Includes biliographic references and index.

This innovative Handbook offers a wide-ranging overview of the multi-faceted field of public administration and management. It provides a broad approach to the discipline, addressing the range of descriptive, normative and critical theories required to diagnose public service issues and prescribe administrative action. Chapters assess the state of the field, presenting a comprehensive roadmap for future theoretical development. Featuring contributions from top international experts, the Handbook considers the key theories on the role, function and organization of public administration. It further offers critical insights on the people who work in public management, and a broad range of significant perspectives on the field. Interdisciplinary and comprehensive, it applies leading and emerging theories in public administration and management and applies them to latent and developing issues of public service and the relationship between government and society. This Handbook provides a far-reaching analysis of the field for scholars, researchers and graduate students of public administration and management, particularly those interested in an international or comparative approach to the field. Its theoretical insights will also benefit policymakers and practitioners working in public service provision in need of both trusted and innovative public management solutions.