ABSTRACT
"Managerial capacity" refers to the ability of public sector managers to make decisions that are responsive to the needs of the political jurisdictions that employ their expertise. The complex nature of many public sector issues, the generalist orientation or amateur status of most elected legislators, and the time and analysis required to respond to public problems mean that professional public sector managers must enjoy some discretion in their decision making, and this discretion must be exercised responsibly. In order to fulfill the promise of professional public administration, public sector managers must make decisions that are responsive and responsible. This raises the immediate questions of "responsive to whom" and "responsible for what."
