The Art of Judgment: A Study of Policy Making (Rethinking Public Administration) [Paperback]

Geoffrey Vickers (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0803973632 | ISBN-13: 978-0803973633 | Publication Date: September 18, 1995

This classic book by Sir Geoffrey Vickers first published 30 years ago speaks to both the student//academic and the practitioner interested in understanding decision-making in organizational settings. As the biographical essay elucidates, Vickers' ideas arose from his rich and multifaceted career as a practitioner. His work provides for the integration of theory and practice that is without parallel anywhere in the literature.

Written in a lively and accessible style The Art of Judgment continues to be a seminal work for scholars seeking to develop an interpretive and critical account of management and organization. This work is a study which transcends both a narrow and scientific view of administrative behaviour an

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (September 18, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803973632
• ISBN-13: 978-0803973633
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,979,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Old-school English Socialism, December 31, 2011

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Epictetus (Hong Kong) (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Judgment: A Study of Policy Making (Rethinking Public Administration) (Paperback)

I bought this book hoping that it would give some practical advice for how to develop that elusive and valuable capability, judgement, or, alternatively, to explain what "policy" is. It does not do the former and it assumes that one already knows what he latter is. It must be said, however, that the aims of the author are something quite different from answering my two questions.

The author writes as if he firmly believes that the Man from the Ministry knows best, and gave the impression to me, at least, that while private enterprise and the individual free under the common law are to be tolerated, they really interfere with good civil servants working tirelessly for the betterment of society.

The style of the book is that of a superior, arrogant, arts degree English civil servant of no special merit. The author makes mountains out of molehills and will use seven words where one would do. Nowhere in this book is there a table of data or any sort of quantitative method to assist in judgement.

As I re-read parts of this book I thank Heavens that England is no longer run in the way that the book advocates. Apart from anything, life is too short for this much redundant, baroque, repetitive verbiage.

"EPICTETUS"