The Politics of the Administrative Process, 5th Edition

Efficient public administration requires a delicate balance—the bureaucracy must be powerful enough to be effective, but also accountable to elected officials and citizens. Kettl understands that the push and pull of political forces in a democracy make the functions of bureaucracy contentious, but no less crucial.

With a unique focus on policymaking and politics, this new fifth edition continues its strong emphasis on accountability and—thanks to user feedback—expands its coverage on performance and ethics. Thoroughly updated with new scholarship, data, and events, this text remains reader-friendly with its engaging opening vignettes, rich examples, bolded key terms, and easy-to-read tables and figures.

Now with three case studies in every chapter — for a total of 28 more than the last edition — students apply ideas and analysis as they read. One case in each chapter is entirely devoted to state and local concerns with topics ranging from gun laws in Nashville, to StateStat in Maryland, to the use of Twitter by Newark’s mayor to improve service delivery. Useful critical thinking questions at the end of each case help shape student responses and in-class conversation.

For more about The Politics of Public Administration, 5th Edition, click here.

The Public Administrator's Companion: A Practical Guide

Help your students make the leap from theory to practice. This handy guide emphasizes application with straightforward instruction and abundant case material. It provides brief, tested steps for addressing management, resource, and operational needs, encouraging students to develop and hone crucial skills. Each chapter includes “Practicing Public Administration” exercises that range from preparing a sample budget to designing a flowchart to doing a SWOT analysis. With a particular focus on ethics, students are not only prepared to address daily tasks, but also to think through sticky moral dilemmas.

For more information on The Public Administrator's Companion, click here.

The Politics of Public Administration, 5th Edition

This new fifth edition continues its strong emphasis on accountability and—thanks to user feedback—expands its coverage on performance and ethics. Thoroughly updated with new scholarship, data, and events, this text remains reader-friendly with its engaging opening vignettes, rich examples, bolded key terms, and easy-to-read tables and figures.

Now with three case studies in every chapter — for a total of 28 more than the last edition — students apply ideas and analysis as they read. One case in each chapter is entirely devoted to state and local concerns with topics ranging from gun laws in Nashville, to StateStat in Maryland, to the use of Twitter by Newark’s mayor to improve service delivery. Useful critical thinking questions at the end of each case help shape student responses and in-class conversation.

The Public Administrator's Companion

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To view a table of contents for The Politics of Public Administration, 5th Edition, click here.

To view a table of contents for The Public Administrator's Companion, click here.

Donald F. Kettl is Dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Prior to his appointment, he was the Robert A. Fox Leadership Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Professor of Political Science. Kettl is the author of numerous books, including The Next Government of the United States: Why Our Institutions Fail Us and How to Fix Them, The Global Public Management Revolution, and Leadership at the Fed. Kettl has twice won the Louis Brownlow Award for the best book in public administration, for The Transformation of Governance: Public Administration for Twenty-first Century America in 2003 and System under Stress: Homeland Security and American Politics in 2005. In 2008, he was awarded the John Gaus Award of the American Political Science Association for lifetime contributions to the scholarship in the joint tradition of political science and public administration. Kettl has consulted broadly for government organizations and is a regular columnist for Governing magazine.

Sandra Emerson is Director of the masters in public administration program for California State Polytechnic University of Pomona’s political science department. She has been a program administrator for Medicare Part B, a consultant with Southern California Edison, and a budget and program analyst with Norfolk, Virginia.

Royce Menkus, now retired, served as Assistant City Administrative Officer for Employee Relations for the City of Los Angeles. During her 35-year career she was a Personnel Analyst with the Transportation Department, Budget Analyst for the City Administrative Officer, Assistant General Manager of Los Angeles’s City Fire and Police Pension system, and Assistant General Manager for Human Resources and Labor Relations Department of Water and Power.

Kathy Van Ness is the Manager for the Financial Management System Division with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). Her experience spans nearly 30 years working for consulting firms, the Brookings Institution, and the City of Long Beach.