Author Description
Why does public management–the art of the state–so often go wrong, producing failure and fiasco instead of public service? What are the different ways in which control or regulation can be applied to government? Why do we find contradictory recipes for the improvement of public services? Are the forces of modernity set to produce worldwide convergence in ways of organizing government? This important new study aims to explore such questions, central to current debates over public management. Combining contemporary and historical experience, it employs grid/group cultural theory as an organizing frame and method of exploration. Using examples from different places and eras, the study seeks to identify the recurring variety of ideas about how to organize public services. And contrary to widespread claims that modernization will bring a new global uniformity, it argues that variety is unlikely to disappear from doctrine and practice in public management.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates why public management frequently results in failure and whether global modernization is driving a convergence toward a uniform model of government organization. Christopher P. Hood, a prominent scholar in public administration, utilizes grid/group cultural theory to analyze the recurring patterns of administrative thought. By examining historical and contemporary examples, he argues that diversity in management doctrine is persistent rather than transient, challenging the assumption that global standardization is inevitable.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Grid/group cultural theory as a primary analytical framework
- Comparative analysis of public service organization across different eras and geographies
- Examination of contradictory management doctrines
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a singular, universal solution for public management success
- Does not focus on the technical implementation of specific software or digital tools
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of administrative culture and the limitations of management fads. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which requires a foundational understanding of public policy theory to fully appreciate the author's arguments.
Page Count:
280
Publication Date:
1998-01-01
ISBN-10:
0191521124
ISBN-13:
9780191521126
Management Theory
Government
Sociology
Public Policy
Public Administration