The premise of his book Rethinking Public Administration: The Case for Management is that the fundamental worldview of public administration—that politics and administration are for all practical purposes indistinguishable—is wrong.

Compelling Arguments

The author makes a compelling case, grounded in history as well as the real-world conduct of politicians and career government managers at all levels of the public sector, that politics and administration are separate and readily distinguishable endeavsors. Politicians are duty-bound to focus on and attend to the public as well as their work with other politicians, in pursuit of a wide variety of political purposes. Most of these purposes have little to do with the ongoing, operational performance of government institutions.

Government’s career managers, on the other hand, are forbidden to be about political purposes; they are about institutional performance. Their focus is more narrow and internal to the organizations of government. Elected officials’ focus is broad and about the public.

It follows for the author that politicians and career managers have separate sets of values, responsibilities, and duties. When these come in conflict, as they do from time to time, Wilson reaffirms that political values must triumph.

But—and this is a key point in the book—the fact that “political values must prevail over managerial values when they conflict,” as he puts it, should not negate managerial values, which too frequently occurs. The author laments that the supremacy of political values, which should not be questioned, serves to banish managerial values from government institutions.

Obvious Affection

I appreciate Wilson’s affection for government institutions that is evident throughout the book. These institutions are, he says, indispensable to a vibrant society. He wants them to succeed and deplores the disparagement that characterizes many contemporary perspectives.

He adds, however, that respect must be deserved and managers are the only people who can possibly render government institutions worthy of respect.

One of the many key points made by Wilson in this regard is that “city managers and department heads are not about the political success of the mayors and city councilmembers they work for.” Managers and department heads . . . are employed for one purpose: to obtain institutional performance [emphasis added].”

Wilson also notes that managerial values are often thwarted in various forms and levels of government, yet these values serve as the underpinnings of institutional performance. And this is where political expediency can, and more often than it should, negate managerial values.

The book contains three main sections. The first two, politics and management, amplify the themes noted above and also provide anecdotes and advice.

The third and final section of the book is about economics. Here, Wilson offers thoughtful arguments about the economic purpose of management.

This compact book is loaded with evidence of what a clear-thinking, professional manager has to offer to academicians, students, politicians, and practitioners of government. It is a thought-provoking assessment of the roles and values of managers and politicians, particularly in the current conflict-laden, economically stressed governmental environment.

 

ENDNOTES

Rethinking Public Administration: The Case for Management by Richard Clay Wilson (mailto:rclaywilsonjr@gmail.com), Mill City Press, 2013, 225 pages, is available at online retailers.