It lays emphasis on the formal organization of offices, official duties, limitations of power and discretionary authority of administrators. Its source materials include constitution, codes of law, office manuals of rules and regulations and judicial decisions.
Generally speaking, there are three different common approaches to understanding public administration: Classical Public Administration Theory, New Public Management Theory, and Postmodern Public Administration Theory, offering different perspectives of how an administrator practices public administration.
The three approaches to public administration are political, managerial, and legal
Public administration is not law. A public administrator has considerable freedom in interpreting and moulding the laws passed by the legislature. He is the real effective force and authority in implementing the provisions of every law.
Other scientists described that the study of politics is bound with legal process of country and the existence of harmonious state of liberty and equality is earmarked by the rule of law (J. C. Johari, 1982). The legal approach is applied to national as well as international politics.
