Customer Reviews

Mastering Public Administration: From Max Weber to Dwight Waldo, 2nd Edition

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This book is filled with promise. I mean who would not want to master such a difficult topic and improve practice in the arena of administration? However, this book only offers a few glimpses into a select group of authors who were able to shape how a few select portions of administration were thought about from earlier times until now. This is important, but it does little to help the average administrator their responsibilities. It might help scholars master their topic, but not a government employee master their work. It is also hard to read and very technical. So get it and be forewarned.

This text is what happens when you write in a vaccuum. With only a few exceptions, most of the content was extraordinarily self referential and discussed theory in a way that all but abandoned their applications in public administration. Fry should consider cliff noting his own text as an excercise to stop talking in circles.

I bought this book because it was required for one of my courses. I have read half of the book an so far so good.