Designed to serve as a basic text for introductory courses in public administration, this pioneering work provides students with a clear-eyed understanding of the vital management functions covered in most standard textbooks with two important differences.
First, it is written to address the needs of both the experienced practitioner and the entry-level public servant. Case examples bridge the content-rich environment of practitioners with the principles of public administration sought by pre-service students. Second, the discussion of management practices is grounded in the political and ethical tensions inherent in the American constitutional form of governance.
This innovative approach reflects the authors' belief that public administration operates as an integral part of the country's political traditions, and thereby helps define the political culture. Key themes in this third edition include:
? an emphasis on the ways in which public administration and their agents play a critical role in ensuring legal and political accountability of the political system;
? an exploration of local public administration as the backstop of American democracy, requiring a close working partnership between part-time elected officials and career administrators;
? careful examination of the ways in which the American political economy requires administrators who are skilled at co-producing the common good with voluntary associations, businesses, nonprofit organizations and other governmental entities;
? an understanding that public administration plays a critical role with its prudential judgments in balancing the competing values necessary to secure a regime of ordered liberty.
Every chapter has been thoroughly updated, with particular attention paid to chapters on budgeting and revenue, e-government and the digital divide, shared power and the rise of "wicked problems," and the future of public administration in the United States amidst deep polarization. Foundations of Public Service, 3rd Edition provides a framework for understanding American political traditions and how they inform public administration as a political practice. It is required reading for all introductory Public Administration courses with an emphasis on practice and real-world applications.
"In a field denounced for its ahistorical disposition, Foundations of Public Service, Third Editionmakes a welcome and much needed contribution. The authors provide a comprehensive discussion of public administration dating back to early years of the republic, provide students with compelling cases and frameworks for understanding the complexity of their constitutional, political and ethical responsibilities and their vital roles in governance."
Jennifer Alexander, The University of Texas at San Antonio, USA
"Foundations of Public Service remains the richest, most complete treatment of the distinctive role of public administration as a core institution of the American republic and the essential contribution of each public administrator to fulfilling that role. The increased emphasis in the new edition on local governance and prudential administrative practice bolsters the book's value in demonstrating this role."
Brian J. Cook, Virginia Tech University, USA
"Foundations of Public Service (3rd Edition) is a must-read book for anyone concerned with issues of management in the 21st century.?Of particular note are the very intriguing? and practical real-world case studies that create a meaningful and long-lasting way for the reader to digest each situation.?I highly recommend this book for students, faculty and administrators."
Richard Greggory Johnson III, University of San Francisco, USA
"This book is a gem. The insights and expert advice on how to be a public servant leader in turbulent times are relevant to those who seek to be caring stewards and changemakers at all levels of government.?New sections on leading at the local government level make it an especially valuable public affairs textbook."
Rosemary O'Leary, University of Kansas, USA
"This foundational text is the perfect blend of theory and practice. It provides experienced practitioners with core administrative concepts and principles that enable them to address today's public administration challenges. It provides both old hands and newcomers to public service with a deep historical and institutional understanding of the important role of public administration in democratic governance."
Meta Loftsgaarden, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, USA
