Routes to Scholarly Success in Public Administration: Is There a Right Path?

The Successful Scholars Project examined the determinants of successful public administration scholars. We surveyed the top 89 public administration scholars alive today (nominated by leaders of five national organizations) and asked them to rank a set of characteristics and behaviors that may have helped them achieve their success. We then analyzed the curricula vitae of 63 of the scholars. This article reports our study's findings and the recommendations of our successful scholars. Scholars heralded good methodological training and quality mentoring as significant. For research, choosing important, cutting-edge issues to write about, not following fads, being oneself, and publishing quality works were touted as important. Presenting research at national conferences also was highly recommended (while chairing committees and serving as discussants were not). Most scholars recommended steering away from administrative positions and university politics. We conclude with lessons for budding public administration scholars as well as lessons for designing public administration doctoral programs.     

The New Governance: Practices and Processes for Stakeholder and Citizen Participation in the Work of Government

Leaders in public affairs identify tools and instruments for the new governance through networks of public, private, and nonprofit organizations. We argue the new governance also involves people—the tool makers and tool users—and the processes through which they participate in the work of government. Practitioners are using new quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial governance processes, including deliberative democracy, e-democracy, public conversations, participatory budgeting, citizen juries, study circles, collaborative policy making, and alternative dispute resolution, to permit citizens and stakeholders to actively participate in the work of government. We assess the existing legal infrastructure authorizing public managers to use new governance processes and discuss a selection of quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial new governance processes in international, federal, state, and local public institutions. We conclude that public administration needs to address these processes in teaching and research to help the public sector develop and use informed best practices.     

Employer-centered training for international competitiveness: Lessons from state programs

There has been a surge of new interest in federal training policy. This momentum has been fueled by concerns with productivity and competitiveness, whereas past federal policy has been more focused upon distributional issues. A wide range of new proposals have been put forth, and high on the list are initiatives to work directly with firms. As making employers the clients of training programs is a relatively new idea, there is very little past federal experience to draw upon. However, in recent years states have experimented with similar efforts, and these experiments provide an underused data source for assessing the traps and opportunities inherent in any national program. This paper reports the results of case studies in four states, two of which based employer-centered training in new state agencies and two of which housed the programs in community colleges. We identify issues of concern that arise in employer-based training programs and also suggest some possible solutions.     

A review of cooperation among the western provinces

Abstract. Cooperation among the western provinces developed from very rudimentary beginnings to where it has now become the order of the day. The rising tide of cooperation among the western provinces has not been structured in a very rigid manner. Rather, it has the image of a flexible arrangement in order to be adaptable to the particular situation and needs of the day. The western provinces have found sufficient common ground on which to base a lasting environment for strong cooperation and collaboration. The most prominent ‘rallying point’ among the western provinces which sparks this cooperative spirit is their desire to pursue the ‘economic destiny’ which they feel is rightfully theirs. By having the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential, the western provinces feel this is the manner in which they can make their maximum contribution to Confederation. The western provinces have a healthy record of joint cooperation in a variety of economic development initiatives. Where an opportunity for common action on a concrete item has been identified things have happened. Sommaire. La coopération entre les provinces de l'Ouest, qui a eu des débuts très rudimentaires, est maintenant à l'ordre du jour. Cette vague de coopération n'a pas été structurée de façon très rigide. Il s'agit plutǒt de dispositions souples qui peuvent s'adapter à toute situation particulière et aux besoins du moment. Les provinces de l'Ouest ont trouvé un terrain d'études suffisant qui sert de base permanente à la coopération et la collaboration. Leur point de ralliement le plus évident qui suscite cet esprit de coopération est leur désir de poursuivre ‘ le destin économique » qui, à leur sens, leur revient de droit. C'est en ayant la possibilité de réaliser complètement leur potentiel que les provinces de l'Ouest pensent maximiser leur contribution à la confédération. Les provinces de l'Ouest ont une histoire d'entreprises conjointes couvrant tout une gamme d'initiatives pour leur developpement économique. Après avoir déterminé la possibilité d'une action commune sur une question concrète, elles ont toujours agi.