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Handbook of Research Methods in Public Administration, Management and Policy
This Handbook comprehensively explores research methods in public administration, management and policy. Exploring the richness of both traditional and contemporary methods and strategies for making progress in the field, it provides an advanced toolkit for understanding the science of public administration and management in the 21st century.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
This Handbook comprehensively explores research methods in public administration, management and policy. Exploring the richness of both traditional and contemporary methods and strategies for making progress in the field, it provides an advanced toolkit for understanding the science of public administration and management in the 21st century.
Bringing together leading international academics and experts, contributors focus on innovative research architectures, useful research techniques and best practices for the study of modern bureaucracy and the behaviour of its agents and stakeholders. Chapters look for new frontiers of the discipline with quantitative and qualitative tools and explore empirical studies to support theoretical insights. Each chapter of the Handbook provides specific examples of how these methods are used, enabling a practical understanding of a variety of intellectual paths and techniques for improving the study of modern governance.
Comprehensive and enlightening, this Handbook will be essential for academics of public policy and administration looking to enhance their research methods, as well as students learning the basics of research in this field. It will also benefit government experts, civil servants and policymakers who need to better understand how the public sector can benefit from public administration methodologies.
Bringing together leading international academics and experts, contributors focus on innovative research architectures, useful research techniques and best practices for the study of modern bureaucracy and the behaviour of its agents and stakeholders. Chapters look for new frontiers of the discipline with quantitative and qualitative tools and explore empirical studies to support theoretical insights. Each chapter of the Handbook provides specific examples of how these methods are used, enabling a practical understanding of a variety of intellectual paths and techniques for improving the study of modern governance.
Comprehensive and enlightening, this Handbook will be essential for academics of public policy and administration looking to enhance their research methods, as well as students learning the basics of research in this field. It will also benefit government experts, civil servants and policymakers who need to better understand how the public sector can benefit from public administration methodologies.
Critical Acclaim
‘The collection edited by Vigoda-Gadot and Vashdi addresses competence in research, through its examination of a range of approaches to public administration research and scholarship.
The book contributes to further contemplation of competence and its continued relevance to public administration work and thought.’
– Christopher L. Atkinson, Public Organization Review
‘It is our duty to keep the field of public administration not just relevant, but also scientifically sound and excellent. This book pushes us to these levels. Research methods are not sufficient but necessary for this excellence. This book guides us to a renewed generation of research methods. It is compulsory reading for sustainable public administration.’
– Geert Bouckaert, KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, Belgium
The book contributes to further contemplation of competence and its continued relevance to public administration work and thought.’
– Christopher L. Atkinson, Public Organization Review
‘It is our duty to keep the field of public administration not just relevant, but also scientifically sound and excellent. This book pushes us to these levels. Research methods are not sufficient but necessary for this excellence. This book guides us to a renewed generation of research methods. It is compulsory reading for sustainable public administration.’
– Geert Bouckaert, KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, Belgium
Contributors
Contributors: A. Barabashev, J. Baron, P. Belardinelli, E. Berman, R. Bouwman, H.T. Chen, C. Don-Yun, L. Gajary, H. Garelick, A. Goffen, M.E. Guy, J.V. Guedes-Neto, D. Herath, V. Hernandes Oliveira de Oliveira, F. Homberg, K. Kalu, D. Kettl, S. Khulmann, F.L. Leeuw, R. Macedo de Oliveira, V. Mele, P.A. Mischen, S. Mizrahi, A. Page, B.G. Peters, R. Plume, Y. Reingewertz, R.W. Schwester, D. Secchi, M. Seyfried, D. Vashdi, E. Vigoda-Gadot, D.L. Weimer, S.-B. Yang
Contents
Contents:
1 Towards a new age of research methods in public administration, public
management and public policy 1
Eran Vigoda-Gadot and Dana R. Vashdi
PART I QUANTITATIVE AND MIXED METHODS
2 Analysing relationships between multiple variables: applications for
public administration, policy and management 13
Dana R. Vashdi and Eran Vigoda-Gadot
3 Mixed methods in public administration: advantages and challenges 28
Paolo Belardinelli and Valentina Mele
4 Agent-based modeling as a tool for public management research 42
Fabian Homberg, Davide Secchi and Dinuka B. Herath
5 Hybridizing agent-based with system dynamics models: principles for
theory development in public policy and management research 63
Lisa Christen Gajary
6 Measurement of public values that do not involve money 88
Jonathan Baron
7 Theory building in public administration: utilizing factor analysis in the
development of analytical constructs 107
Kalu N. Kalu
8 The use of difference-in-differences (DiD) in public administration research 127
Yaniv Reingewertz
PART II QUALITATIVE AND COMPARATIVE METHODS
9 Qualitative research approaches: application in a UK public administration context 139
Ruth Plume, Alan Page and Hemda Garelick
10 Comparative methods A: exploring big comparative questions in public
administration 161
Evan Berman and Don-Yun Chen
11 Comparative methods B: comparative methods in public administration –
the value of looking around 181
Sabine Kuhlmann and Markus Seyfried
12 Comparative methods C: building a cross-national research project 197
Mary E. Guy and Seung-Bum Yang
PART III EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
13 Experimental methods A: survey experiments in public administration 218
B. Guy Peters and João V. Guedes-Neto
14 Experimental methods B: laboratory experiments 234
Robin Bouwman
PART IV PROGRAM EVALUATION, POLICY AND NETWORK ANALYSIS
15 Program evaluation A: program evaluation in action – traditional and
innovative approaches 254
Huey T. Chen
16 Program evaluation B: evaluation, big data, and artificial intelligence: two
sides of one coin 277
Frans L. Leeuw
17 Policy analysis: evaluating big stories 298
Shlomo Mizrahi
18 Introduction to social network analysis methods 314
Pamela A. Mischen
PART V BIG DATA AND ADVANCED METHODS
19 Advanced methods and big data 337
Donald F. Kettl
20 Dealing with open data: measuring the performance of public higher
education institutions using open government data 353
Vanessa Hernandes Oliveira de Oliveira and Róberson Macedo de Oliveira
PART VI ETHICS, OUTLIERS AND REPORTING
21 Ethical considerations in public administration research 365
Richard. W. Schwester
22 Finding gold in the dross: outliers as a resource for policy analysis 377
Anat Gofen and David L. Weimer
23 Constructive ending: how to finalize the conclusion and discussion of
a research project and a journal article 395
Alexey G. Barabashev
Index 411
1 Towards a new age of research methods in public administration, public
management and public policy 1
Eran Vigoda-Gadot and Dana R. Vashdi
PART I QUANTITATIVE AND MIXED METHODS
2 Analysing relationships between multiple variables: applications for
public administration, policy and management 13
Dana R. Vashdi and Eran Vigoda-Gadot
3 Mixed methods in public administration: advantages and challenges 28
Paolo Belardinelli and Valentina Mele
4 Agent-based modeling as a tool for public management research 42
Fabian Homberg, Davide Secchi and Dinuka B. Herath
5 Hybridizing agent-based with system dynamics models: principles for
theory development in public policy and management research 63
Lisa Christen Gajary
6 Measurement of public values that do not involve money 88
Jonathan Baron
7 Theory building in public administration: utilizing factor analysis in the
development of analytical constructs 107
Kalu N. Kalu
8 The use of difference-in-differences (DiD) in public administration research 127
Yaniv Reingewertz
PART II QUALITATIVE AND COMPARATIVE METHODS
9 Qualitative research approaches: application in a UK public administration context 139
Ruth Plume, Alan Page and Hemda Garelick
10 Comparative methods A: exploring big comparative questions in public
administration 161
Evan Berman and Don-Yun Chen
11 Comparative methods B: comparative methods in public administration –
the value of looking around 181
Sabine Kuhlmann and Markus Seyfried
12 Comparative methods C: building a cross-national research project 197
Mary E. Guy and Seung-Bum Yang
PART III EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
13 Experimental methods A: survey experiments in public administration 218
B. Guy Peters and João V. Guedes-Neto
14 Experimental methods B: laboratory experiments 234
Robin Bouwman
PART IV PROGRAM EVALUATION, POLICY AND NETWORK ANALYSIS
15 Program evaluation A: program evaluation in action – traditional and
innovative approaches 254
Huey T. Chen
16 Program evaluation B: evaluation, big data, and artificial intelligence: two
sides of one coin 277
Frans L. Leeuw
17 Policy analysis: evaluating big stories 298
Shlomo Mizrahi
18 Introduction to social network analysis methods 314
Pamela A. Mischen
PART V BIG DATA AND ADVANCED METHODS
19 Advanced methods and big data 337
Donald F. Kettl
20 Dealing with open data: measuring the performance of public higher
education institutions using open government data 353
Vanessa Hernandes Oliveira de Oliveira and Róberson Macedo de Oliveira
PART VI ETHICS, OUTLIERS AND REPORTING
21 Ethical considerations in public administration research 365
Richard. W. Schwester
22 Finding gold in the dross: outliers as a resource for policy analysis 377
Anat Gofen and David L. Weimer
23 Constructive ending: how to finalize the conclusion and discussion of
a research project and a journal article 395
Alexey G. Barabashev
Index 411
