in hand to meet the needs of the public (Laegreid, & Christensen, 2013).
The first principle is accountability. Accountability entails taking responsibility for one's actions. Public sectors encounter many problems due to lack of accountability. These include poor customer service, high financial losses, breaches in privacy and security, huge failures in projects and reduced productivity. No person in the management ants to own these mistakes. The management of public sector is supposed to uphold accountability. The administration should always supervise the activities and processes that are going on in the public sector. The management should also let the employees working in the public sector know their expectations by stating their goals. In case some goals fail to be achieved, it is the duty of the management to manage the consequences. The management of the public sector should not be quick to point the finger at the government for failures that occur under their watch. The management should own its mistakes (Flynn, 2007).
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The second principle is professionalism. This is the expected skill of a professional. People in the management of public sector should exhibit fairness in their transactions. Competence should be at the heart of management. The decision making in the control of such sectors should be based on knowledge and past experiences and not on irrational choices. The behavior of the people holding the management position should portray the picture of that sector. Anyone in management should relate to the colleagues officially with decorum. Professional ethics is another principle of the management of the public sector. Those in the management positions should be conversant with the ethics of that sector. They should be morally upright. They should not engage in activities that compromise morality such as corruption and forgery (Flynn, 2007). There are professional ethics that are listed in the offices of the public sector. These should be followed to the letter by those in management.
Transparency is also a core principle in the management of the public sector. The management of the public sector should carry out their roles in open ways. It should communicate openly about the decisions that are made and the actions that are taken. Transparency should be exercised in areas such as financial information, the performance of services, access to information and also technology. The management should ensure that funds meant for public use are accounted for to the last coin and knowledge about this expenditure is available to the public. The management must pass information from the government to the people openly without concealing.
The administrators of the public sector should also keep their employs up to date on what is going on in the sector without hiding any information from them. The public should be made aware of the resources and services that are meant for them by the management. The management should also provide documents that can be used by the public to access the performance of the government (Laegreid, & Christensen, 2013). These documents include minutes of meetings held in the public sector, documentation on taxes and also legal documents. The management of the public sector should present the performance of the government as it is without hiding the flaws or praising the good deeds of the government. Honesty is a virtue that is key for those that are in the management of the private sector.
Incorporating public participation in the public sector is a key principle in the management of the public sector. The management should be keen to seek input from the public in the process of making decisions that deal with specific issues which require consultation. This is achieved through giving information to the public to enable the public to understand the issues, problems, and solutions. This is also done through asking the public for their feedback and their alternative views to make them part of decision-making process. This will give the public a feeling that decision making is in their hands. The management of the public sector also works with the principle of responsiveness (Van Dooren, Bouckaert & Halligan, 2015). The management always is present to listen to the pleas from the public and forward that plea to the government. The management of such sector is always supposed to be present at work and respect the public since they are put in those positions to serve the public. ` \
Another principle is leadership. The management is supposed to provide guidance in strategy and ethics and provide a clear vision that motivates while at the same time keeping in place the rules and regulations as stipulated in the law. Compassion is also a key principle. The management of this sector should treat the public with humanity and love. They should maintain a good rapport with the public (Van Dooren, Bouckaert & Halligan, 2015).
The public sector provides essential services to the public. It is key that the management of the public sector works under certain principles to ensure that the public sector is well organized in the provision of services to the public. This management must ensure that the needs of the public are met through acting as a bridge between the people and the government. The management also should ensure a smooth running of the public sector. The public sector cannot survive on its own. It is therefore key that the public sector works side by side to offer quality goods and services to the public.
References
Flynn, N. (2007). Public sector management . California: Sage.
Laegreid, P., & Christensen, T. (Eds.). (2013). Transcending new public management: the transformation of public sector reforms . Furnham: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Van Dooren, W., Bouckaert, G., & Halligan, J. (2015). Performance management in the public sector . Abingdon: Routledge.
