Mastering Public Administration

Raadschelders and Fry provide a singular investigation into the influence of 10 scholars on contemporary public administration as well as how significant their work continues to be on contemporary research. In a field that is eclectic and pragmatic, it is only fitting that the diversity of the following scholars reflects the diversity of the field of public administration: Max Weber, Frederick W. Taylor, Luther H. Gulick, Mary Parker Follett, Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Herbert A. Simon, Charles E. Lindblom, Elinor Ostrom, and Dwight Waldo. The impacts of their personal life experiences on scholarly thought and their ideas about science and a science of public administration are used to enhance an examination of their ideas, concepts, and theories. The writings of such a wide-ranging group of scholars are also connected by a recognition of the growth and organizational independence of the field of public administration. For the Fourth Edition, a new perspective has been included: a review of Elinor Ostrom’s work provides valuable new material on organization and decision making that is applicable in many disciplines and across many fields. In addition, substantive updates to the scholarship and analysis found in each of the chapters in the book encourage new avenues for questions, insight, and exploration in the field of public administration.

In 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 both a memorable and approachable manner. The combination of biographical narrative with explanation and analysis makes abstract theories understandable while showing how subject scholars relate to each other in their work, providing much needed context. The book’s chronological organization shows the evolution of public administration theory over time. With the new edition, the authors will be adding mini-chapters that link contemporary scholars and their research to the seminal literature.

Mastering Public Health will enable you to improve your performance and productivity within your organization and with the people and the communities you serve. Designed for new and seasoned public health workers alike, this user-friendly guide focuses on the day-to-day practical skills and competencies that are often not taught in educational or training programs. It is a how-to book with tools, techniques, tips, checklists, and other resources that will assist you in developing your competencies in the areas of communication, administration and management, and leadership. Using this book will enable you to be more effective in many areas of your work, including: - Communicating with the public - Advocating for programs and policies - Speaking and writing - Being culturally competent - Planning, budgeting, and obtaining funding - Recruiting and developing employees - Improving quality, and initiating and sustaining change - Creating a vision and inspiring others The 60 contributors to this book are experts in public health as well as in the fields of education and organizational management. They have worked in federal, state, and local government agencies as well as non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, and consulting organizations. In their chapters, commentaries, and textboxes, they share their expertise and experience and describe best practices. Their personal stories illustrate real-world challenges they faced and successes they achieved.

Mastering the Politics of Planning shows how planners and policy analysts can actively manage the implementation of their plans--and so ensure their success. It reveals how such political skills as networking, conflict resolution, and coalition building are as important as technical expertise in determining whether a plan will succeed or fail--and reveals ways planners can develop these skills.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. In this Advanced Introduction, Christopher Pollitt starts a penetrating account of the theories, methods and possible trajectories of the study of public management, also examining the academic community itself, and its relationship to the world of practice. There is no more authoritative – or lively – text of such scope and focus. This is a stimulating analysis by a leading international scholar. It includes: · a global overview · a critical and authoritative analysis of the current state of the field · the location of academic research firmly in the real world context of austerity, climate and demographic change, and technological transformation · an examination of the relationship between academic study and the practice of public management · a look inside the ‘ivory tower’, at the forces changing the way the subject is studied and practised This truly unique work will be of particular interest to graduate students, advanced scholars, lecturers and trainers in public administration, public management, government, public policy, political science and development administration. Middle level and senior practitioners in public administration and public management will also find this an invaluable and sophisticated introduction.

Marc Holzer and Richard W. Schwester have written a fresh and highly engaging textbook for the introductory course in Public Administration. Their coverage is both comprehensive and cutting-edge, including not only all the basic topics (OT, budgeting, HRM), but also reflecting new realities in public administration: innovations in e-government, the importance of new technology, changes in intergovernmental relations, especially the emphasis on inter-local and shared regional resources, and public performance and accountability initiatives. Public Administration has been crafted with student appeal in mind. Each of the book’s chapters is generously illustrated with cartoons, quotes, and artwork—all reinforcing the book’s theme that the field of public administration is rooted in the cultural and political world. Each chapter is also supported with a listing of key terms, exercises, and additional resources. The textbook is supported by one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use instructors' manuals of any introductory text on the market today. It contains full lesson plans with activities to accommodate a broad range of teaching and learning styles for each chapter, PowerPoint decks for each chapter (with visuals and links embedded), 8 new long-term project / student presentation ideas, an updated 'Quotes and Notables' section with biographical information and media links for each chatper, updated test questions with answer keys, and updated terms and definitions for each chapter.