In this updated third edition of Mastering Public Administration, each chapter spotlights a significant theorist in the field, covering his/her life, research, writings, and impact, introducing the discipline's most important scholarship in a memorable and approachable manner. The combination of biographical narrative with explanation and analysis makes abstract theories understandable while showing how subject scholars’ ideas relate to each other, providing much-needed context. The book’s chronological organization shows the evolution of public administration theory over time. A new “Legacy in Contemporary Scholarship” feature at the end of every chapter links each theorist’s work to current and cutting-edge research, underscoring just how much a foundational body of work can influence and inspire present-day scholars.
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
- Updated throughout to reflect new scholarly work and findings
- Nine brand new mini-essays and the Legacy in Contemporary Scholarship feature at the end of author-focused chapters link contemporary scholars and their research to the theorists’ work.
KEY FEATURES: - The book’s insightful narrative humanizes the field’s leading theorists and makes their scholarship less abstract and easier to understand and apply.
- A timeline visually depicts the figures’ lives and seminal works.
- A Linkages to Contemporary Literature chart maps the theorists’ ideas and impact on public administration theory.
- A conclusion discusses the connections between the theorists’ scholarship, explores their continuing influence, and delves into the nature of public administration as a field of study.
New to this Edition
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
- Updated throughout to reflect new scholarly work and findings
- Nine brand new mini-essays and the Legacy in Contemporary Scholarship feature at the end of author-focused chapters link contemporary scholars and their research to the theorists’ work.
2nd Edition ©2008
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Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Max Weber: The Processes of Rationalization
The Legacy of Max Weber in Contemporary Scholarship
2. Frederick W. Taylor: The Man, the Method, the Movement
The Legacy of Frederick W. Taylor in Contemporary Scholarship
3. Luther H. Gulick: The Integrated Executive
The Legacy of Luther H. Gulick in Contemporary Scholarship
4. Mary Parker Follett: The Group Process
The Legacy of Mary Parker Follett in Contemporary Scholarship
5. Elton Mayo: The Human Relations Approach
The Legacy of Elton Mayo in Contemporary Scholarship
6. Chester Barnard: Organizations as Systems of Exchange
The Legacy of Chester Barnard in Contemporary Scholarship
7. Herbert A. Simon: A Decision-Making Perspective
The Legacy of Herbert A. Simon in Contemporary Scholarship
8. Charles E. Lindblom: Probing the Policy Process
The Legacy of Charles E. Lindblom in Contemporary Scholarship
9. Dwight Waldo: An Eclectic View of Public Administration
The Legacy of Dwight Waldo in Contemporary Scholarship
10. The Study of Public Administration: Origins, Development, Nature
Reviews
“The strengths of Fry and Raadschelders’ volume include its comprehensive description of the theorists’ viewpoints, well-written biographies that have compelling links to their theories, and a thoughtful, reflective approach to explain to students how each theory may or may not apply to public administration. My students enjoy the book and the writing. Because chapters are presented within the context of the theorists’ biographies, students relate much more to the generative and creative aspects of the ideas. And in this way, it is much easier for them to understand the activity of theory development within the community of researchers and practitioners.”
- Michael Moon, California State University, East Bay“…Mastering Public Administration provides a unique look at the development of public administration through the key contributors who shaped and advanced this field of study. Fry and Raadschelders provide their readers with an in-depth understanding of these important contributors and what shaped their lives, views, and ultimately their work. The authors also do an outstanding job of presenting and summarizing the key elements of these seminal works of scholarship. This text should be required reading in all undergraduate- and graduate-level public administration programs.”
- Mark Morris, Miami University“Mastering Public Administration is well written, comprehensive, and introduces students to the classics in public administration in an approachable manner. The discussion of the life and times of each theorist adds context to the history and development of public administration as a discipline. I also like that the last chapter carries the discussion forward to contemporary public administration. This book should be required reading for every serious public administration student.”
- Robert England, Oklahoma State University“A clear strength of the volume is its depth of focus on key individuals and their scholarship. I like how the authors…in a number of instances…state how subject scholars relate to each other in their work; this helps provide important context. The book is appropriate for master’s level students, as well as for doctoral students in need of a refresher or who are coming to public administration from a different field. Perhaps best of all, the book is easy to integrate with a variety of other books and/or articles that build on the themes that are introduced.”
- Thomas Bryer, University of Central Florida
Bio(s)
Brian R. Fry, University of South Carolina
Brian R. Fry is a distinguished professor emeritus in the political science department at The University of South Carolina. He previously taught at Stanford University and was a fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace. In addition to his academic work, Fry has acted as a consultant to government agencies in South Carolina and California.
Jos C.N. Raadschelders, University of Oklahoma
Jos C.N. Raadschelders is professor of Public Administration in the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University and affiliated professor of ppublic administration in the Institute of Public Administration at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He served as the managing editor of the Public Administration Review(2006-2011).
