Description
Marc Holzer and Richard W. Schwester have written a textbook that is distinct from the dozens of introductory public administration books now in the academic marketplace. Their vision is a unique blend of substance and style—a text that is both informative and enlivening, capturing the evolving nature of the field. The book explores the traditional, essential elements of public administration such as organizational theory, human resource management, leadership, program evaluation and policy analysis, budgeting, and the politics of public administration. Artwork depicts bureaucratic issues, reinforcing each chapter’s themes and creating an informative and aesthetically engaging textbook, while charts, graphs, diagrams, and illustrations add dimensions to the text’s overviews of public administration.
New to this edition are three sections that provide a natural flow and progression of the material. Section I provides the theoretical construct of public administration, section II provides actionable material for public administrators, while section III deals with the future of public organizations through the lens of performance improvement and the techniques available to achieve such improvement. Each chapter is complemented by key terms and supplementary readings, and video cases and simulations offer a gateway to engaging students, encouraging them to immerse themselves in virtual problem-solving experiences—testing theory and skills through real-time practical applications. Students will deal with issues related to unemployment, budgeting, the environment, crime and education.
The book is accompanied by a comprehensive online Instructors' Manual, complete with PowerPoint slides for each chapter, case studies, relevant YouTube videos to illustrate chapter content, additional artwork, webinars, and relevant films and tv shows to better engage students in important themes of public service. This text, then, is very much a dynamic learning system designed to enliven the teaching of public administration, improve the learning experience, and help motivate students of public service to become problem-solving public servants.
Table of Contents
Part I: Foundations of Public Administration
1. What Public Administration Entails
2. Organization Theory and Management
3. Politics and Public Administration
4. Intergovernmental Relations
5. Ethics
Part II: Managing People and Administering Public Services
6. Human Resource Management
7. Public Decision Making
8. Leadership and Organizational Change
9. Public Budgeting and Fiscal Policy
Part III: Improving Efficiency and Efficacy of Public Organizations
10. Performance Measurement and Improvement
11. Data Collection
12. Program Evaluation and Policy Assessment
13. Technology and Social Media
14. The Future of Public Administration
