JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND THEORY
Scope & Guideline
Connecting Theory and Practice for Impactful Public Policy
Introduction
Aims and Scopes
- Public Administration Theory Development:
The journal seeks to advance theoretical frameworks that explain various phenomena within public administration, including governance, policy implementation, and bureaucratic behavior. - Empirical Research in Public Sector:
It prioritizes empirical studies that utilize qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches to investigate real-world public administration issues. - Interdisciplinary Insights:
The journal encourages contributions that integrate perspectives from political science, sociology, economics, and organizational studies to enrich the understanding of public administration. - Citizen Engagement and Public Participation:
Research focused on how citizens interact with public institutions, including issues of representation, accountability, and service delivery is a significant area of interest. - Administrative Burden and Performance:
The journal frequently addresses the impact of administrative processes on service delivery and how these burdens affect citizens' experiences and perceptions of government. - Collaborative Governance:
There is a strong emphasis on studies that explore collaborative approaches to governance, including partnerships between public agencies, non-profits, and private entities. - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
The journal highlights research examining the impacts of diversity and inclusion within public organizations and their implications for policy and service delivery.
Trending and Emerging
- Emotional and Psychological Factors in Public Administration:
There is an increasing interest in how emotional capital, psychological well-being, and affective styles influence public sector performance and citizen interactions. - Impact of Administrative Burden on Equity:
Research is increasingly focusing on how administrative burdens disproportionately affect marginalized populations, addressing issues of racial and social equity in public service delivery. - Collaborative Governance and Environmental Challenges:
There is a notable trend towards studying collaborative governance frameworks, particularly in the context of environmental policy and sustainability efforts. - Digital Transformation and AI in Public Administration:
Emerging studies are exploring the implications of digital tools, artificial intelligence, and data analytics on public sector decision-making and service delivery. - Diversity and Inclusion in Public Sector Leadership:
A growing body of research is dedicated to examining the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public sector leadership, emphasizing the importance of representation in governance. - Political Economy of Public Administration:
There is a rising interest in the political economy aspects of public administration, particularly how economic factors influence governance structures and administrative practices.
Declining or Waning
- Traditional Bureaucratic Models:
There appears to be a waning interest in classical bureaucratic models and theories, with a shift towards more dynamic, adaptive frameworks that consider contemporary challenges in governance. - Focus on Local Government Issues:
Research specifically centered on local government operations and challenges has become less prominent, as there is a broader emphasis on national and global governance issues. - Static Performance Measurement:
There is a noticeable decline in studies that focus solely on static performance measurement in public agencies, as the field moves towards more dynamic assessments of performance that account for context and change. - Conventional Policy Implementation Studies:
Research that merely examines policy implementation without considering the broader political, social, and economic contexts is becoming less frequent, as scholars seek more holistic approaches. - Overly Quantitative Approaches:
There is a diminishing focus on purely quantitative methodologies in favor of qualitative and mixed-methods approaches that provide richer insights into public administration phenomena.
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