They oversee the conduct of our police forces at home and our peace-keeping forces overseas. Public administration is the field of study concerned with the choice, design and implementation of such government programs. This field combines the analytical and the practical. It is analytical in the sense that it attempts to develop an understanding of why politicians and public servants act the way they do, and of what policies or practices are best able to achieve specified goals. It is practical in the sense that it considers actual policies or practices of governments, and methods for their reform.
Public administration is also multidisciplinary.
It draws upon other disciplines that have something to say about the opportunities and limitations governments face. Political science provides an understanding of the political system of which the public service is a part, and of the processes by which policy decisions are made. Economics describes the allocation of products and resources in markets with and without government involvement. Law addresses the legal controls of public authorities and the rights of citizens. Sociology considers the behaviour and motivation of individuals working in bureaucratic settings.