Public Administration

Public Administration is among the most valuable books in the field. Riccucci masterfully, succinctly, clearly, and comprehensively explains how we go about knowing what we know in public administration. The book should be required reading for every doctoral student in the field, and faculty members in all our research traditions will undoubtedly find it exceptionally helpful and useful. The book will make a major and lasting contribution to the ways in which we design and organize our research and scholarship. -- David H. Rosenbloom, Chair Professor of Public Management, City University of Hong Kong, and distinguished professor of public administration, American University This book provides a sweeping and inclusive examination of the epistemic foundations of public administration theory and methods. Riccucci convincingly demonstrates that the field is better served when research questions drive methodological choices, rather than methodological commitments driving the questions we ask. Hence, this book should be a standard text for graduate seminars on the logic of inquiry and research design in public administration. -- Craig Thomas, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington

Is public administration an art or a science? This book examines the intellectual origins and identity of the discipline of public administration, its diverse research traditions, and how public administration research is conducted. It is suitable for graduate students and scholars.Is public administration an art or a science? This question of whether the field is driven by values or facts will never be definitively answered due to a lack of consensus among scholars. The resulting divide has produced many heated debates; however, in this pioneering volume, Norma Riccucci embraces the diversity of research methods rather than suggesting that there is one best way to conduct research in public administration. "Public Administration" examines the intellectual origins and identity of the discipline of public administration, its diverse research traditions, and how public administration research is conducted today. The book's intended purpose is to engage reasonable-minded public administration scholars and professionals in a dialogue on the importance of heterogeneity in epistemic traditions, and to deepen the field's understanding and acceptance of its epistemological scope. This important book will provide a necessary overview of the discipline for graduate students and scholars.