Advanced Introduction to Behavioral and Experimental Public Administration

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.

In this timely Advanced Introduction, Gregg G. Van Ryzin explores key ideas, methods, practices and prospects in the growing subfield of behavioral and experimental public administration (BEPA). He investigates the intellectual history of BEPA, as well as the rise of applied behavioral science work in governments around the globe. Chapters demonstrate the essential role of experimental design and logic in addressing emerging challenges in public policy and administration, including the ethical considerations of nudging.

Key Features:

• Traces the key theoretical ideas that inspired BEPA
• Surveys the rise of behavioral insights teams, or nudge units
• Examines the methodology and function of randomized experiments
• Analyses research on crucial themes, including government performance, work motivation, representative bureaucracy, collaborative governance and coproduction
• Outlines the criticisms and limitations of BEPA, as well as its prospects for future research and practice

This Advanced Introduction is a valuable read for scholars and students of public management and administration. Public managers and practitioners will benefit from its insights on the real-world applications of behavioral science and experimental techniques.

Gregg G. Van Ryzin, Professor, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University-Newark, USA