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This first-of-its-kind survey covers both the basics of information technology and the managerial and political issues surrounding the use of these technologies. Unlike other works on information systems, this book is written specifically for the public sector and addresses unique public sector issues and concerns. The technical basics are explained in clear English with as little technical jargon as possible so that readers can move on to informed analysis of the public policy issues surrounding government's use of MIS. This practical tool includes end of chapter summaries with bridges to upcoming chapters, numerous boxed exhibits, thorough end-of-chapter notes and a bibliography for further reading.

Hermeneutics is essentially the art or science of interpreting the meaning of something. Hermeneutics comes into play when parties to a contract turn to it to try to interpret and understand the meaning of their obligations as set forth in the wording of the contract. This essay outlines how hermeneutic interpretation comes into play in virtually all the major steps in a government procurement and contracting process. It calls into question the foundations of carrying out the work of government through contracts, recognizing that the legitimacy of traditional public administration is changing as more and more nongovernmental actors are performing services for governments and for citizens.

The traditional view of doctoral education, borrowed from the social sciences, is the reproduction of the professoriate to ensure continued knowledge development through research and the dissemination of knowledge through teaching. In other words, the traditional purpose of doctoral education is the creation of a new generation of scholars who will pursue careers in academe. The traditional view of doctoral education, borrowed from the social sciences, is the reproduction of the professoriate to ensure continued knowledge development through research and the dissemination of knowledge through teaching. In other words, the traditional purpose of doctoral education is the creation of a new generation of scholars who will pursue careers in academe. This is clearly not the reality of doctoral education in public administration as it has evolved. What is the purpose of doctoral education in public administration? The answer to this question begins with addressing the motives of students entering doctoral programs.

How does dissertation research in public administration compare with cognate fields in terms of method and quality? Guy B. Adams and Jay D. White compare the dissertation research from 1992 in public administration, criminology, management, planning, social work and women's studies. Comparative findings are presented on methods used, on the general characteristic of the dissertations, and on quality. The lack of theoretical research, or even theoretically-informed research, and the widespread presence of \"mindless empiricism\" across all six of the fields are major findings. The special features of public administration doctoral research, including \"practice research\" and \"foreign focus\" dissertations, along with the widespread use of the case study method, are discussed. Adams and White conclude that what should be done to improve the contribution of doctoral research to the field is to improve-dramatically-the quality of all types of dissertation research.

What is the purpose of doctoral education and research in public administration? Many might assume its purpose to be the development of knowledge and theory for the field, as well as the preparation of the field's professoriate. White, Adams, and Forrester examine here the publication records of eight classes of doctorate recipients in public administration and conclude that doctoral education and research is only making a minimal contribution to knowledge and theory development in the field. The purpose of the public administration doctorate thus appears to be conflicted.

This article offers support for McCurdy's and Cleary's findings about the nature and quality of dissertation research and points out that dissertation research has little influence on the dissemination of knowledge through publishing. The responsibility for the quality of dissertation research is located with the dissertation committee members, based on the practical discourse model of the growth of knowledge. Several possible actions are suggested to improve dissertations and their contribution to publications in public administration.

This article is a response to the critique of research in public administration by Robert Cleary and Howard McCurdy, published in PAR in 1984. It outlines an alternative theory of knowledge based on positive, interpretive, and critical modes of research. This theory provides a legitimate place for the descriptions and critiques that Clearly and McCurdy find lacking in contributing to the growth of knowledge in public administration. This article also shows how these modes of research are based in administrative experience and are related to recent developments in the postempiricist philosophy of science.

This chapter provides some background on the Internet and the World Wide Web before addressing some of the major managerial and public policy issues raised by its existence: namely e-government, e-democracy, e-voting, and the digital divide. The Internet was created for political and military purposes. The idea was to construct a computer sed communications system of many networks so that if one of the networks went down, messages could still be transmitted via other networks using packet switching technology. E-government is about delivering information and services to the public over the Internet and the web mainly through the use of web pages and web portals. E-government refers to the use of the Internet and related technologies to provide citizens with relevant public information and public services. E-democracy defined as the use of the Internet and related technology to foster democratic discourse among citizens and between citizens and elected or appointed officials over public policy issues.