Comparative Public Administration MCQs is an important subject for CSS candidates, dealing with the comparative study of administrative systems in various nations to learn about best practices, institutional variation, and governance outcomes. This subject enables candidates to learn how public administration functions under different political, cultural, and socio-economic contexts. By comparing developed and developing country models, students can analyze the merits and demerits of administrative models, particularly within the Pakistani context. The topic lends itself to further exploration of reforms, modernization, and good governance practices and thus is a high-impact subject in both MCQs and analytical segments of the CSS exam.
Scope and Importance of Comparative Administration
Comparative Public Administration (CPA) as a systematic discipline came into being around the post-World War II period, with the objective of formulating global administrative theories through the study of non-Western systems. It looks into aspects such as bureaucratic organization, civil service reforms, policy-making processes, and institutional accountability across nations. In CPA exams, questions about CPA in CSS usually test the candidate’s knowledge about how other nations like the USA, UK, India, and China organize their administrative setup relative to Pakistan. Comparative structures in these countries give the aspirants a chance to answer Comparative Public Administration MCQs with insight and international understanding.
Models and Theoretical Approaches
Primary models in CPA involve Riggs’ Prismatic-Sala Model describing the administrative transformation from conventional to contemporary systems and is helpful when analyzing nations like Pakistan. An alternative model involves Weber’s Bureaucratic Model contrasted with Post-Weberian models in developed countries for flexibility and responsiveness. NPM-adhering countries like Australia and the UK emphasize efficiency, accountability, and customer focus, as opposed to more centralized, rule-based systems found in South Asia. Understanding these models is essential for solving theory-based and application-based Comparative Public Administration MCQs.
Relevance to Public Sector Reforms in Pakistan
Public administration in Pakistan is beset by ongoing issues such as red tape, a lack of innovation, and minimal citizen participation. Comparative lessons can inform public sector reforms, particularly in sectors such as e-governance, decentralization, and civil service training. For example, learning from India’s RTI Act or Singapore’s performance-based bureaucracy provides templates for enhancing transparency and efficiency in Pakistan. The capacity to critically evaluate such cases and transfer lessons to local contexts is a fundamental ability tested in Comparative Public Administration MCQs. The applicants must remain abreast of trends in administration and reform policies globally to be successful in this topic area.
Comparative Public Administration (CPA) is the study of:
a) Only domestic administrative systems
b) The differences and similarities in public administration across countries
c) Private sector administration
d) Business management practices
Which scholar is known for his contributions to Comparative Public Administration?
a) Max Weber
b) Fred Riggs
c) Henry Fayol
d) Adam Smith
Fred Riggs developed which model in Comparative Public Administration?
a) Bureaucratic Model
b) Ecological Model
c) Prismatic-Sala Model
d) Rational Model
The Prismatic Model explains:
a) Political party competition
b) The relationship between traditional and modern administrative systems
c) Private sector growth
d) Economic inequality
Which approach is widely used in Comparative Public Administration?
a) Ecological Approach
b) Classical Approach
c) Entrepreneurial Approach
d) Psychological Approach
Comparative Public Administration emerged strongly after:
a) World War I
b) World War II
c) The Industrial Revolution
d) The Cold War
Which term refers to a mix of traditional and modern administrative characteristics?
a) Bureaucratic Society
b) Prismatic Society
c) Feudal Society
d) Rational Society
The Fused-Prismatic-Diffracted Model is associated with:
a) Max Weber
b) Fred Riggs
c) Woodrow Wilson
d) David Easton
Which of the following is not a characteristic of prismatic societies?
a) Formalism
b) Nepotism
c) Homogeneity
d) Overlapping roles
Which of the following is a key challenge in Comparative Public Administration?
a) Standardization of administrative practices
b) Studying only Western models
c) Ignoring cultural influences
d) Avoiding policy evaluation
Which country is known for its Weberian Bureaucracy?
a) Pakistan
b) Germany
c) India
d) Brazil
In Comparative Public Administration, an open system means:
a) The system is rigid and isolated
b) The system interacts with its environment
c) The system does not change
d) Policies are made in isolation
Which of the following is a feature of developed administrative systems?
a) Centralized decision-making
b) Rule of law and transparency
c) Lack of accountability
d) Informal structures
Which model in Comparative Public Administration focuses on the interactions between administration and society?
a) Rational Model
b) Structural-Functional Model
c) Prismatic Model
d) Behavioral Model
The term “SALA” in Riggs’ model refers to:
a) Modern administration
b) A traditional bureaucracy
c) A mixed administrative structure
d) An outdated system
Which of the following is a disadvantage of Comparative Public Administration?
a) Promotes best practices
b) Helps in policy learning
c) Difficulty in comparing diverse administrative systems
d) Enhances governance efficiency
Which of the following is not a core element of Comparative Public Administration?
a) Cultural influence
b) Political environment
c) Economic factors
d) Military strategies
Which factor is most significant in shaping public administration?
a) Climate conditions
b) Economic development
c) Technological backwardness
d) Lack of natural resources
Which theoretical approach is widely used in Comparative Public Administration?
a) Marxist approach
b) Systems approach
c) Legal approach
d) Religious approach
Which of the following scholars is associated with the Structural-Functional Approach?
a) Herbert Simon
b) Talcott Parsons
c) Karl Marx
d) Abraham Maslow
Which model is used to compare public administration across countries?
a) Bureaucratic Model
b) Prismatic Model
c) Economic Model
d) Industrial Model
A diffused society in Riggs’ model represents:
a) A highly modern administrative system
b) A traditional system with no modern elements
c) A closed bureaucratic structure
d) A society resistant to change
What does Comparative Public Administration aim to achieve?
a) Understanding different administrative systems
b) Creating identical bureaucracies worldwide
c) Eliminating public administration
d) Restricting research on administration
Which of the following influences administrative structures the most?
a) Media control
b) Cultural and political factors
c) Religious beliefs
d) Random choices by leaders
Which concept in Comparative Public Administration focuses on adapting policies from other countries?
a) Public Choice Theory
b) Policy Transfer
c) Rational Decision-Making
d) Legal Bureaucracy
Which of the following is a limitation of Comparative Public Administration?
a) It only studies European models
b) Difficulty in generalizing findings across nations
c) It ignores economic policies
d) It does not focus on governance
Which international organization supports public administration reforms?
a) FIFA
b) United Nations (UN)
c) International Olympic Committee
d) World Bank
Comparative Public Administration helps in:
a) Learning from global administrative practices
b) Standardizing all bureaucratic systems
c) Eliminating the need for local governance
d) Reducing research in public administration
Which of the following is a characteristic of modern bureaucracies?
a) Informal decision-making
b) Rule-based operations
c) Complete absence of accountability
d) Preference for traditional methods
