Public Administration: Traditions of Inquiry and Philosophies of Knowledge (Public Management and Change Series) by Norma M. Riccucci (18-Jun-2010) Paperback

Public Management and Change

by Norma M. Riccucci

Is public administration an art or a science? This question of whether the field is driven by values or facts will never be definitively answered due to a lack of consensus among scholars. The resulting divide has produced many heated debates; however, in this pioneering volume, Norma Riccucci embraces the diversity of research methods rather than suggesting that there is one best way to conduct research in public administration. Public Administration examines the intellectual origins and identity of the discipline of public administration, its diverse research traditions, and how public administration research is conducted today. The book’s intended purpose is to engage reasonable-minded public administration scholars and professionals in a dialogue on the importance of heterogeneity in epistemic traditions, and to deepen the field’s understanding and acceptance of its epistemological scope. This important book will provide a necessary overview of the discipline for graduate students and scholars.

Paperback

First published June 16, 2010

Reviews

[Phillip]

Chapter 8 1
Heterogeneity in Epistemic Traditions (relevant and valid for public
administration research).
In our attempt to understand and to summarise this chapter we should first understand the title
thereof. Another way to entitle this chapter could be the “Diversity in traditions of (acquiring)
knowledge”. Therefore quite logically Riccucci ends this chapter with the conclusion that “Theoretical
achievements and progress in the field of public administration …rests in the heterogeneity of
research traditions” (p.125) . Another way to put this would be–Progress in the field of public
administration as a science lies in the ability of scholars to apply different approaches in their
research.
So let us examine how the she came to this conclusion.
The author continues her line of thought that since public administration is “driven by competing
values” emerging from various fields of knowledge, research questions define whether the approach
should be qualitative, quantitative or both. Hence comes the title of the chapter “Heterogeneity in
Epistemic Traditions”, since “no one set of values should not be permitted to drive out the others”.
(p.116)
It is the opinion the author that various philosophical approaches are equally qualified for use within
the field of public administration. Multiple approaches actually strengthen and re-balance the field of
research since reality and its ubiquitous problems is complex while researchers are often subjective
due to many factors. Hence “the acquisition of knowledge in public administration is distinguished by
epistemic tradition which drives the methods and recording techniques of the research.”’ (p.117)
2
Accepting the abovementioned propositions makes us (scholastic community) realise that when
studying a filed like public administration philosophical categories should not be mutually exclusive.
Thus a researcher has an array of diverse approaches to viewing and studying of the reality, based on
1 Riccucci, Norma M.: Public Administration Traditions of Inquiry and Philosophies of Knowledge.
Georgetown University Press, Washington, D.C., 2010.
2 of or relating to knowledge or to the degree of its validation
his/her preference. At this point it is necessary to briefly mention research approaches in the Social
Sciences.(p.46)
Interpretivism Rationalism Empiricism Positivism Post-positivism Postmodernism
Epistemology Knowledge is
relative
Reason is
source if
knowledge
Reality comes
from sense and
past experience
Reality beyond
human mind
Reality too
complex to be
understood
Truth is socially
constructed
Methodology Hermeneutics Critical
reasoning,
speculation
Observation,
hypothesis
testing
Empirical
testing
Mixed methods Critical theory,
deconstructivis
m
Accordingly we could say that interpretivists acquire knowledge through interpretations of the mind
(studying ideas, thoughts and views of the people studied). The author goes on to conclude that
“knowledge is based on the truth or reality as the interpretivists intend it to be” (p.117)
But interpretivists are influenced by the subjective perception of their environment. Their techniques
include case studies, content analysis, and ethnography relying on the qualitative methods.
Rationalists in their turn “acquire knowledge through reason and not via experience or sense
perception. For them knowledge is innate” reason and intellect are better than senses for
construction of truth and reality”(p.119) and they rely on qualitative methods.
On the other hand “Empiricism calls for knowledge acquisition and hence theory building via the
senses or experience” (p.119), reason alone cannot build knowledge, and as a consequence humans
need to observe the reality. Research using empiricism could be quantitative or qualitative.
Positivism or logical positivism holds that beliefs must be justified on the basis of experience.
Public administration research done via the positivist approach has a logically derived hypotheses
tested and verified with regression analysis or similar quantitative methods.
Post-positivism “accepts the existence of error in research” (p.119) and considers findings as probable
until falsified. Post-positivism can rely on qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods.
Postmodernism believes that “reality is a cultural and social construction or universal truths are
3
unattainable” and that foundations of public administration are in many respects faulty (p.121)
Postmodernism therefore relies on qualitative methods because “values and biases shape research
questions.” (p.121)
The author therefore draws the conclusion that many research approaches are available and “the
choice [thereof] depends upon the questions asked and the answers sought” (p.122).
On p. 125 the author applauds Raadschelders who writes that since humans perceive complex reality
differently, only different methods could attempt to grasp it.
Riccucci concludes with the admonition that proper training in qualitative research in the field of
public administration is necessary for scholar preparation.
3 According to Norma M. Riccucci (p.48 ) Michael Foucault belongs to Post-modernist school of
thought. Foucault’s works could be also associated with the philosophical school of Structuralism that
basically taught that this world is a chaos and the order is simply superimposed by our minds over it.
In his works Foucault showed himself as both philosopher and historian trying to show the real nature
of our developed western civilization. In order to do, he had to do intensive research into the origins
European and Roman civilizations to find the roots of the pillars of our present day society.
There are a lot of things in our society that we take for granted and think of as being natural, which in
fact are merely human inventions. Foucault’s greatest contribution to the domain of history is the fact
that he attempted to analyze it from the philosophical point of view, a very unordinary view. History
for him was not simply facts and events, but a story of how humankind was constantly tricked into
thinking something it really was not.
Bibliography:
Foucault, Michael. Mental Illness and Psychology. Translated by Alan Sheridan. Berkeley: University
of California Press, 1976.
Raadschelders, Joseph C.N. 1999 A coherent framework for the study of public DMINISTRATION.
JOURNAL OF Public Administration Research and Theory 9(2)281-303
Riccucci, Norma M.: Public Administration Traditions of Inquiry and Philosophies of Knowledge.
Georgetown University Press, Washington, D.C., 2010.

[Peter Federman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to research methods and epistemic traditions, definitely will help me with my own research. Obviously a little dry and academic, but still interesting.