Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Ostrom, V. (1989). The Intellectual Crisis in American Public Administration. University Alabama Press.
Vincent Ostrom’s The Intellectual Crisis in American Public Administration is an argument against bureaucratic administration in favor of democratic administration. Ostrom sees a fundamental dichotomy in the field of public administration and presses for a paradigm shift in classical Kuhn fashion. This shift is away from the traditional theory of public administration as layed out by Woodrow Wilson, Max Weber, and others. Drawing upon Alexis Tocqueville, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and others, Ostrom argues that fragmentation of authority and overlapping jurisdiction allow for less abuse of power and greater efficiency in administration. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: abstract, abuse, critique, efficiency, power, public administration
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Simon, H. A. (1997). Administrative Behavior, 4th Edition. Free Press.
Herbert Simon’s Administrative Behavior is an extensive analysis of decision making in organizations. Relying heavily on the work of Chester Barnard, Simon analyzes organizational decision making from the flawed classical “administrative principals” to a new interpretation of decision making through the use of elements of modern human psychology. Simon’s central argument seems to be that an organization can be defined through its decision-making processes and that the gauge of success is the achievement of objective organizational goals. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Barnard, critique, decision-making, efficiency, expertise, government, objective, public administration
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Follett, M. P. (1998). The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government. Pennsylvania State University Press.
Mary Parker Follett’s The New State is a declaration of unity over individualism and neighborhood groups over party organizations. Follett attests that our representative government has failed and that democracy, “by the numbers” is not a true democracy. “…no one can give us democracy, we must learn democracy,” (p. 22) and according to Follett, that learned democracy is experienced in neighborhood groups. Within these groups, individuals come together and harmonize their ideas and needs into collective will and action. To Follett, this is the foundation of a popular democracy. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: abstract, critique, democracy, mary parker follett, Progressive, the new state
