The statement, "Administrative ideas must be seen in the context of environment in which they develop," underscores a fundamental principle in public administration: administrative thought and practice are not universal or static, but are deeply shaped by the socio-economic, political, cultural, and technological contexts in which they emerge and operate. This contextual understanding is crucial for any meaningful comparative study of public administration.

Influence of New Public Management (NPM) on Comparative Public Administration: New Public Management, which gained prominence from the 1980s, represented a significant paradigm shift, advocating for the application of private sector management techniques to the public sector. Its core tenets included a focus on efficiency, effectiveness, performance measurement, market-based mechanisms, decentralization, and a citizen-as-customer orientation. NPM's influence on comparative public administration has been profound:

1. New Models for Comparison: NPM provided a new set of administrative models and reforms (e.g., privatization, contracting out, performance-based budgeting) that became subjects of comparative analysis. Scholars began comparing how different countries adopted, adapted, or resisted these reforms.
2. Convergence and Divergence: Comparative studies explored whether NPM led to a global convergence of administrative systems towards a common 'managerialist' model, or if national contexts led to significant divergence in its implementation and outcomes. This highlighted the importance of local institutional and cultural factors.
3. Focus on Outcomes and Performance: NPM shifted the focus of comparative studies from purely structural or legal comparisons to an emphasis on performance, efficiency, and service delivery outcomes across different administrative systems.
4. Policy Transfer and Learning: Comparative public administration became a field for identifying 'best practices' associated with NPM and analyzing the processes of policy transfer and learning between countries, often facilitated by international organizations.
5. Challenges to Traditional Bureaucracy: NPM challenged the Weberian bureaucratic model, prompting comparative analyses of how traditional bureaucracies in various nations responded to pressures for marketization and managerialism.

Influence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on Comparative Public Administration: The rapid advancements in ICTs, particularly over the last few decades, have fundamentally reshaped public administration globally, leading to the rise of e-governance and digital transformation. Their impact on comparative public administration is equally significant:

1. E-governance Models: ICTs have enabled new forms of government-citizen (G2C), government-business (G2B), and government-government (G2G) interactions. Comparative studies now analyze different e-governance models, their implementation strategies, and their effectiveness across nations.
2. Transparency and Accountability: ICTs offer tools for enhanced transparency (e.g., open data portals) and accountability. Comparative research examines how different countries leverage ICTs to combat corruption, improve public access to information, and foster citizen participation.
3. Digital Divide and Inclusion: While ICTs offer immense potential, comparative studies also highlight the 'digital divide' – disparities in access to technology and digital literacy – and its implications for equitable service delivery and citizen engagement across different societies.
4. Policy Diffusion and Harmonization: ICTs facilitate the rapid diffusion of policy ideas and administrative innovations across borders. They also necessitate international cooperation and harmonization of standards in areas like cybersecurity, data privacy, and digital identity.
5. New Research Methodologies: ICTs provide new tools and data sources for comparative research itself, enabling large-scale data collection, analysis of online government services, and cross-national surveys on digital public service usage.
6. Global Administrative Space: The interconnectedness fostered by ICTs contributes to the emergence of a 'global administrative space,' where national administrative systems are increasingly influenced by global norms, standards, and technological trends.

In conclusion, both New Public Management and Information and Communication Technologies have acted as powerful environmental forces, profoundly altering the landscape of public administration. They have not only introduced new concepts and practices but have also redefined the scope, methods, and key questions within the comparative study of public administration, making it a more dynamic and globally relevant field of inquiry. Understanding these influences is essential for comprehending the evolution and diversity of administrative systems worldwide.