The Spirit of Public Administration

In this field-defining, broad approach to the study and practice of public administration, H. George Frederickson, one of the field's most respected scolars, carefully measures the meets and bounds of public administration and fixes its place in the context of changing politics, values, and ethics. He describes a robust and exciting public administration that includes, but is much more than, effective government management. The Spirit of Public Administration defines an ethic for the field that illustrates: * What the differences are between public administration and government administration, and how these differences redefine the field * How to practice ethical and energetic public administration in the context of contemporary politics * Why fairness and benevolence are as important as efficiency and economy * What implications are evident in the transition from government to governance Frederickson strongly defAnds broad grants of discretion to public administrators and then lays out the proper norms and ethic which should inform that discretion. And he firmly argues that the effectiveness of democratic government and modern governance, not just for the majority of but for all citizens, depAnds on the energetic exercise of bureaucratic discretion. The book concludes with seven principles that should guide everyone who works in public settings. Students and scholars will find The Spirit of Public Administration an exhilarating and challenging perspective.

H. GEORGE FREDERICKSON is Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor of Public Administration at the University of Kansas and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. A Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, he received in 1992 the Dwight Waldo Award given by the American Society for Public Administration for distinguished contributions to the professional literature of public administration. In 1999, Frederickson also received from ASPA the John Gaus Distinguished Lecturer Award for a lifetime of exemplary scholarship in public administration.