Foundations of Public Administration - An Essay in Its Paradigms

In the course of the last century, fundamental changes occurred in the relationship between public administration and politics. This book describes in which ways and to what extent the public administration discipline aims to shape this fundamental relation by analyzing the paradigmatic foundations of the discipline. The various paradigms adopted by different groups in the public administration discipline at different points in time determine for a large part the nature of problems to be tackled and the solution procedures that may be considered. Therefore, as discussed in the book, a clear insight into the foundations underlying the relationship between public administration and politics not only facilitates the study of the public administration discipline and political science, but also contributes to a better understanding of the practice of public administration.Contents include: paradigms in public administration \* public administration as a submissive instrument of politics \* public administration as an 'out-sourceable' policy production system \* the demand and supply paradigm of public administration \* the modernist paradigm: public administration as scientification of politics \* public administration in a multi-rational perspective: a postmodern paradigm. 5 The Modernist Paradigm: Public Administration as Scientification ofPolitics5.1 Rational Science and Irrational Politics; 5.2 Policy Theory as the Core of Policy Sciences and Policy Analysis; 5.3 Problems and Solutions Suggested by the Modernistic Paradigm; 5.4 The Infinite Quest for (Scientific) Rationality; 6 Public Administration ina Multirational Perspective: a Post-Modern Paradigm; 6.1 A Four-Rationality Model of Public Administration and Politics; 6.2 The Rivalry Between the Four Rationalities; 6.3 Distinguishing Properties of the Post-modernistic Paradigm; 6.4 Some Tentative Solutions Cover; Title Page; Contents; Introduction; Prologue; 1 Paradigms in Public Administration; 1.1 The Meaning of 'Public Administration'; 1.2 Public Administration as a Borrowing Discipline; 1.3 Paradigms as Conceptual Lenses; 1.4 The Late Development of Public Administration Paradigms; 1.5 The Politics-Administration Relation as a Practical and Theoretical Problem; 2 Public Administrationas a Submissive Instrument of Politics; 2.1 Wilson's Introduction of a 'Foreign Science'; 2.2 Max Weber's Elaborations on the Paradigm; 3 Public Administration as an 'Outsourceable'Policy Production System 3.1 Policies and Administration from a Systems Perspective3.2 Systems Approach and the Make-ability of Society(the 1960s); 3.3 Paradigmatic Problems and Solutions: a Case Study; 3.4 Public Sector Management Systems and Ethics; 4 Demand and Supply Paradigm of Public Administration; 4.1 Public Choice Theory: An Optimistic and a Pessimistic Scenario; 4.2 Solutions to the Problems as Viewed Through the Paradigmatic Lens; 4.3 'Re-inventing Government' and Other Practical Proposals; 4.4 Exogenous and Endogenous Criticism of the Demand and Supply Paradigm Paradigms In Public Administration -- Public Administration As A Submissive Instrument Of Politics -- Public Administration As An 'out-sourceable' Policy Production System -- Demand And Supply Paradigm Of Public Administration -- The Modernist Paradigm : Public Administration As Scientification Of Politics -- Public Administration In A Multi Rational Perspective. I.th.m. Snellen. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [117]-120) Index.