Can theory be important in a field as applied, practical, and interdisciplinary
as public administration? This book answers this question with another firm yes.
We believe it is self-evident that a need exists for greater conceptual clarity and
theoretical reliability in the treatment of public administration. It is always tempting
in an applied field to fall back on common sense and wisdom as sufficient to
the task of implementing public policy. In fact, common sense and wisdom are
necessary for carrying out effective policy, but they are not sufficient, especially
when common sense and wisdom are poorly defined or not defined at all. Deep
thinking is also helpful, but insufficient. The certainties derived from the deep
thought of one generation are often poor guides for succeeding generations. For
example, it is presently accepted almost universally that public bureaucracies are
slow, cumbersome, self-serving, and inefficient—the common sense or wisdom
of our day. We act on that common sense by deregulating, downsizing, contracting
out, privatizing, encouraging bureaucratic risk taking and innovation,
Can theory be important in a field as applied, practical, and interdisciplinaryas public administration? This book answers this question with another firm yes.We believe it is self-evident that a need exists for greater conceptual clarity andtheoretical reliability in the treatment of public administration. It is always temptingin an applied field to fall back on common sense and wisdom as sufficient tothe task of implementing public policy. In fact, common sense and wisdom arenecessary for carrying out effective policy, but they are not sufficient, especiallywhen common sense and wisdom are poorly defined or not defined at all. Deepthinking is also helpful, but insufficient. The certainties derived from the deepthought of one generation are often poor guides for succeeding generations. Forexample, it is presently accepted almost universally that public bureaucracies areslow, cumbersome, self-serving, and inefficient—the common sense or wisdomof our day. We act on that common sense by deregulating, downsizing, contractingout, privatizing, encouraging bureaucratic risk taking and innovation,
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