Hindy Lauer Schachter

Objective and Subjective Performance Measures A Note on Terminology

At least since the late 1970s, the performance measurement literature has used different terminologies to describe agency- and citizen-generated performance measures. The first type of measures are placed into objective and the second type into subjective categories. This article argues that this terminology is outdated owing to evidence on the contextual subjectivity of all performance measures. The analysis also examines the potential impact of the dichotomization on the role accorded citizens in helping to develop public sector performance measures.

The impact of government form on e-participation: A study of New Jersey municipalities

Abstract During the past two decades, governments have started to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to offer a new forum for citizen involvement known as e-participation. The rapid development of e-participation has been attracting attention from many researchers. While a growing body of research has explored various factors impacting e-participation, few studies have examined the influence of government structures on the e-participation opportunities that jurisdictions offer users. To fill the research gap and begin investigating this relationship, we use data from 97 New Jersey municipalities to analyze the impact on e-participation of three local government structures: mayor-council, council-manager, and township. The results show that municipalities with the mayor-council form of government are more likely to have higher levels of e-participation offerings. We argue that the role of an elected executive in this structure facilitates the will to provide greater opportunities for citizens to participate online.

Citizen Participation in the Budget Process and Local Government Accountability: Case Studies of Organizational Learning from the United States and South Korea

Citizen participation in budgeting can be a governmental mechanism to minimize organizational learning pathologies resulting from sole reliance on an administrative accountability model. This study analyzes case studies of Los Angeles and Bukgu, South Korea, to show how participative budgeting combines exploration and refinement strategies to create processes that foster information exchange between citizens and public officials. Although the analysis finds representativeness problems in both cases, scholars, administrators, and citizen advocates should have an interest in the narratives on how cities construct and refine processes that can improve citizen-administrator information exchange.

The role played by Frederick Taylor in the rise of the academic management fields

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how Frederick Taylors achievement as the originator of a science of work provided a theoretical foundation for first generation academic management programs in the Progressive era. The paper aims to show the implications of this match for Taylors continuing high position in the history of management thought.Design/methodology/approach – A methodology is used involving analysis of published and unpublished historical sources including Taylors own work, writings from his contemporaries, and writings from key figures in first generation university public‐ and business‐management programs.Findings – The paper gives evidence of the impact of Taylors work on management education in the Progressive era and the implications of this impact for Taylors reputation and the management programs themselves.Originality/value – The analysis uses a wide variety of published and unpublished sources. It compares educational developments in the public and business managem...

Educating Administrators to Interact with Citizens: A Research Note

This article examines the place of citizen participation courses in American Masters of Public Administration programs. A survey of course syllabi shows that very few programs provide courses that focus on citizen participation. While the evidence on course content is more ambiguous, course goals tend to focus on imparting cognitive knowledge rather than developing skills or engendering psychological transformation—outcomes that may be key to having administrators who are comfortable working with citizens. An argument is made for a more visible place for citizen-participation courses to show that the ability to involve citizens is part of administrative competence.

Women, Progressive-Era Reform, and Scientific Management

Questions have been raised about the relation of Progressive-Era women reformers to scientific management and the efficiency concept associated with it. This article brings evidence from organizations such as the National Consumers League and the Taylor Society to argue that in the Progressive Era female reformers belonged to a community of discourse close to scientific management. Understanding this relationship helps delineate the intellectual foundations of progressive reform.

The New York School of Philanthropy, the Bureau of Municipal Research, and the Trail of the Missing Women A Public Administration History Detective Story

This article uses archival research to analyze the role of the New York School of Philanthropy as a precursor to the Bureau of Municipal Research (BMR) Training School, which is generally considered the first professional public administration program in America. The article argues that the two organizations had similar curricula and aspirations in the early Progressive period, particularly from 1907 to 1912, but that subsequently their paths diverged; the School of Philanthropy became associated with social work education rather than public administration and policy development. The argument is made that the subsequent divergence aided enforcing stereotypical gender assumptions in both fields and the disappearance of female pioneers from public administration history and textbooks between 1920 and the 1990s. As donor pressure sparked the divergence, the article also contributes to understanding the role of funding agents in setting public administration’s research agenda.

Exploring Followership in a Public Setting Is It a Missing Link Between Participative Leadership and Organizational Performance

Based on data drawn from the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Human Capital Survey, as well as from data provided in written interviews, this study offers empirical evidence that followership mediates the relationship that exists between participative leadership and public organization performance.

Bringing Participatory Tools to a Different Level: A Case Study of Local Participatory Practices in Kyrgyzstan

Engaging citizens in decision-making has become an important function of governments around the world. Local administrators facing budget constraints are interested in citizen feedback on a growing number of issues related to government performance. Based primarily on American evidence, the public administration literature notes that citizen-engagement tools have advantages and disadvantages. Some theorists suggest that combining participatory tools can maximize their effects. This article extends the analysis by a consideration of how local governments in Kyrgyzstan, a transitional democracy, implemented participatory tools. It finds that merging such tools as citizen report cards and budget hearings led to improved participation outcomes, including changes in government service delivery. The study has important implications for developing effective participatory techniques.

Emergency Response Plans and Needs of Communities with Limited English Proficiency

A major component of an emergency plan is a well-organized evacuation proposal that takes into consideration all people with special needs and that uses all available resources. Given the wide distribution of people with limited English proficiency (LEP) in Americas urban areas, especially large metropolitan areas, issues related to LEP communities will occur when large numbers of citizens are evacuated in emergencies. This paper presents a picture of LEP communities, their needs and preferences, and potential concerns for LEP communities in the case of an emergency. The paper raises the issue of addressing LEP populations in the design of emergency plans and proposes tactics that can be used to assist and expedite the evacuation of LEP communities.