In an era of austerity, population ageing, and global warming, public management has become a subject of even greater importance than hitherto. This book reflects on the nature of the subject, its theories and methods, and the dynamics of the associated academic community. In a lively account, Christopher Pollitt focuses on the tension between being 'scientific', and being useful to the world of practice. He offers an international perspective, acknowledges the emergence of important new players in the field, and provides an unparalleled breadth of coverage in the field of public management and administration.

In this updated second edition, internationally renowned scholar B. Guy Peters provides a succinct introduction to public policy and illustrates the design approach to policy problems. Peters demonstrates how decision-makers can make more effective choices and why a design approach to public intervention can improve policy formulation.

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.

Jon Pierre and Guy Peters expertly guide the reader through governance – one of the most widely used terms in political science – and its differing interpretations, with comprehensive discussion of the key issues covering global as well as local level governance. A detailed look into what constitutes ‘good governance’, whether produced by a government or by more informal means, is also explored.

Making effective public policies is a difficult task, but considering policymaking as a problem of design analogous to architecture or engineering can assist in that process. This book outlines three vital components of policy design: understanding the

Philosophy and Public Administration provides a systematic and comprehensive introduction to the philosophical foundations of the study and practice of public administration. In this revised second edition, Edoardo Ongaro offers an accessible guide for improving public administration, exploring connections between basic ontological and epistemological stances and public governance, while offering insights for researching and teaching philosophy for public administration in university programmes.

Public Management and Governance is the leading text in international public management and governance and an ideal introduction to all aspects of this field. It combines rigorous insight from pre-eminent scholars around the world with a clear structure and supportive, thoughtful, and intuitive pedagogy. This revised and updated fourth edition responds to the significant changes in the external environment, as well as the field itself. It includes six new chapters covering aspects of increasing importance: Public management and governance developments in non-OECD countries Risk and resilience Innovation in public management and governance Digital public management Digital public governance Behavioural approaches to public policy Throughout the new edition, there is a wealth of new content on emergent topics such as collaborative leadership, diversity and inclusion, complexity theory and evidence-informed policy. Each chapter is supplemented with discussion questions, group and individual exercises, case studies and recommendations on further reading; this edition also includes more international cases. This highly respected text is an essential resource for all students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses in public management, public administration, government, and public policy as well as for policymakers and practitioners seeking an up-to-date guide to the field.

This enlightening book scrutinizes the shifting governance paradigms that inform public administration reforms. From the rise to supremacy of New Public Management to new the growing preference for alternatives, four world-renowned authors launch a powerful and systematic comparison of the competing and co-existing paradigms, explaining the core features of public bureaucracy and professional rule in the modern day.

Research in public administration and public management has distinctive features that influence the choices and application of research methods. Periods of change and upheaval in the public sector provide ample opportunities and cases for research, but the standard methodologies for researching in the social sciences can be difficult to follow in the complex world of the public sector. In a dynamic political environment, the focus lies on solving social problems whilst also using methodological principles needed for doing scientifically sound research. Research Methods in Public Administration and Public Management represents a comprehensive guide to doing and using research in public management and administration. It is impressively succinct but covering a wide variety of research strategies including among others: action research, hypotheses, sampling, case selection, questionnaires, interviewing, desk research, prescription and research ethics. This textbook does not bog the nascent researcher down in the theory but does provide numerous international examples and practical exercises to illuminate the research journey. Sandra Van Thiel guides us through the theory, operationalization and research design process before explaining the tools required to carry-out impactful research. This concise textbook will be core reading for those studying research methods and/or carrying out research on public management and administration.

This introduction into comparative public administration provides an in-depth analysis of the state of public administration and recent administrative reforms in European countries. By focusing on the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Italy and Hungary, it highlights key types of the Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian, Continental European and Central East European variance of public administration. Its guiding question is whether and why the politico-administrative systems have shown convergence or divergence.