Paradigms of Public Administration

Abstract

Public administration has developed as an intellectual and professional field through a succession of six paradigms—that is, how the field has 'seen itself' in the past and present. Public administration would stand for decades as a prominent pillar of political science. Aside from Woodrow Wilson's formative essay, public administration's intellectual roots were planted in practical ground, even in the streets. As a practical matter, the politics/administration dichotomy offered some protection for a fledgling profession, particularly when the Great Depression struck in 1929. The status of public administration soared during the principles-of-administration period. So rapid was public administration's rise that the academic community grew worried over traditional turfs. The primary professional devised by the public administration pioneers was the local government's chief appointed executive, and these professionals clearly have fulfilled the hopes. For starters, council-manager governments are unusually curious about whether they are, in fact, efficient and effective.

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