Exploring Public Administration: An Introduction

Samantha L. Mosier, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Associate Director of the Water Resources Center at East Carolina University. She teaches courses on research design, public policy, and environmental policy and serves as a core faculty member in the Master of Public Administration program. Her research interests focus on resilience and sustainability at the subnational level with additional work in the areas of partisan dietary behavior and food labeling.Casey J. Fleming, Ph.D., is an associate professor of public administration in the Department of Political Science and Director of the Master of Public Administration program at East Carolina University. He teaches courses on public and nonprofit management, performance, and human resources. His research interests primarily focus on bureaucracy, workplace rules, and prosocial behavior.

Mosier and Fleming present an insightful analysis of public administration′s challenges—policy implementation, bureaucracy, and accountability—while offering innovative solutions. Essential for students and professionals alike, this work is a beacon for navigating modern governance.

• PrefaceAcknowledgementsAbout the AuthorsChapter 1: IntroductionWhat Is Public Administration?Our Dual Approach to the Study of Public AdministrationPublic Is Not Like Private AdministrationThe Four E’s: Values of Public AdministrationPublic Administration – The Discipline in ReviewConclusionKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ResourcesChapter 2: The Bureaucracy and Its Government RoleBureaucracy as the 4th BranchThe Structure of the 4th BranchPublic Policy and the Policy ProcessThe Policy Activities of the BureaucracyThe Implementation & Oversight Activities of the BureaucracySummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ResourcesChapter 3: Decision-MakingTheoretical Approaches to Decision-MakingApplied Decision-MakingThe Importance of InformationChapter SummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 4: BudgetingBudgeting BasicsApproaches and Types of BudgetingThe Public Budget ProcessIt’s All About the Benjamins: Revenue and Spending in GovernmentConclusionKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 5: Organizational Theory and DesignWhat Are Organizations? What Is Organizational Theory?Organizations as Closed Systems: Early Approaches to OrganizationsOrganizations as Open Systems: A Mid-20th Century Shift in PerspectiveEconomic Theories of OrganizationsConclusionKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 6: The Civil Service and Labor RelationsA History of the Civil ServiceMerit and Civil Service PrinciplesThe Legal Framework of the Government WorkplaceLabor Relations in the Public ServiceChapter SummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 7: Strategic Human Resource ManagementThe Changing Landscape of Public Human Resource ManagementPosition Management: Defining Needs and JobsRecruitment: Attracting the Next Generation of Public ServantsSelection: Who to Hire? Who to Promote?Compensation and Benefits: Rewarding EmployeesTraining and DevelopmentAppraising Employee PerformanceConclusionKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 8: Leadership and ManagementLeadership in Public OrganizationsTheories And Approaches to Studying LeadershipOther Factors of LeadershipFollowershipChapter SummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 9: Accountability and EthicsDefining EthicsManaging Ethics in Public AdministrationAccountability RevisitedChapter SummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 10: ImplementationStudying ImplementationOrganizations’ Performance-Based ChallengesIntergovernmental and Collaboration ChallengesImplementation in the Age of the InternetChapter SummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 11: Evaluation and AssessmentThe Importance of ReflectionPerformance ManagementPolicy AnalysisProgram EvaluationChapter SummaryKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsChapter 12: Getting Into the Civil ServiceThe Benefits and Drawbacks of Civil ServiceGetting StartedAdvancing Your CareerChapter SummaryReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsFurther Recommended ReadingsAppendix 1: Check Your Progress Answer KeyGlossary