ABSTRACT

From the early postwar period until his death at the turn of the century, Dwight Waldo was one of the most authoritative voices in the field of public administration. Through probing questions, creative ideas, and novel insights, he perhaps contributed more than any other single figure to the development of public administration as a discipline in the mid-20th century, from his classic, masterful debut The Administrative State (1948) to his last published book, The Enterprise of Public Administration (1980). In this new look at Dwight Waldo’s writing, Richard Stillman offers a representative selection of Waldo’s most important works alongside introductory essays to help a seasoned public administration scholar as well as the novice student alike appreciate and comprehend Waldo’s remarkable contribution to this critical field of study.   

Selections have been chosen for their ability to speak to current and ongoing concerns of the field in the 21st century as well as for their utility, readability, and importance. This anthology provides new generations of readers with a fresh look at the work of this prolific, profoundly influential author, while offering both administrative scholars and practitioners renewed access to many of his hard-to-find works. This book will be required reading for all those interested in public administration as a field of inquiry and practice.

chapter 1|32 pages

Dwight Waldo

Administrative Theorist for Our Times

part I|50 pages

What Is Public Administration?

part II|46 pages

Alternative Approaches to Public Administration

chapter 5|12 pages

Reversing the Glass 1

chapter 7|11 pages

The Novelist on Organization & Administration 1

An Inquiry Into the Relationship Between Two Worlds

part III|37 pages

The Historical Context of Public Administration

part IV|43 pages

The Cultural Context of Public Administration

chapter 11|15 pages

Comparative Public Administration 1

Prologue, Problems, and Promise

chapter 13|4 pages

Conclusion 1

Some Notes on Time, Administration, and Development

part V|28 pages

The Two Enduring Challenges in the Field

part VI|24 pages

Public Administration Education

chapter 17|5 pages

Education for Public Administration

Currents, Crosscurrents, Undercurrents, Countercurrents

part VII|41 pages

The Future of Public Administration