The Art of the State
Culture, Rhetoric, and Public Management
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:9th Jul '98
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
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- Paperback£53.00(9780198297659)
This insightful study by a prominent scholar examines public management through cultural theory, revealing the inherent diversity and contradictions in governance practices, and challenging the notion of global convergence in this field.
"The Art of the State" presents a significant examination of public management through the lens of cultural theory. Authored by a prominent scholar in the field, this study challenges the prevailing notion among modernization advocates that public management is moving toward a uniform global model. Instead, it argues that the principles guiding government management are inherently diverse and often contradictory, suggesting that this complexity is likely to persist.
The book addresses critical questions regarding the frequent failures in public management, exploring why initiatives often lead to disappointment rather than effective public service. It delves into the various methods of control and regulation that can be applied within government frameworks, highlighting the reasons behind the conflicting strategies proposed for enhancing public services. By drawing on both contemporary and historical examples, the author illustrates the consistent presence of differing ideas about the organization of public services across different contexts.
Employing grid/group cultural theory as its analytical framework, "The Art of the State" provides a nuanced exploration of public management. The study emphasizes that, contrary to the belief that modernization will yield a standardized approach globally, the diversity of thought and practice in public management is likely to endure. This insightful work not only contributes to ongoing discussions in the field but also offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of governing in a modern world. It has been recognized with the W. J. M. Mackenzie Book Prize for its significant contributions to the discourse on public management.
clearly written, theoretically amibitious and interesting, historically sensitive and analytically sharp work based on exceptionally wide reading that has been intelligently absorbed and organised ... it is strongly to be recommended both to the specialist whose ideas are likely to be severely challenged by Hood's approach and to the general reader who wishes to acquire an understanding of ideas on ways of organising institutions in general and those of public management in particular * Reason in Practice Vol 1, No 1, 2001 *
this well-written and very readable book on public management is rich with references to the ideas of past thinkers on the subject and to past practices of public management * Reason in Practice, Vol 1, No 1, 2001 *
a timely and important book, by one of Europe's most repected administrative scholars ... this text is tightly organized, well-written and thought provoking ... a clear, concise, comprehensive survey of major public management ideas, their strengths and weaknesses. * Richard J. Stillman II, New Institutionalism and Organizational Theory, A Review Article. *
This book demonstrates many of the numerous strengths of Christopher Hood's scholarship. He has a sharp analytic mind that categorizes and conceptualizes complex matters very effectively. The arguments here are advanced in a clear and convincing manner, and he is also sensitive to the nuances of both the theory and the evidence used to ramify the theoretical arguments ... this is absolutely a 'must read' for students of public administration. It should also be read by those scholars who easily dismiss the roots of public administration. B Guy Peters, Political Studies (1999) XLVII
"The book stands in the tradition of Hood's other work - intellectually virtuosic, speculative in argument, and lifting itself above the detail it addresses." Richard Parry, University of Edinburgh, Journal of Social Policy, May 2000
- Winner of Winner of the 1998 W. J. M. Mackenzie Prize awarded by the Political Studies Association.
ISBN: 9780198280408
Dimensions: 224mm x 145mm x 20mm
Weight: 449g
276 pages