ABSTRACT
Accountability is a fundamentally important but considerably ambiguous and murky conceptparticularly so in an administrative environment that is characterized by globalization, decentralization, privatization, and networks. Despite its elusive meaning, organizations-governmental or nongovernmental-are constantly called to be more accountable. But what exactly does this accountability expectation mean? How can managers effectively deal with the cross-pressures of multiple accountabilities? Why do many citizens still distrust government when many sophisticated accountability tools are being used? While public administration research on accountability has made significant progress and contributions (e.g., Behn 2001; Kearns 1996; Roberts 2002; Romzek and Dubnick 1987), it falls short of helping organizations and managers when accountability problems become more challenging in the new governance environment.
