Who is the author of The Study of Public Administration?

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The Study of Public Administration is a well-known book authored by Dwight Waldo, a leading scholar in public administration. Waldo's book, first published in 1948, is a comprehensive and critical examination of the field, discussing the political, philosophical, and organizational aspects of public administration. His work marked a shift from the earlier, more technical and managerial views (like those of Woodrow Wilson) to a more normative and value-based approach. Waldo emphasized that public administration cannot be separated from politics and values, arguing for a broader understanding of the discipline beyond just efficiency and technical management.

While Woodrow Wilson’s 1887 essay The Study of Administration is often credited with founding the academic study of public administration, Waldo’s book with a similar title is a key text that shaped modern public administration thought, especially in critiquing and expanding Wilson’s earlier ideas.

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Dwight Waldo’s The Study of Public Administration introduced the idea that administration is inherently political and value-laden.

His work is considered foundational in the “post-positivist” approach to public administration.

Woodrow Wilson’s 1887 essay is often considered the birth of public administration as a discipline but was more focused on separating politics from administration.

Waldo challenged this separation, highlighting the inextricable link between politics and administration.

E.N. Gladden and R.A. Warner contributed to administrative theory but did not author this foundational book.

Waldo’s emphasis on normative questions influenced later administrative thought and public policy analysis.

The book remains a critical text in public administration studies and is frequently cited in academic discourse.