Exploring the manifold relationships between religion and public administration, this topical book conceptualises and theorises the diverse influence of religions on the functioning of public administrative systems across the globe. International and comparative in approach, this book analyses the social and public dimensions to religion and its interplay with public administration as a field of social scientific inquiry and an area of professional activity. Taking methodological agnosticism as its sociological perspective to the study of the religious experience, chapters focus on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to examine diverse religious compositions across both secularised and non-secularised societies and political regimes. The book uses a distinctive theoretical lens to analyse the influence of religions on organisational fit, public service motivation, individual and organisational behaviours and values, bureaucratic discretion, government funding, the delivery of public services, and the dynamics of social cohesion overall. It provides a fresh perspective on religion as a source of legitimacy and basis of accountability, responsibility, and delegation of power in public administration, institutional quality, and ethics. Students and scholars interested in the religious dimensions to public administration, policy, governance and management will find use in this book’s theoretical analyses. Its empirical findings will also be valuable to policymakers working in public administration and leaders of faith organisations engaged in public services.

This book provides a systematic and comprehensive introduction to the philosophical foundations of the study and practice of public administration. Philosophy and Public Administration provides the reader with an agile introduction to the main philosophical streams from classical metaphysics to phenomenology, empiricism to rationalism and pragmatism to personalism, ultimately revealing their significance for public governance and management. Ontological and epistemological issues are brought to the fore in discussing contemporary conceptions of the nature of public administration. The book explores connections between basic ontological stances and public governance, shedding light on the nature of public administration by revisiting fundamental philosophical issues. The quest for justification and legitimacy of public governance is examined, and 'Common Good', 'Social contract' and 'Personalism' arguments vetted. The works of major thinkers like Thomas More and Niccolo Machiavelli are revisited, drawing implications for contemporary public administration. This is the only book to provide a comprehensive examination of how philosophical thought matters for understanding public administration. It is a must-read for scholars and practitioners alike reflecting on or practising the management of public services.

This book represents a major attempt to draw together two fundamental streams of research: intergovernmental relations and multi-level governance (MLG). Combining US and European schools of thought, this timely volume outlines key areas of convergence and divergence. IGR concerns interactions within the public sector and is traditionally favored in America, whereas MLG is more pertinent to the crossroads of the vertical (intergovernmental) and horizontal (state-society) dimensions and is considered foremost a European approach. The principal objective of this book is to bridge the gap between academic communities on either side of the Atlantic. Prominent scholars have gathered together for this volume and their various contributions, both individually and as a whole, provide a fresh and novel perspective on IGR and MLG and their interconnections. This innovative book will be of particular appeal to scholars and students of political science in America, Europe and beyond as well as practitioners in US and EU governments. The companion volume Policy, Performance and Management in Governance and Intergovernmental Relations is also available from Edward Elgar Publishing.

Philosophy and Public Administration provides a systematic and comprehensive introduction to the philosophical foundations of the study and practice of public administration. An agile introduction to the main philosophical streams, from classical metaphysics to phenomenology, this thoroughly updated second edition develops new insights, such as the social ontology of public administration. This second edition is an accessible guide in using practices, models, paradigms, ideal-types and utopias for improving public administration. Edoardo Ongaro explores connections between basic ontological stances and public governance, shedding light on the nature of public administration by revisiting fundamental philosophical issues. The quest for justification and legitimacy of public governance is examined, and 'Common Good', 'Social Contract' and 'Personalism' arguments vetted. Ongaro introduces a new chapter that guides readers in developing research on the link between philosophical foundations and public administration and teaching philosophy for public administration in university programmes. This is the only book to provide a comprehensive examination of how philosophical thought matters for understanding public administration. It is a must-read for academics and practitioners alike reflecting on, or practising the management of, public services and the updated sections will advance discussions and debate among public administration scholars.

Brings innovative new strategic management models to the field of public management, to help public managers adapt their practices in an era of New Public Management reforms New chapter on open, co-operative and collaborative strategy-making, in line with the most innovative approaches to strategy An expanded list of mini-cases, a very popular feature of the first edition, as well as new chapter summaries to help reinforce learning Takes a comparative and international view for advanced level learners, unlike other texts on the subject

Brings innovative new strategic management models to the field of public management, to help public managers adapt their practices in an era of New Public Management reforms New chapter on open, co-operative and collaborative strategy-making, in line with the most innovative approaches to strategy An expanded list of mini-cases, a very popular feature of the first edition, as well as new chapter summaries to help reinforce learning Takes a comparative and international view for advanced level learners, unlike other texts on the subject

This book considers the ways in which public administration (PA) has been studied in Europe over the last forty years, and examines in particular the contribution of EGPA, the European Group for Public Administration, both to the growth of a truly pan-European PA, and to the future of PA in Europe. The book provides a lively reflection on the state of the art of PA both over the past forty years and over the next forty years. It reflects on the consolidation and institutionalisation of EGPA as the European community for the study of PA in Europe, and demonstrates the need for such a regional group for PA in Europe, as well as for regional groups for the study of PA in other parts of the world. The book also demonstrates the functional, cultural and institutional reasons that underpin the significance of a regional group for researching and studying PA at an 'intermediate level of governance' between the national and the global levels. The book provides rich insights about the state of the art of PA in Europe from the leading public administration scholars.

This innovative book presents a transatlantic comparison of governance and Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) policy, performance and management. By examining both analytical and empirical differences and similarities between the European Union and the United States, this comprehensive book provides a better understanding of (inter) governmental systems, settings and actors operating in the post New Public Management Era. The expert contributors consider processes of policy formulation and implementation from an intergovernmental point of view, examine issues of performance and accountability that rise in IGR settings and zoom in on the importance and implications of IGR for welfare. Taken together, these insights provide an important next step into the world of transatlantic research and comparison. This timely book will appeal to academics and researchers involved in IGR and Multi-Level Governance from the US and Europe as well as post-graduate students in public administration and public policy. Contributors: E. Anessi-Pessina, G. Bouckaert, T. Bovaird, P.J. CamAes, E. CantA(1), C. Carbone, E. Charbonneau, L. Coleman, T. Conlan, F. Ebinger, G. Fattore, C. Ferrario, H.G. Frederickson, S. Grohs, J.L. Hall, J.S. Hall, J. Halligan, D. Hands, L. Hems, A. Henderson, M. Holzer, P.L. Hupe, D. Johnson, S. Kuhlmann, M. Laffin, J.W. Meek, E.A. Miller, L. Niklasson, P. Posner, R. Reiter, N.M. Riccucci, P.S. Roberts, M.L. Seguiti, T. Steen, T. Toonen, E. Wayenberg, C. Weissert, A. Zanardi

Multi-Level Governance (MLG) is a highly influential, supple and ductile framework for interpreting governance in complex polities. Yet, criticisms have been aimed at its allegedly overly 'descriptive', rather than explanatory, power. This volume argues that progress in both the study and the practice of MLG may derive from developing linkages with disciplines, perspectives and issues that have so far not been explored in connection to MLG. By discussing cases ranging from nuclear power policy to environmental policy in both the Western world and in Eastern Asia, and by engaging different theoretical perspectives and issues of practical significance, such as legitimacy in public decisions or the management of risk in multi-level settings, the book proposes ways forward for advancing the understanding of MLG - a framework of reference in the analysis of contemporary governance.The book will provide scholars and students in the fields of public administration, public policy and political science with key concepts for the analysis of contemporary governance issues, and will be a source of ideas for practitioners and policy-makers engaged in making public decisions in complex polities.

Since the 1980s, a wave of reforms of public management has swept the world. The investigation into the effects of such major transformations has, however, been unbalanced: important countries have received only limited attention. This timely book fills the gap by investigating the dynamics of contemporary public management reform in five European countries that gave shape to the Napoleonic administrative tradition - France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain. Edoardo Ongaro presents an in-depth investigation of the reform of public management in these countries, revisiting major topics of theoretical interest in the study of public administration. He addresses key issues regarding the influence of the past on the transformation of the public sector, and the direction of reforms. The work looks both backward, to the legacy of the Napoleonic administrative tradition and the way it affected the paths of reform, and forward, exploring whether and to what extent the fascinating idea of the Neo-Weberian State is an alternative to global paradigms such as New Public Management and New Public Governance. This unique book will prove a fascinating read for scholars in the fields of public administration, public management, government and political science. Policy-makers - and their advisors - engaged in reform of the public sector will also find this book to be of great interest.

First published as a special issue of Policy & Politics journal, this book explores the role of strategic management, digitalisation and generative platforms in encouraging the co-creation of innovative public value outcomes. It considers why we must transform the public sector to drive co-creation and the importance of integrating different theoretical strands when studying processes, barriers and outcomes.

This book considers the ways in which public administration (PA) has been studied in Europe over the last forty years, and examines in particular the contribution of EGPA, the European Group for Public Administration, both to the growth of a truly pan-European PA, and to the future of PA in Europe. The book provides a lively reflection on the state of the art of PA both over the past forty years and over the next forty years. It reflects on the consolidation and institutionalisation of EGPA as the European community for the study of PA in Europe, and demonstrates the need for such a regional group for PA in Europe, as well as for regional groups for the study of PA in other parts of the world. The book also demonstrates the functional, cultural and institutional reasons that underpin the significance of a regional group for researching and studying PA at an 'intermediate level of governance' between the national and the global levels. The book provides rich insights about the state of the art of PA in Europe from the leading public administration scholars.