Competing Values in Public Administration Paradigm (Case Study in American Context)

Abstract

Since the mid-1980s there has been a transformation in the management of the public sectors of advanced countries. The rigid, hierarchical and bureaucratic form of public administration, which has predominated for most of the twentieth century, is changing to a flexible, market based form of public administration. This is not simply a matter of reform or a minor change in management style, but a change in the role of government in society and the relationship between government and citizenry. The public sectors of western countries have undergone major change as governments try to responds to the challenges of technological change, globalization and international competitiveness. In recent years there has been a wider – and ranging reforms than any other period of the twentieth century. It is argued that this represents a paradigm shift from the traditional model of public administration, dominant for most of the century, to “managerialism “ or new public management; the theory of bureaucracy in its governmental context is being replaced by economic theories and market provision. This paper is aim to gain an understanding surrounds competing values in public administration. The values that compete in public administration were largely related to the shifting of paradigm that took place in public administration. Thus, its important for assessing the competition of public administration paradigm by employing four cases of public administration in American context.