Discretionary power authorizes public administrators to select one out of several alternatives, and using the discretionary disposition for implementing public policy. While making a discretionary decision, public administrators are supposed to select alternatives, which best suits the interest of the public. This means, while using discretionary authority, public administrators need to consider the social interest. In addition, their actions and choices should not exceed the capriciousness or arbitrariness. The success of implementing public policies relies heavily on whether public administrators make the discretionary decisions, which permit programs to pass the clearance points important for program success. To develop public policy, public administrators can utilize discretion several times as they need to overcome several interim decisions to develop public policy. In an intensive form of administration and policy making, public administrators cannot effectively function without exercising some form of discretion (Rabin 36-38).
While discretionary authority provides power to public administrators in deciding the most suitable course of action on the basis of their opinion. This is reason that discretion is normally limited by the law and can be reviewed by the courts. This means, public administrator might have legislation on their side when they use discretion, but when their decisions are found unreasonable and impartial they are bound to be overturned. There are always some legal limitations to the freedom provided to the administrators in their discretionary decision making. The advantage of this limitation means there are legal restrictions to control the discretionary powers of pubic administrators when it comes to developing public policy (Beverly & Schultz 5). But, there are no safeguards against public administrators using their discretionary powers to do absolutely nothing and it is a big risk to the process of public policy making (Rabin 36).
Works Cited
Beverly, James A., and David A. Schultz. Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2014. Print.
Rabin, Jack. Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2003. Print.
