(2). MY YEARS (1977-84) AS EDITOR OF The Urban Edge (A World
Bank newsletter).
From l977 to almost l984, I edited a newsletter for the World Bank.
When this job ended, I went back to the academic world and to my work on
administrative theory. Perhaps recognizing the defects of my "elasticity of
control" theory, Waldo (with whom I corresponded until a month before his
death in 2000) suggested during the mid-l980s that I take a look at
"contingency theory" – the theory that there is "no best way" and that "what
works, works." This seemed to be a common viewpoint among World Bank
staff but was also a source of confusion because they were expected to find
and promote “best practices.”.