Public Administration: An Introduction is both comprehensive and cutting-edge, covering not just the basic topics (budgeting, human resource management, etc.), but also new realities in public administration:

innovations in e-government,

the importance of new technology,

changes in inter-governmental relations, especially the emphasis on inter-local and shared regional resources,

public performance and accountability initiatives.

This textbook has been crafted with student appeal in mind. Each of the book’s 14 chapters is generously illustrated with cartoons, quotes, and artwork—all reinforcing the book’s theme that the field of Public Administration is rooted in the cultural and political world. Each chapter also features a listing of key terms, exercises, and additional resources. The undergraduate students of Political Science and Public Administration will find the book useful.

“Holzer and Schwester have used their enormous experience to produce a fresh introductory textbook for public administration that really captures the contemporary themes that the popular media and scholars discuss, while providing a thorough background of the historical development of the field. The language is straightforward, the graphics are fantastic, and—without losing an American focus—the sweep of attention of Public Administration: An Introduction is more global than typically found in most introductory textbooks.”

—Montgomery Van Wart, California State University San Bernardino.