ABSTRACT
The basic problem of comparative analysis is to generalize from similarities and differences between and among objects of interest, in this case, administrative structures, policies, and procedures in different countries. Researchers would like to be able to make colloquial statements about the administrative institutions that they observe in different contexts. Insofar as this chapter is fundamentally concerned with the logic of comparative public administration research, several pertinent issues arise: ‘‘how to compare seemingly disparate things? Are administrative institutions in different countries so unique that they defy comparison? What guiding principles can the researcher turn to? How has such research been conducted in the past? Are there any useful examples?’’
