ABSTRACT
Despite the variety of uses of the term "stewardship" in the literature and practice of public administration, it has retained a surprising consistency of meaning that reflects its etymological roots. In England, career administrators operate under a doctrine of "ministerial responsibility", which attaches their stewardship responsibility to the government ministers of the day. Stewardship presupposes the delegation of authority by a superior to act on the superior's behalf. The most common model of administrative accountability, made famous by Woodrow Wilson, draws a distinction between policy-level questions that determine "what to do" and administrative-level questions that shape "how to" carry out these directions. Under this model, administrative competence consists of the capacity to apply one's skills in a neutral technical manner, indifferent to the ends being served. The most widely recognized competence associated with administrative stewardship is the promotion of the efficient and effective management of the public's business.
