TY - JOUR
T1 - Debate better public services
T2 - The moral purpose of public management research?
AU - Andrews, Rhys
AU - Boyne, George
PY - 2010/5
Y1 - 2010/5
N2 - In this article we argue that public management scholars share a purpose that goes beyond scientific understanding of managerial and organizational behaviour and outcomes. A widespread, if seldom explicitly articulated, assumption in the field is that public management research can contribute to better public services, either by offering theoretical critiques of governmental reforms or providing empirical evidence on 'what works'. In this sense, public management aspires to the status of a 'design science' that seeks not only to explain how public services are managed, but also to draw conclusions on how their management arrangements can be improved.
AB - In this article we argue that public management scholars share a purpose that goes beyond scientific understanding of managerial and organizational behaviour and outcomes. A widespread, if seldom explicitly articulated, assumption in the field is that public management research can contribute to better public services, either by offering theoretical critiques of governmental reforms or providing empirical evidence on 'what works'. In this sense, public management aspires to the status of a 'design science' that seeks not only to explain how public services are managed, but also to draw conclusions on how their management arrangements can be improved.
KW - Debate
KW - Theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77952074585&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14719030903286656
DO - 10.1080/14719030903286656
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77952074585
SN - 1471-9037
VL - 12
SP - 307
EP - 316
JO - Public Management Review
JF - Public Management Review
IS - 3
ER -