PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH

Importance of Research in Graduate Education in Public Administration

Importance of Research in Graduate Education in Public Administration

Introduction

Research is an organized study and investigation of sources and materials with the intention of founding details and arrive at new deductions. Research essentially is an activity, or process, and even though research procedures are many and varied, certain general characteristics help define its nature. Just like many other fields, research is also very important in Graduate Education in Public Administration. The development of independent public bureaucracies was vital to the rise of the modern state. Nonpartisan public servants carrying out directives according to a set of rational rules and procedures are ideals of the modern bureaucracy. For Max Weber, the rise of such bureaucracies is a defining feature of modernization itself. Public administration is the science and professional practice of civil service. In theory, the goals of public administration are straightforward: efficiency and effectiveness on the one hand, and fairness and incorruptibility on the other. But achieving these goals, in the face of social and political pressures on civil servants, has proved extremely difficult in practice.

Discussion

Research in Graduate Education in Public Administration also has the following characteristics, they are described and illustrated here among educational examples. The few general characteristics are as follows:

Research can take on a variety of forms.

Research is empirical.

Research should be reliable.

Research should be systematic.

Research should be valid.

These characteristics are related in that, as a composite, they describe the nature of research. They are somewhat separated in this discussion to focus on their individual meanings. (Wilson, 2007)

Research in Graduate Education in Public Administration

Research in graduate education in public administration is necessary for the future public administrators because in future these Public administrators would often ask questions that begin “how many,” “how much,” “how efficient,” “how effective,” “how adequate,” and “why.” They may want to learn something about a group of people, how much a program will cost, or what it can accomplish for each dollar spent. They need to decide how serious a problem is, whether a policy solved a problem, what distinguishes more effective programs from less effective ones, and whether clients are satisfied with program performance. They are accountable to politicians, parents, citizens, program clients, and the courts for public services. (Dubois, 2009)

Administrators rely on data to make better decisions, to monitor them, and to examine their effects. Data is just another word for information. Understanding research methods is key to gathering, using, and evaluating information. And as a current or future public administrator, you know that adequate information is key to making effective decisions.

As an administrator you may need to collect and summarize data and act on your findings or supervise others who do so. You may conduct studies to answer questions about programs under your jurisdiction, or you may contract with others to perform studies for you. You may receive regular reports to monitor the performance of your organization and employees. You may read research and get ideas you wish to ...