ABSTRACT
Local government managers know they should be engaging and often do engage with surrounding communities. The practice of management is driven by theory and training. To that end, there are two pillars upon which a manager is acculturated into the profession: training and practitioner norms. Academic training is primarily delivered through graduate schools loosely connected by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). Practitioner norms and values are primarily articulated by the 2008 International City and County Management Association (ICMA). These schools focused on improving government's internal management and organized to form NASPAA, which has become the standard-bearer of shaping and improving education in public management. The first theme is the idea of networks wherein participants engage in cross-jurisdictional activities with each other on a voluntary basis. The second theme is derived from economic reasoning or collective action. A new edition of the Model City Charter is needed.
