PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION THEORIES: Instrumental and Value Rationalities

Book Details

• Author: Lisheng Dong

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

• Language: English

• Edition: 2023

• ISBN: 9781349960682

• Pages: 310

• Cover: Hardcover

• Release Date: 17-04-2023

About the Book

This pioneering volume by Lisheng Dong offers an in-depth comparative analysis of eight prominent public administration theories through the lens of instrumental and value rationalities. By organizing these theories into two distinct schools of thought, the author provides a structured framework that helps readers understand the philosophical underpinnings and evolutionary dynamics of public administration over the past century.

The instrumental rationality-oriented theories covered include:

• Traditional Public Administration

• Privatization Theory

• New Public Management

• Holistic Governance (as a bridge between instrumental and value rationalities)

The value rationality-oriented theories examined are:

• New Public Administration

• Democratic Administration

• New Public Service

• Public Value Management

Each theory is dissected along five key dimensions: core values, assumptions about human nature, methodology, the role of government, and disciplinary positioning. The book also explores how the dominance between the two rationalities has shifted historically, reflecting the pendulum movement of administrative paradigms in response to changing societal needs and governance challenges.

Ideal for scholars, students, and practitioners, this book is a crucial resource for those seeking a comprehensive, rationality-based understanding of public administration theory.

Contents

Part I: Rationalities

1. Introduction

2. Instrumental and Value Rationalities of Public Administration

Part II: Instrumental Rationality-Oriented Theories
3. Traditional Public Administration: Emergence of Instrumental Rationality
4. Privatization Theory: Inheritance of Instrumental Rationality
5. New Public Management: Upsurge of Instrumental Rationality
6. Holistic Governance: Integration of Value and Instrumental Rationalities

Part III: Value Rationality-Oriented Theories
7. New Public Administration: Awakening of Value Rationality
8. Democratic Administration: Inheritance of Value Rationality
9. New Public Service: Upsurge of Value Rationality
10. Public Value Management: Integration of Value and Instrumental Rationalities

Part IV: Conclusion
11. Comments on and Comparative Analysis of Instrumental and Value Rationality-Oriented Public Administration Theories

About the Author

Lisheng Dong is a Marie Curie Research Professor at the University of Glasgow, UK. He is a globally recognized scholar in public administration and the 2012 co-recipient of the prestigious Pierre de Celles Award by the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration. He has previously edited influential titles including Urban Mobilizations and the New Media in Contemporary China and China and the European Union.