Symposium on the Advancement of Public Administration: Introduction

Abstract

This symposium seeks to assess the status of public administration and the steps that should be taken to advance it as a field and enterprise. In addition to providing an overview of the main themes of the symposium, this introduction tackles the question of what “advancement” would imply. In the case of public administration as an academic field, this essay suggests that advancement would feature four characteristics: establishment of jurisdiction over an appropriate domain of inquiry; enhancement of the field's scientific base leavened by informed respect for the art of administration; increased sophistication in the treatment of normative issues; and the multiplication of opportunities for those in the field to speak truth to power. The advancement of public administration as an academic field would provide more fertile soil for enhancing the practice of public administration, but it would not guarantee this development.