Introduction
Decision-making in public administration is a difficult task that needs careful execution. Public administrators have the responsibility of ensuring that proper decision-making is exercised to promote the effective utilization of public resources. The performance and success of public administration depend on the decisions made by the administrators (Rhodes, 2002). They have the duty of protecting the public interest and promoting accountability to ensure that the decisions made in the public domain can help the citizens attain their goals. However, the main problem associated with decision-making in public administration is the complexity of the public administration system (Rhodes, 2002). This study looks at the issue of decision-making in public administration.
Individuals Affected By the Decisions
In the Edifice Complex decisions have to be made concerning the construction of a new arena for the city council in Charlotte. The project will require more than $ 1 million for construction (Rhodes, 2002). The decisions made by the council on the project will affect the citizens within the city. The project will enable the city council to host several sports activities. The construction of the arena will also affect the city council by providing the opportunity to raise more income (Rhodes, 2002).
The Impacts of the Decisions
The decisions that must be made in this case will affect the people of the city and the city council. The construction of the arena will play an important role in improving the social aspect of life through entertainment and engagement in sporting activities (Rhodes, 2002). The arena will also provide a good venue for the people to host different social events. The project will enable people to access better sporting facilities (Rhodes, 2002). For example, the city council intends to partner with the national basketball association in order to reduce the total expenditure (Rhodes, 2002). Despite the fact that the project will provide a great opportunity to the city council to increase its income, the decision as to whether the project should be pursued will depend on the results of a referendum that will involve all the citizens in the city. In case the citizens fail to participate in the referendum, the project will be taken by another city council in a different region (Rhodes, 2002).
Related Ideas
One idea that is closely related to the above-mentioned case is the issue of emergency management. Decision-making in emergency management is cardinal to ensure effective control of urgent situations. During an emergency, it is important to identify the immediate solution to the problem, the causes of the problem, and the long-term solutions to the problem (Rhodes, 2002). The other important issue in emergency management is the availability of information that can be used to get immediate assistance. For example, in the event of a fire outbreak, it is cardinal to contact the fire brigade within the shortest time possible (Rhodes, 2002).
The other principle that is related to the case is the issue of improving healthcare in the community. Good decisions should be made to improve the quality of healthcare (Rhodes, 2002). Administrators should also make decisions on how to improve healthcare accessibility. Moreover, ethics and accountability are also very important in public administration to ensure effective decision-making and promote the elements of transparency and accountability (Rhodes, 2002).
Reference
Rhodes. T., L. (2002).The Public Manager Case Book: Making decisions in a complex world. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.