ABSTRACT
For many public managers, the relevant question is not “why does something work,” but more simply, “what does work? For practitioners of public administration, the quest has always been toward the practical, the workable, and the doable. Defining and explaining what “practical organization theory” is all about serves as the focus for this entry. Practical theory (PT) eschews simple definition. Yet for the purposes of this discussion, PT will be defined as follows. Practical organization theory provides simplified solutions to common issues and problems managers face in public organizations based on more complex and abstract theory. The simplification of theory provides managers with ready answers to practical problems. Simplification, however, can incur a price. Practical models often have somewhat limited application, they may generate contradictory advice, and they may oversimplify situations. Nonetheless, practicing managers are often willing to accept these risks given the direct applicability of PT. This entry will first describe the methods and vehicles PT utilizes to become user-friendly to managers, followed by a select description of PT examples reflecting these methodologies. This entry will conclude with a brief consideration of potential PT pitfalls.
