The Yoke of Objectivity in Public Administration (and Beyond) (2024)

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Erynn E Beaton

The Ohio State University

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USA

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Jos C N Raadschelders

The Ohio State University

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USA

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Gregory D Wilson

The Ohio State University

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USA

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Nicole Rodriguez Leach

The Ohio State University

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USA

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Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, gvae005, https://doi.org/10.1093/ppmgov/gvae005

Published:

05 August 2024

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    Erynn E Beaton, Jos C N Raadschelders, Gregory D Wilson, Shaun Khurana, Nicole Rodriguez Leach, The Yoke of Objectivity in Public Administration (and Beyond), Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, 2024;, gvae005, https://doi.org/10.1093/ppmgov/gvae005

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ABSTRACT

Objective research has become an institution, one born out of the Enlightenment, and one that continues to burden public administration scholarship (and, we suspect, much scholarship in the social sciences). As we show, objectivity is a complex, multi-dimensional concept that commands its normative status through dominant philosophies of science. We problematize objectivity, focusing on the dimension of objectivity that suggests research can and should be value-free. Many scholars have contested this notion of objectivity, especially those arguing that research claiming to be value-neutral has done real harm to marginalized groups and undermined social equity. From this basis, we invite public administration scholars to remove the yoke of objectivity for a more honest, conscientious, and forthright field where scholars incorporate greater reflexivity into and take greater responsibility for the social impact of their work.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Public Management Research Association. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model (https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights)

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The Yoke of Objectivity in Public Administration (and Beyond) (2024)

FAQs

What is objectivity in public administration? ›

The objectivity principle means that government authorities are obliged to act in a factual and impartial way at all times. This objectivity must also characterise matters outside decision making as such. The objectivity principle can also be interpreted as a prohibition.

What are the three core themes of public administration that we discuss in this course? ›

Politics, performance, and accountability.

Who is of the belief that public administration may be understood in terms of locus and focus? ›

Many scholars and academicians dwelt upon this aspect from different perspective. Some of them have discussed it from the point of view of traditions such as Absolutist, Liberal - Democratic and Marxian while to Golembiewski it may be understood in terms of locus and focus.

What are the three approaches to public administration and values? ›

The three approaches to public administration can be depicted as political, legal and managerial approaches. The managerial approach corresponds to the executive functions of the government. It can be understood in terms of an organization just like a private organization the delegation of power is decentralized.

What is the best example of objectivity? ›

An objective perspective refers to a viewpoint or approach that is unbiased, impartial, and based on facts and verifiable evidence. For example, this is an objective statement: Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

What are the three types of objectivity? ›

The locution itself suggests that different notions of objectivity – ontological, mechanical and aperspectival – are simply different features of a single thing, perhaps in the way that rooms and walls and hallways and such are different features or aspects of a house.

What are the 4 P's of public administration? ›

According to Luther Gulick, an eminent scholar of Public Administration, there are four basis of department organization, these are purpose, process, person, place, popularly known as 4Ps Principle.

What are the 3 E's of public administration? ›

3 E's concept: economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

What are the 3 Ps in public administration? ›

The 3-P Approach To Public Sector Governance - Principles, Process And Performance.

What are the 4 paradigms of public administration? ›

Paradigm 1: the politics-administration dichotomy, 1900–1926. Paradigm 2: the principles of administration, 1927–1937. Paradigm 3: public administration as political science, 1950–1970. Paradigm 4: public administration as management, 1956–1970.

What are the principles of public administration? ›

As it observes in its first pages, there are some principles of public administration that are widely accepted today. “These principles should include transparency and accountability, participation and pluralism, subsidiarity, efficiency and effectiveness, and equity and access to services”.

What are the three theories of public administration? ›

Public administration theory encompasses various frameworks and concepts that guide the practice of managing public organizations and implementing public policies. Classical, neoclassical, and modern theories contribute to understanding the complexities of public administration.

Which approach is best for public administration? ›

The managerial approach focuses on efficiency and effectiveness, the political approach on the role of politics, the legal approach on the legal framework, and the economic approach on the use of economic analysis. The best approach to use in a particular situation will depend on the specific circ*mstances.

What are the three elements of public administration? ›

It is the art and science of management applied to the affairs of the State. It emphasizes on getting the work of government done by coordinating the efforts of people. It covers all three branches of governance- executive, legislative, and judicial, though focus more on executive.

What is the meaning of objectivity? ›

: the quality or character of being objective : lack of favoritism toward one side or another : freedom from bias. Many people questioned the selection committee's objectivity.

What is objectivity in your own words? ›

Objectivity is a noun that means a lack of bias, judgment, or prejudice. Maintaining one's objectivity is the most important job of a judge. The meaning of objectivity is easy to remember, when you see that the word "object" embedded within it.

What is objective in administration? ›

However, the main objective of public administration is to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in an organizational. Public Administration sees over the affairs of government, starting from the government plans, strategies, policies and the execution of those policies.

What is objectivity principle in simple words? ›

The objectivity principle emphasises that financial statements should be objective, i.e., the accounting information should be unbiased and free of any external or internal influence when it comes to accounting. This contributes to the credibility and usefulness of financial statements in the appraisal process.

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