American Society for Public Administration

About: American Society for Public Administration is a nonprofit organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Corporate governance & Government. The organization has 13 authors who have published 14 publications receiving 1428 citations.

The New Governance: Practices and Processes for Stakeholder and Citizen Participation in the Work of Government

Abstract: Leaders in public affairs identify tools and instruments for the new governance through networks of public, private, and nonprofit organizations. We argue the new governance also involves people—the tool makers and tool users—and the processes through which they participate in the work of government. Practitioners are using new quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial governance processes, including deliberative democracy, e-democracy, public conversations, participatory budgeting, citizen juries, study circles, collaborative policy making, and alternative dispute resolution, to permit citizens and stakeholders to actively participate in the work of government. We assess the existing legal infrastructure authorizing public managers to use new governance processes and discuss a selection of quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial new governance processes in international, federal, state, and local public institutions. We conclude that public administration needs to address these processes in teaching and research to help the public sector develop and use informed best practices.

State Social Services Contracting: Exploring the Determinants of Effective Contract Accountability

Abstract: This article examines the effectiveness of contract accountability in social service contracts. The analysis is based on five case studies of Kansas contracts for selected welfare, Medicaid, and foster care and adoption services. Results indicate the state has achieved moderate to high levels of accountability effectiveness, especially in terms of specifying social service contracts and selecting appropriate accountability strategies. However, accountability is undermined by the use of risk shifting, reliance on a system of multiple competing providers, and the adoption of new information technologies. These conclusions contradict the conventional wisdom, theory, and existing research on contracting.

Administration, Governance, and Policy Tools in Welfare Policy Implementation

Abstract: Landmark welfare reform legislation passed in 1996 has been operating by legislative extensions since its expiration in September 2002. At this writing, reauthorization has been derailed by controversy over various legislative proposals. In this article, we contribute to the welfare policy debate by studying the importance of specific policy tools and the role of public administration in the dramatic fall in welfare caseloads from 1996 to 2000. Using administrative and survey data on welfare programs in 44 states, we test our theory that caseload reduction is a function of administrative commitments, policy design, and administrative actions linked to five sets of governance variables: environmental factors, client characteristics, treatments, administrative structures, and managerial roles and actions. We find strong evidence that administrative action to move clients into work, coupled with administrative commitments, can provide important links between policy goals and policy outcomes.

Performance-Based Government Models: Building a Track Record

Abstract: Governments across the country have embarked on performance-based government efforts. Typical goals of these efforts are to clarify the mission and priority objectives of government with an emphasis on the expected results, to develop mechanisms for monitoring and reporting the achievement of those objectives, and to use this information to make decisions about government activities, including making government more accountable Although many governments have reported success in establishing their performance-based programs, we found ourselves wondering whether any of these programs are showing signs that they can be sustained over time. Are performance-based reports or budgets being used by managers and policy makers? Are the performance programs maintained after implementation? If so, what are the factors critical to success? To answer these questions, we reviewed performance-based government efforts in progress throughout the country with a focus on the initiatives of five states. 1 This discussion begins by describing the efforts in those five states: the stated need, the approach, and the results to date. We then discuss the elements of success and the lessons learned from these performance-based government pioneers.

Performance: Promises to Keep and Miles to Go

Abstract: In July 1995, the American Society for Public Administration's Endowment Board established the Donald C. Stone Fund to honor the memory of this public administration legend. Income from this fund is used to sponsor a lecture or symposium at ASPA's national conference, which reflects Stone's varied interests and contributions to the field. This year marked the tenth Donald C. Stone Lecture. On April 4, Patricia Wallace Ingraham was ASPA's Stone Lecturer and gave the following speech