Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026): February
Articles

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN INDONESIA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM: A LITERATURE REVIEW COMPARING SYSTEMS AND GOVERNANCE PRACTICES:

PDF
  • Mustafrida,
  • Aminullah
Mustafrida
Universitas Yudharta Pasuruan
Aminullah
Universitas Yudharta Pasuruan

Published 2026-02-01

Keywords

  • public administration, comparative study, bureaucracy, governance, public service

Abstract

This article aims to compare public administration systems in Indonesia and the United States through a literature-based study. Using a descriptive-comparative approach, the study analyzes bureaucratic structures, systems of government, administrative reform trajectories, and their implications for public service delivery. The United States represents a mature federal and liberal administrative tradition, while Indonesia reflects a developing democratic system with a strong legacy of centralized bureaucracy. Data were collected from classical public administration literature, international academic journals, and official government documents from both countries. The findings show that differences in constitutional structure, political systems, and administrative culture significantly influence bureaucratic organization and public service performance. While the United States emphasizes decentralization, managerial autonomy, and accountability, Indonesia continues to balance bureaucratic control with ongoing reforms toward transparency and service orientation. The study concludes that administrative reform must be contextual and institutionally grounded, and that cross-national learning should be adapted rather than directly adopted. This article contributes to comparative public administration literature by highlighting structural and governance-based explanations for variations in public service outcomes.

PDF

References

  1. Denhardt, J. V., & Denhardt, R. B. (2015). The new public service: Serving, not steering. New York, NY: Routledge.
  2. Dwiyanto, A. (2015). Reforming public service in Indonesia. Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press.
  3. Hadiz, V. R. (2010). Localising power in post-authoritarian Indonesia. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
  4. Hood, C. (1991). A public management for all seasons? Public Administration, 69(1), 3–19.
  5. Peters, B. G. (2018). The politics of bureaucracy (7th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
  6. Pollitt, C., & Bouckaert, G. (2017). Public management reform: A comparative analysis (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  7. Prasojo, E., & Kurniawan, T. (2008). Reformasi birokrasi dan good governance. Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi, 5(3), 1–15.
  8. Rosenbloom, D. H., Kravchuk, R. S., & Clerkin, R. M. (2020). Public administration: Understanding management, politics, and law in the public sector (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  9. Thoha, M. (2012). Birokrasi dan politik di Indonesia. Jakarta: RajaGrafindo Persada.
  10. Wilson, J. Q. (1989). Bureaucracy: What government agencies do and why they do it. New York, NY: Basic Books.