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Tips on Choosing a Topic

Choose a topic.

Choosing a topic does not seem like it should be difficult. Unfortunately, it often is.

Choosing a right topic can often make the entire process much easier. This can be done if you follow these steps.

1. Pick a topic that interests you.

The topics we can choose are often dictated by assignments, classes, professors, etc. But, find a topic you like will make the process more rewarding.

If you have an open-ended assignment, browsing the databases listed below can help you decide on a topic by giving you a jumping off point. They also have the added benefit of suggesting many different resources once your topic is found:

• CQ Researcher This database publishes reports that provide overviewed, background information, opinion pieces, and lots of references for a large collection of topics. A really great place to start, if you aren’t certain what’s out there.
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context Much like CQ Researcher, this database provides overviews, media, background information, and lots of references on specific topics that are known to be in the public eye. A great place to browse for topics, or to find out more about one you’re considering.
• Google News or Yahoo News – specific topics Google or Yahoo news can show you topics that are currently being discussed. It can be a good place to start.

2. Find information on your topic.

You may find a topic like "Obesity" or "Fracking" interesting enough to write about, but not know very much beyond what you've noticed in the news.

That's okay! Even for subjects that you feel that you know a lot about, it's hugely beneficial to get background information. That's where encyclopedias and other reference materials come in. You can use them to discover definitions, general trends, subtopics, and other items of interest about the subject you are interested in. Once this information is gathered, you can use it conduct more effective research.

Didn't think you'd see this here, did you?

Wikipedia is a really good example of a reference source: a place you go when you want to see what something is. Just like many other encyclopedias, it can give you a basic overview, related topics, and even a brief history of your subject. However, because pages can be edited by anyone (your mom, your little brother, your nosy neighbor down the street), there’s a risk that someone has messed around with the information and it’s completely wrong . On top of that, you can’t cite it. So feel free to use it, but make sure you use it wisely.

• Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVR) Imagine this as Wikipedia’s older, more reliable sibling, the one you can count on to not exaggerate or just plain lie. It works the same way, but people who have definitely done their research are the ones writing the entries. What’s more, unlike Wikipedia, most instructors will allow materials from GVR to be cited in your assignment. Information isn’t worth very much if you can’t use it!
• Oxford Reference Online , and Sage Reference Online Just like the GVR, but from different publishers.

Now that you’ve done your background research, your topic should be shaping itself more clearly to you. It can help at this point to create a concept or mind map that demonstrates the interconnected aspects of the topic and how they relate to each other.

It’s now that you need to take the aspects of the topic that are of most interest to you, and form them into a question that your research assignment will answer. This question will guide your research forward, helping you to stay focused and relevant.

3. Create a research question.

When the time comes to do the bulk of your research, three different things can happen with your results.

It’s not pleasant to be on the verge of writing a paper or script, only to find that your topic is too new, obscure, narrow, or broad to find enough supporting research to complete. So it’s important to try it out, and to change your topic, if you find yourself with too many, too few, or irrelevant results.

Some good general tools to try a preliminary search in are:

• LIONSearch This tool is a single interface to the combined resources provided by the Penn State University Libraries. What that means is that LIONSearch covers almost everything that the library has access to, both print and digital collections. The Google of the library, if you will.
• Academic Search Complete Comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,300 full-text periodicals - in other words, lots of great stuff!
• The CAT This is the library’s traditional catalog, but it doesn’t only search books. Ebooks, videos, journals, and many other types of media can be found here as well

While you’re searching, if you find a few articles or books that you really like, use the GET IT! button

Example questions might be:

• How has the obesity epidemic affected Native communities in the United States?
• How has the economy of North Dakota been affected by fracking?

As you can see, these questions take specific aspects of the broader topics of “obesity” and “fracking,” and narrows them both into focused queries that a thesis statement then begin to answer.

5. Broaden or narrow your topic as needed.

If during your test search, you found too many or too few results, you may need to either narrow, or broaden your topic to make it more manageable.

• To narrow your topic, consider making it more specific. Focus on one aspect of your topic. This can include geographical area, culture, time frame, discipline, and population group (age, gender, ethnic group, profession, etc).
• To broaden your topic, consider backing away from your more specific descriptors. Topics that are very narrow are often locally confined, recent, or focusing on very specific aspects of a larger whole (eg. Lady Gaga vs. Pop Music). 

If you're having any difficulty with this step, or any other, feel free to Ask a Librarian .

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This research guide seeks to give you a first overview of library resources relevant to your research in public policy and public administration. 

If you are new to the topic, start with surveys provided in specialized handbooks and encyclopedias  and bibliographies and literature reviews . Once you have become more familiar with the extant scholarship, move on to in-depth research in research databases , leading public policy journals , and, of course, a treasure trove of books available through Harvard Library. 

Depending on your specific area of interest, you may also want to consult Harvard Library-subscribed directories of government institutions and policymakers or brush up on research methods for public policy analysis.  

Last but not least, check out news coverage , including  podcasts , on current issues in wide array of public policy areas. 

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Theorizing from Qualitative Research in Public Administration: Plurality through a Combination of Rigor and Richness

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Rachel Elizabeth Ashworth, Aoife Mary McDermott, Graeme Currie, Theorizing from Qualitative Research in Public Administration: Plurality through a Combination of Rigor and Richness, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory , Volume 29, Issue 2, April 2019, Pages 318–333, https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muy057

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Scholars emphasize the need for additional rigor in qualitative research. This inadvertently encourages formulaic and standardized approaches that undermine the benefits of theorizing from rich data. Our study extends debate by emphasizing the importance of sound qualitative public administration research that blends rigor with richness and thereby facilitates effective theorization. Evidence from a narrative review of 31 qualitative studies published within six leading public administration journals demonstrates that effective theorizing is linked to transparency in research design, analytic approach, and theoretical contribution. In-depth interrogation of four studies that illustrate “inductive theorizing” and “abductive theorizing” identifies plurality in the balance struck between rigor and richness. We derive a broad set of principles that enable researchers to make a convincing “conceptual leap” between data, analysis, and contribution. We also emphasize the need to accommodate pluralistic approaches to theorizing by nuancing requirements for essential aspects of qualitative reporting, versus those amenable to variation.

Qualitative research has made a significant contribution to theory in the field of public administration ( Andrews and Esteve 2015 ; Riccucci 2010a ), evidenced by landmark studies, such as Selznick’s research in the Tennessee Valley Authority ( Selznick 1949 ) and recent contributions that include Watkins-Hayes’ study of race and representative bureaucracy ( 2011 ) and an analysis of institutional work from Cloutier et al. (2016) . These contributions reflect the ability of qualitative research to push theoretical boundaries and generate theoretical insights ( Bansal and Corley 2012 ). Theorizing involves making convincing inferences to explanations grounded in data, such that it is a process of abstraction by the researcher that maintains a capacity to frame understanding and interpretation for others ( Cornelissen and Durand 2014 ; Welch et al. 2011 ). Historically, public administration scholars have undertaken significant efforts to boost rigor in qualitative research (see Brower, Abolafia, and Carr 2000 ; Feldman et al. 2004 ; Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 , for examples), but have devoted much less attention to theorizing. This is a concern given evidence from management and organization studies that indicates addressing rigor in qualitative inquiry may privilege a focus on methods—fashioned in the image of quantitative research—that serves to undermine pluralism in qualitative theorizing ( Cornelissen 2017 ; Delbridge and Fiss 2013 ; Langley 1999 ).

In light of these critiques, in this study, we contribute to the longstanding debate on qualitative research in public administration by emphasizing the importance of blending rigor with richness. In doing so, we illustrate plurality in the process of effective theorizing. Our analysis is premised on results from a two-stage investigation focused on the subfield of network and collaborative governance. The first stage entailed a systematic narrative review of 31 qualitative studies published within six leading public administration journals ( Andrews and Esteve 2015 ). The second stage involved the development of a detailed narrative account of four case study articles— Bate (2000) , Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) , Ferlie and McGivern (2014) , Saz-Carranza and Ospina (2011) —and illustrates depth and variety in the application of two common theorizing methods: “inductive theorizing” and “abductive theorizing.”Our analysis suggests the need for transparency, consistency and connection in three component elements that underpin theorizing from qualitative research: research design, analytic approach, and theoretical contribution ( Albert et al. 2008 ). In addition, we highlight and emphasize reporting elements that are essential for high quality theorizing, along with those that may vary. As such, the study facilitates rigorous theorizing by supporting qualitative researchers to make a convincing “conceptual leap” between data, analysis, and contribution—regardless of whether they are using a deductive, inductive, or abductive approach—while recognizing and accommodating plurality in terms of the balance between richness and rigor ( Bansal and Corley 2012 ).

The article is structured as follows. First, we review studies of qualitative research in public administration and focus attention on the process and practice of theorizing through qualitative scholarship. Next, we present detail on our methodological approach and research design, before the review and analysis of our empirical evidence. The manuscript concludes by detailing an over-arching framework that comprises a broad set of principles designed to support better qualitative reporting, in a manner that blends rigorous research design with the richness of the qualitative approach, and underpins theorization.

Theorizing in Qualitative Research in Public Administration

In the field of public administration, most commentators have focused on the ways that qualitative scholars can enhance their research reporting ( Jensen and Rodgers 2001 ; Perry and Kraemer 1986 ). Many criticize the derivation of qualitative accounts as opaque ( Brower, Abolafia, and Carr 2000 ; Justice 2007 ; Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 ; Tummers and Karsten 2012 ) and cite the need to make “choices explicit, consistent, and transparent throughout the research process” ( Dodge, Ospina, and Foldy 2005 , 297). Calls for transparency relate to research design, to the transition from data collection to analysis, and to how the data underpin the claimed contribution ( Brower, Abolafia, and Carr 2000 ; Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 ). Yet agreement on standard assessment criteria has proved challenging, due to the plurality of qualitative approaches. Qualitative studies can span rich single case ethnography, through to comparative cases and large data sets premised on a range of data gathering techniques, such as interviews, direct and participant observations, and document collation and review. This results in multiple forms of qualitative data including direct quotes, textual notes, and documentary excerpts.Although quantitative studies also display methodological diversity, the underpinning philosophical differences evident across qualitative methods make it difficult to apply a generic template to assess rigor ( Haverland and Yanow 2012 ; Jensen and Rodgers 2001 ), especially when standard tests of validity and reliability do not easily apply to qualitative approaches ( Dodge, Ospina, and Foldy 2005 ; Ospina 2011 ; White 1986 ). Thus authors raise the concern that judgements of qualitative research are often “based on a problematic definition of quality and misguided criteria” ( Jensen and Rodgers 2001 , 235), with scholars either embracing this version of rigor in ways that reduce the plurality of qualitative research ( Delbridge and Fiss 2013 ), or rejecting the concept in ways that undermine its legitimacy ( Harley 2016 ). This suggests there is a need to achieve a better balance between rigor and richness and develop broad principles to underpin theorizing in qualitative research that accommodate plurality in approach ( McCurdy and Cleary 1984 ; Stout 2013 ; White 1986 ).

Theorizing involves making convincing inferences to explanations grounded in data, and is commonly premised on deduction, induction, or abduction. Deduction involves inference about a particular empirical instance, based on the general case ( Mantere and Ketokivi 2013 ). Deductive approaches start with the generation of expectations from theory. These are interrogated (tested) in research data, with the theory potentially modified as a consequence of empirical findings ( Tavory and Timmermans 2014 ). However, despite their value in predicting, confirming, and disconfirming expectations, deductive approaches are poor at ruling out alternative explanations ( Mantere and Ketokivi 2013 ). This reduces the likelihood of purely deductive qualitative studies. In contrast, induction involves inference to generalization based on the observation of specific instances ( Glaser 1998 ; Eisenhardt 1989 ; Mantere and Ketokivi 2013 ). Researchers familarize themselves with empirical observations and aggregate through comparison ( Glaser and Strauss 1967 ; Gioia, Corley, and Hamilton 2013 ). Thus, inductive approaches are grounded in data and initially premised on abstraction independent of theoretical preconceptions.

However, recent studies have flagged concern that purely inductive empirically derived insights serve to underplay the importance of pre-existing theory ( Reichertz 2010 ). As a result, abduction is receiving increasing attention. Abduction stems from a puzzle, whereby there is an absence of an existing or sufficient theoretical explanation for data, causing the search for a new explanation. As a result, abduction implies a wider and more extended engagement with extant theories than induction (end-stage) and deduction (outset) and is increasingly associated with the development of “new” hypotheses ( Mantere and Ketokivi 2013 ; Tavory and Timmermans 2014 ). Puzzles prompt exploratory inference, and subsequent development of the best-fitting explanations, thereby combining deduction and induction to produce theoretical and empirical insights ( Klag and Langley 2013 ; Mantere and Ketokivi 2013 ; Reichertz 2010 ). This reflects potential for data and theory to augment each other, such that theory enables the researcher to see things in the data that might otherwise be taken for granted and shape new theoretical propositions that, in turn, empirical observations help to evaluate ( Tavory and Timmermans 2014 ).

To summarize, we note that deductive approaches start from extant theoretical understandings, inductive approaches start with an empirical orientation, and abductive approaches often utilize a combination of deductive and inductive aspects in grappling with puzzles. Despite these differences, deduction, induction, and abduction can each enable and support the generation of the conceptual leaps that underpin theorizing—although their trajectories will likely differ.

The process of theorizing can be employed to produce different types of theoretical contribution that include theory generation (also known as building), theory elaboration, or theory testing ( Cornelissen and Durand 2014 ; Lee, Mitchell, and Sablynski 1999 ; Riccucci 2010b ). Deduction is commonly used to test theory, while induction and abduction can be used to elaborate or generate theory. Regardless of approach, Peirce (1931–1935, vol. I, p. X) identifies “finding” and “checking” as distinct and essential components of the theorizing process. So processes of methodological decision making, and the way these are explained, reported, and supported are essential for effective theorizing. Indeed “method is not the enemy of creative theorization, but its closest ally” ( Tavory and Timmermans 2014 , 51). How authors convey their data is an important part of this process as “data never stand on their own” ( Golden-Biddle and Locke 1997 , 57), but both look back to the research situation, and forward to theoretical resolutions.Theorizing tends to occur when authors both show their data, and tell their significance ( Golden-Biddle and Locke 1997 ). In qualitative scholarship and in a practical sense, “showing” tends to involve providing direct quotes or document extracts in the text or tables, while telling is heavier on author interpretation and often presented in the form of a narrative or description that highlights salient characteristics and theoretically significant aspects. Decisions on data analysis and presentation in the form of “showing” and “telling” are critical in underpinning the “conceptual leap” between research data and theoretical contribution—a pivotal moment in theorizing that is not without challenge, in terms of making sense of the data and finding ways to articulate this in theoretical terms ( Gehman et al. 2018 ; Gioia, Corley, and Hamilton 2013 ; Klag and Langley 2013 ).

Finally, in considering theorization in public administration, it is important to reflect on concerns that theorizing from qualitative data has been colonized by modes more typically the preserve of quantitative methods ( Cornelissen 2017 ; Cornelissen and Durand 2014 ; Delbridge and Fiss 2013 ; Llewelyn 2003 ). This is argued to be evident both in how qualitative research is reported, and also in a trend toward translating qualitative data into transferable explanatory factors ( Bluhm et al. 2011 ). Although this shift has enhanced methodological rigor, there are some inherent trade-offs including a loss of plurality in the field, and potential reduction in explanatory richness both empirically and theoretically ( Cornelissen 2017 ). This prompts the question: “ What, then, might allow us to develop more diverse but robust and persuasive theorizing in the future ?” ( Delbridge and Fiss 2013 , 330).

In summary, commentaries on qualitative research highlight a variety of approaches to theorizing. However, they also note a dilemma in terms of strengthening rigor while maintaining the richness of qualitative data. This suggests a need to identify appropriate criteria to underpin theorizing in public administration ( McCurdy and Cleary 1984 ; Stout 2013 ; White 1986 ). We consider next how scholars have addressed these challenges in a specific field of public administration—network and collaborative governance.

A Focus on Network and Collaborative Governance

Previous studies of qualitative research in public administration have been designed to provide systematic and comprehensive overviews of research practices across the discipline (see Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 , for a recent example). In contrast, this manuscript aims to facilitate rigorous theorizing through qualitative research focused on a discrete area of public administration—network and collaborative governance. We select this subdiscipline because the relatively recent shift from hierarchy to collaborative forms of governance has posed a series of novel theoretical puzzles for public administration researchers ( O’Toole 1997 , 2015 ). Although qualitative and quantitative scholars have responded to this challenge in relatively even measure, it is argued that qualitative research is able to make a particularly significant contribution because it is especially able to advance the field in areas of new and limited research through addressing alternative questions (e.g., Watkins-Hayes 2011 ). These include shedding light on what works, where, and why and “generating new hypotheses by examining how complex causal pathways actually occur” ( Moynihan 2012 , 574; O’Toole 1997 ; Rhodes and William 1996 ).

Research in this subfield of public administration tends to focus on configurations, such as service-based networks, public–private partnerships and strategic alliances, predicated on the basis that hierarchies and markets insufficiently address persistent policy problems ( Entwistle 2010 ; McGuire 2006 ). Exploration of a range of issues is evident, including: the internal dynamics of collaboration and the “unique” strategies and skills of collaborative management ( Agranoff 2006 ; Campbell 2012 ; McGuire 2006 ; Meier and O’Toole 2001 ; O’Leary and Vij 2012 ); collaborative leadership ( Waugh and Streib 2006 ); and the behavioral dimensions and experiences of collaboration ( Purdy 2012 ; Reynaers 2014 ). However, our core interest is the theorizing process through qualitative research leading to the production of these insights, rather than network and collaborative governance per se. In the following section of this article, we elaborate on the selection criteria used to identify our study sample.

Selecting and Evaluating Qualitative Studies on Networks and Collaborative Governance

This section outlines further detail on our research design, reports on data collection decisions and explains the analytic approach underpinning our study. In essential terms, data collection entailed the identification of a set of qualitative journal articles relating to network and collaborative governance for further analysis and discussion. This involved a team of three researchers working through four key stages that are described below, and illustrated in figure 1 .

Stage 1: Review

Consistent with the argument that “a review of qualitative research is best served by reliance upon qualitative methods themselves” ( Jones 2004 , 95), the research team engaged in a systematic narrative review ( Greenhalgh et al. 2004 ; Powell, Rushmer, and Davies 2009 ; Powell and Davies 2016 ). The narrative review approach is designed to provide an interpretive, holistic, and nuanced interpretation of qualitative research ( Jones 2004 , 96). The review focused on six leading international journals— Governance, International Public Management Journal, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Administration , Public Administration Review , and Public Management Review —selected on the basis that they are the source of world-leading public management scholarship, as indicated in prior research ( Andrews and Esteve 2015 ; Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 ). Articles published within the period 2000–17 were considered, to capture research prompted by the development of “joined-up” organizations and collaborative structures, consistent with a shift toward the “new public service” ( Denhardt and Denhardt 2000 ).

Studies were identified by using the search terms “network governance” and “collaborative governance.” Admittedly, these topics are relatively wide-ranging, so it is important to be specific about what types of studies were included under these headings. To provide a focus for the review, qualitative articles that shed light on the organization, management, and performance of public sector networks were selected for inclusion. However, studies such as those on the role of political actors (e.g., the EU) or the development of policy networks were not included (e.g., Damgaard 2006 ; Le Galès 2001 ). Nor were those focused on governance more broadly (e.g., Behagel and Arts 2014 ). Articles were also excluded on methodological grounds. For example, the study of a collaborative natural disaster system by Wang and Yin (2013) adopts a mixed-methods rather than a purely qualitative approach, and so was omitted. Studies were also excluded if they failed to present empirical qualitative research, or provided reflections on network governance derived from wider qualitative datasets or case studies but did not explicate detail about research design and primary data gathering (e.g., Leach 2006 ; Purdy 2012 ; Weber and Khademian 2008 ). This stage of the analysis resulted in the initial selection of a sample of 43 journal articles.

Stage 2: Refinement

The review team conducted a more detailed analysis of the 43 qualitative articles within the sample. Twelve further articles were excluded at this stage on the basis of their focus, for example, where networks or collaborations were a feature but not a central element of the article’s theoretical contribution. Or when under closer inspection the article did not address issues pertaining to the organization, management, and performance of networks. For example, Gains’ (2009) study of local governance networks in the United Kingdom highlights on the shifting context for local government elites, rather than the organization, management, and performance of the network itself. A sample of 31 articles remained after refinement.

Stage 3: Analysis

In stage 3, the review team began the process of analysis, that involved open and inclusive discussion of the 31 articles. This technique marked the first stage of a process that applied a series of thematic criteria to underpin analysis. Here, these included: theoretical perspective (fields covered within the literature review); qualitative method (case study, interview, observation, documentary analysis); analytic approach (detail of thematic analysis and/or coding procedures employed to support the shift from data to claims) ; presentation of evidence (whether data is “told” in the form of a research narrative, and/or “shown” in quotation or table format); and key contribution to theory. With respect to analytic approach , we anticipated that this would vary depending upon the type of theorizing in play. As previously noted, inductive approaches start with an empirical orientation, deductive approaches start from extant theoretical understandings, and abductive approaches utilize both. In some cases data may be coded, while in others they may be analyzed in broad thematic terms and even though these trajectories will differ, all three approaches should facilitate the generation of the conceptual leaps that underpin theorizing. The emphasis on analytic approach in this study is designed to capture how theory informed the analysis, whether the study was inductive, deductive, or abductive, and how data were analyzed by the researcher.

However, it should be noted it was not possible to discern this information for all cases due to a level of ambiguity within many studies. Consequently, we have sought to provide a summary interpretation of the analytic approach adopted in each case. Further, we note that our sample did not include any examples of purely deductive research. Iterating between the studies and the criteria set, the team then proceeded to agree a summary of each article.

Stage 4: Identifying Illustrative Cases

The 31 studies were then subject to a further stage of narrative review by the research team. This process involved the identification of a subset of four studies that were selected as they provide neat illustrations of the variation in approaches to theorizing through qualitative research. The studies are Bate (2000) , Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) , Ferlie and McGivern (2014) , Saz-Carranza and Ospina (2011) (for reference these are marked * in the first column of Supplementary Table 1 ). The first two studies each adopt an inductive approach but execute this in quite different ways. Bate (2000) provides an example of thick description based on ethnography, while the article by Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) is indicative of interpretive or thematic analyses that have been identified as underrepresented in leading management journals ( Cornelissen 2017 ). The latter two studies engage in different forms of abductive theorizing, combining deduction and induction. Ferlie and McGivern (2014) is noteworthy for its strong upfront utilization of theory and Saz-Carranza and Ospina (2011) provide a particularly comprehensive overview of their analytic approach. Discussion of these cases facilitated the opportunity to develop a broad set of principles to support theorizing in qualitative public administration research. These are presented and reviewed in detail in the closing sections of this article.

Having discussed the research design and analytic approach, we employed in the context of this study, the following section of the article reports on the research findings that emerged from the narrative review. It begins by providing a summary characterization and analysis of the full set of qualitative studies.

Summary of Qualitative Research on Network and Collaborative Governance

Detailed analysis of the full set of studies (which is reported in full in Supplementary Table 1 ) indicates that scholars are addressing significant and important theoretical questions on network and collaborative governance through qualitative research. However, the reporting of information on qualitative methods and data collection among these studies is variable and somewhat ad hoc. Some authors afford particular attention to the sampling rationale, when for other studies this could be more systematically addressed. Similarly, on occasions data gathering is extensively detailed, while elsewhere it is pithily described and, in a minority of articles, only briefly mentioned. Beyond an often broad characterization of analytic approach, there is sometimes a lack of specification of processes underpinning the review, incorporation, and presentation of data. Authors vary in their description of the derivation of themes and codes, and differ in the detail provided regarding the link between data and conceptual claims. Few studies discuss these in detail and those that do, tend to demonstrate abductive theorizing (seldom labeled as such) that combines elements of inductive and deductive approaches.

It is interesting to observe that few articles explicitly identify with, and conform to, a pure grounded theory approach, despite the common perception that most qualitative research adopts this perspective ( Suddaby 2006 ; Tummers and Karsten 2012 ). In terms of the presentation of data and empirical findings, many of the articles rely more on “telling” rather than “showing” their data, but it is important to emphasize that qualitative scholars often face a pragmatic challenge in balancing “showing” data with providing a coherent narrative within a limited word count. Sometimes these “trade-offs”’ are discussed explicitly in concluding sections, along with reflections on the generalizability of the research—for example, Moynihan (2009) identifies that the loss of rich data is associated with his decision to analyze multiple cases. However, in most cases, these choices remain implicit, along with reflections on the wider applicability, implications, and generalizability of findings.

Our overview of the set of 31 qualitative studies on network and collaborative governance provides some support for claims that qualitative studies are developing greater theoretical ambition and sophistication in the specification of their contributions (e.g., Saz-Carranza, Iborra, and Albareda 2016 ; Walker et al. 2013 ). However, our findings resonate with others in identifying that all too often aspects of the qualitative research process remain opaque ( Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 ). This potentially undermines the value of qualitative research and places limitations on the quality of theorizing, especially when there is an inadequate account of the steps taken between data collection, analysis, argument and conclusions.

On the basis of this review, we propose that theorizing in qualitative public administration is likely to be most effective when authors provide transparent accounts for, and outline the connections between, their research design, analytic approach, and theoretical contribution. To further unpack these elements and elaborate examples of the theorizing process, we now move to discuss four illustrative studies derived from the wider set.

Case Studies of Theorizing in Qualitative Research on Network and Collaborative Governance

To demonstrate alternative approaches to theorizing from qualitative research in public administration, we select four contrasting studies to illustrate two common theorizing methods: “inductive theorizing” and “abductive theorizing.” These studies helpfully illuminate pluralist approaches to theorizing through qualitative research, although it should be noted from the outset that the studies highlight the practical challenges of reporting qualitative research and, as such, they do not fully meet the guiding principles proposed in the concluding section of the article.

Inductive Theorizing

The first of the two studies that exhibit inductive theorizing is Bate (2000) . Bate’s study is focused upon implementation problems associated with networked governance and is especially inductive in approach, even for qualitative studies. Eschewing a detailed literature review, the research problem is set out as one of cultural fragmentation that stymies attempts at networked governance. Bate reports on a method that blends action research with ethnography (“action ethnography”) and the reader is promised a dynamic account of change underpinned by an emergent interview schedule, consistent with an inductive approach. Indeed, very soon into the article, Bate launches into rich and contextualized description and manages to organize the data in a coherent manner to capture the chaotic nature of organizational life, without drawing upon themes derived from literature. In the process he avoids a common pitfall of qualitative research, where scholars represent the “messiness” of the “real world” but often render a complex research account that inhibits a strong storyline. A number of implicit analytic strategies are evident in Bate’s presentation of findings. The article temporally brackets the process of change, providing a clear sequencing that assists the reader, while also ordering data to demonstrate organizational problems, early impressions, subsequent diagnosis, and solution ( Langley 1999 ; Langley et al. 2013 ). In this sense, he describes a networked governance process that is ongoing, rather than linear, and one with no end point yet visible. Further, he is careful to avoid a “glossy” story about managerial success, describing the subsequent change as “home-grown” and bottom up.

The persuasiveness of Bate’s account, and underlying theorizing, derives from the transparency he provides within his detailed explication of his research design (see the excerpt provided in figure 2 as an example). The author’s immersion in the empirical setting is evident. He reports that he carried out 150 visits (500 days) over a 2-year period, with myriad opportunities for observation, as well as a large number of interviews (approximately 100). Given his embeddedness within the organizational setting, there are a larger number of direct interview quotes and observations than would be usual, even within qualitative studies. The overall effect of this is one of vicarious engagement with the research site as the reader feels they are transported into the organization in a way that proves particularly engaging. The ethnographic approach prompts an account that incorporates pluralist emotions, interests, and politics that underpin complexity of organizational cultures, with a strong sense of respondents’ voices, as evident in the quote below (taken from Bate 2000 , 492).

Extract from “Implementing Change: The ‘Action Research’ Approach” ( Bate 2000 , 487)

So you’ve got this incredible situation where the doctors won’t cooperate because they’re terrified of losing power; you’ve got managers who can’t make a decision because they’re afraid if they do, there will be a vote of no confidence and they lose their job. And you’ve got the nurses who are, as usual, trying to keep the thing going. (Senior Nurse)

Bate’s approach to analysis is discussed only in general terms and there is an absence of detail on data coding. However, the volume of primary data helps to convince the reader of a body of evidence supporting a “conceptual leap.” A wide range of voices are represented, mitigating the prospect that quotations have been “cherry-picked” to illuminate a predetermined storyline. Finally, given the inductive, emergent and co-created nature of the research process, it is refreshing to read Bate’s critical reflection on his own position within the research study and reassuring to be informed of the robust steps he has taken between research questions, data, analysis, and theory ( Bate 2000 , 488).

Neutrality and even-handedness were central to this process. We were positioned in the space between management and workforce, strenuously avoiding being seen as management-centric (the traditional bias of organization development) and worker-centric … mediating between the different interests and perspectives …

Our second example of inductive theorizing comes from Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) , a study that differs significantly from Bate as a theoretical gap and rationale is evident from the outset. Focused on neglected “downstream issues” that play out at the intra-organizational level, the authors aim to unpack the “black box” of network governance to develop a better understanding of management practice. The strength of theorizing observed within Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) lies partly in an inductive approach applied to understand and explain the impact of partnership configuration on local implementation. This allows the authors to challenge dominant perceptions of network governance effects and, as a result, specify and present a theoretical model in figure form ( figure 3 ; Waring, Currie, and Bishop 2013 , 324). The figure emphasizes the explicit links between empirical findings and key conceptual relationships, thereby outlining the “conceptual leap” by underscoring both the rigor of the underpinning study and the theorizing processes at work.

Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013 , 324) Model of Empirical Findings and Conceptual Relationships

Similar to Bate (2000) , Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) adopt an inductive approach to this research, that involves “an iterative process of close reading of the data, coding, constant comparison, elaboration of emerging themes and re-engagement with the wider literature” (317). However, Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) boost explication of theorizing significantly by detailing the research process through eight paragraphs of text and a supporting figure summarizing coding and thematic analysis (see extract in figure 4 ). To deliver transparency in research design and facilitate theoretical generalization, they provide background on their comparative cases to situate their analysis and elaborate on their sampling strategy. To reduce ambiguity in their analysis, they demonstrate how they developed and tested three levels of codes, including first-order concepts, adhering to respondents’ terms; second-order themes, subsuming first-order codes; and third-order aggregate dimensions ( Gioia, Corley, and Hamilton 2013 ). These stages are especially significant as they inform the oppositional dimensions that subsequently capture differences between their cases and underpin the “conceptual leap” in providing the basis for theory elaboration.

Extract from Figure Summarizing Coding Thematic Analysis ( Waring, Currie, and Bishop 2013 , 318)

Finally, Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) reinforce theorizing through a transparent attempt to connect analysis, the presentation of their data and theoretical contribution—bringing both evidence of the research process, and credibility to the account. In so doing, supporting extracts from illustrative examples of coded data are provided in tables, while narrative reporting incorporates illustrative quotes. Note, Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) are unusual in actively reporting on a full range of data, including that derived from policy documents and clinical operating procedures (see figure 5 , for examples).

Document Excerpts from Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013 , 320)

Abductive Theorizing

The theoretical contributions in our next pair of studies are underpinned by an abductive approach that combines deductive and inductive theorizing techniques. In the first study, provided by Ferlie and McGivern (2014) , theoretical concerns are again apparent from the outset. Labeled as iterative, but displaying abductive characteristics, Ferlie and McGivern (2014) puzzle on the long-term shift to indirect governance. They identify extant accounts as incomplete, and aim to enrich theorization. In the light of this, they incorporate a theoretical perspective from the social sciences previously unapplied to a public service context—Foucault’s theory of governmentality 1 —and in so doing they use the presumptive and conjectural premise of abduction ( Mantere and Ketokivi 2013 ). Development of an interview proforma deductively informed by governmentality and competing theoretical perspectives enables empirical interrogation in pursuit of their theoretical objectives. On this basis, Ferlie and McGivern examine the role of the neo-liberal health care state in the United Kingdom and conclude that the introduction of “managed” networks prompted a degree of enthusiasm for evidence-based management amongst practitioners within case study organizations. They note that their conjecture is upheld, with their proffered approach providing the “best-fitting” set of explanations.

Theorizing is strengthened in this study by an unambiguous set of research questions and a highly transparent account of theoretical implications in the discussion section of the article. Here, a series of contributions is clearly articulated and given further emphasis through the provision of a helpful table (see excerpt provided in table 1 ) that elaborates five aspects of “added value” from an Anglo-governmentality perspective, vis-à-vis the network governance paradigm. The table summarizes the authors’ contention that Anglo-governmentality extends knowledge in public administration, while two additional novel contributions premised on their empirical analysis are also presented.

Extract from “The Key Arguments of Anglo-Governmentality and Network Governance Contrasted Together with our Contribution” ( Ferlie and McGivern 2014 , 77)

Note: Extract is two of seven rows from the full original table.

Although Ferlie and McGivern provide a helpful and clear account of their theoretical contribution, we argue that theorizing also requires a high degree of transparency in research design and analytic approach. In this regard, in the discussion of their methodology, the authors make an explicit and weighty case for the adoption of a qualitative case study approach to their analysis and spend some time considering how case study research can “move beyond surface level descriptions” ( Ferlie and McGivern 2014 , 67). Their ability to provide theoretical generalization is delivered through a comparative case approach, combined with explicit connection with theory to boost external validity. Ideally, the rationale for the research setting and sample could be better explained and connected to subsequent methodological choices. And while their theoretical framework and contribution is elaborated in some detail, little information is given on coding procedures and analytic steps for the two case studies. In particular, the inductive aspects of their analysis are not explicated.

So while Ferlie and McGivern (2014) provide a high degree of transparency in their application of a Foucauldian theoretical perspective to enrich traditional theoretical conceptualizations of governance, and deliver helpful clarity on their research design, some steps taken within their analysis remain opaque. This serves to marginally undermine clarity in their theorizing and somewhat obscures their conceptual leap. Nevertheless, a significant amount of primary data from both cases is reported which allows the reader to engage with the context and gain insight into the effects experienced by those working within the network. Last, the authors do recognize compromises in the presentation of qualitative research, noting, “there is a trade-off between thick description (internal validity) and conceptualization (external validity)” ( Ferlie and McGivern 2014 , 67).

Our second study characterized by an abductive theorizing approach comes from Saz-Carranza and Ospina (2011) . This article unpacks the behavioral dimensions of network governance by examining how network members govern and improve the performance of the “whole” network, while also exploiting collaborative benefits for their home organizations. The authors shed light on the “unity–diversity tension,” identified as a key disruptor of network performance in goal-directed networks and inherent within “whole” systems of network and collaborative governance ( Milward and Provan 2006 ). However, beyond an empirical contribution focused on the behavioral dimensions of network governance, theorizing is explicit and convincing from the outset. In outlining their theoretical contribution, Saz-Carranza and Ospina explain that their research illuminates “the hows and whys of network governance” ( Saz Carranza and Ospina 2011 , 359) and present their claims in bold terms. This is striking considering that claims in qualitative articles tend to be more tentatively written, with caveats regarding the transferability of findings. This certainty stems from a transparent and convincing “conceptual leap,” explanation and evidence that is presented along the way. However, Saz-Carranza and Ospina are a little more circumspect when presenting a framework for governing whole networks, using words such as “tentative,” “emergent,” and “preliminary.” This shift from proposition to suggestion serves to further distinguish between the theory-building and theory-elaborating contributions and builds to their conclusion. Indeed, the article conveys a degree of specificity in the transparency of research design, analytic approach, and theoretical contribution—and the connection between the three—that is, rarely seen within qualitative research.

Theorizing in this study is especially convincing due to the clarity and consistency of detail offered in the documentation of research design and analytic approach. The authors present a rationale for the adoption of a qualitative approach, while also detailing their sampling frame, both in the text and in tabulated form. Running for almost seven pages, the qualitative methods section is one of the most transparent and informative published in public administration. However, we observe that the article runs to nearly 40 pages, emphasizing the trade-off between length and depth in qualitative research and demonstrating the importance of editorial discretion. Greater flexibility in this regard, as well as alternative strategies—such as enabling the placement of methodological material in online appendices—may help to facilitate the publication of qualitative research that provides rigor and richness.

Of particular note in this study is the established connection between the analytic approach underpinning the two phases of study and the subsequent theoretical contribution. Ospina et al. describe the open-ended, inductive, and exploratory first phase of the study, designed to “theory-build” through narrative inquiry, and distinguish this from the second phase of their study where an abductive approach provided “theory elaboration.” Coding processes applied to data in both phases of the research are explained through three paragraphs of text, but also in a tabulated form (see extract provided in table 2 ). Interview data is privileged, relative to the analysis of observation and documentary data, but the explicit and thorough analytic account facilitates a transparent and convincing basis for theorizing and stands in contrast to the fleeting references sometimes found within qualitative studies. Finally, evidence from each of the cases is “shown” using six tables of illustrative quotes (see extract in table 3 ), supplemented by a discussion that “tells” a nuanced account of the experience of managing network dilemmas, with selective quotations that lend credibility to theorizing.

Extract Illustrating Links between Codes across Phases of the Research ( Saz-Carranza and Ospina 2011 , 337)

Note: Extract is 3 of 15 rows from the full original table.

Extract Illustrating Tensions Relative to Diversity and Unity in Networks from Saz-Carranza and Ospina (2011 , 347)

Note: Extract is one of eight rows from the full original table.

Having summarized a set of qualitative studies on network and collaborative governance and illustrated alternative theorizing approaches, we next discuss the implications arising from our review and present a framework that facilitates rigorous theorizing from qualitative research in public administration.

This study presents evidence derived from a two-stage investigation of theorizing in qualitative public administration research, focused on a subset of studies in the field of network and collaborative governance. In line with Tavory and Timmermans (2014 , 7) who reflect, “whatever the theoretical resources the researchers draw upon, one of the seductions of qualitative research is the sense of intellectual adventure,” our analysis of 31 articles underlines the potential “value added” derived from qualitative research. The review indicates that distinctive sets of research questions had been addressed, including those with an exploratory and explanatory orientation drawn from a range of theoretical perspectives.

However, the systematic review also illustrates wide differences in the accounts of qualitative research provided across the set of studies. This suggests the need for a set of broad guiding principles to aid authors and reviewers in providing and prompting greater transparency in accounts of the qualitative research process. In response, in table 4 , we draw together and summarize these principles relative to three key component elements of the research process: research design , analytic approach , and contribution . Research design is fundamentally concerned with how authors report on how their research has been conducted. Analytic approach focuses on how authors move from an account of their data collection to offer interpretation and a series of claims. Finally, contribution involves the way authors articulate and highlight the impact of their theorizing, in terms of whether it enables them to test, elaborate, or generate theory. Our evidence indicates that theoretical claims are more convincing when studies demonstrate sufficient levels of transparency both in their approach to, and representation of, each of these three elements of the research process.

Procedural Assessment Criteria to Underpin Theorizing in Qualitative Research

Nonetheless, we are mindful of previously noted concern regarding the unintended consequences of formulaic and standardized quality criteria. Reflecting this, our review of four illustrative studies also suggests the need for some further nuance. For example, while Bate (2000) and Saz Carranza and Ospina (2011) both provide transparent accounts of research design, they adopt highly differentiated approaches to describing their process of analysis. Specifically, Bate (2000) describes analysis of his action-ethnography in broad procedural terms, noting use of a temporal bracketing strategy, for example. He provides rich description and substantial supporting data without detailed elaboration of the derivation of inductive themes. In contrast, for their comparative case analysis, Saz Carranza and Ospina (2011) focus on explicating coding, detailing specific steps, and providing examples. Both, in different ways, provide convincing support for their theoretical claims.Consequently, a “non-negotiable” element of qualitative research is a comprehensive account of research design, linked explicitly to a study’s research objectives, within the methods section of an article ( Ospina, Esteve, and Lee 2018 ). Theorizing will be less effective in studies that are deficient in these terms. In contrast, it seems there is likely to be greater variation in the reporting of the analytic approach. Although authors should be transparent, we should expect and accommodate plurality in forms of data analysis, coding, and reporting. So, while we are clear that high levels of transparency in all elements of the research process boost theorizing, our guiding principles are reflective of the absence of a set template and standard for explicating analytic approach. As such, they signal that we should be open to diversity in approach to, and the format of, reporting.

Given the plurality of forms of qualitative data and approaches, as well as differentiation in the forms of theorizing undertaken, the guiding principles (and those relating to analysis, in particular) need to be viewed in the round. All of which is consistent with previous research that suggests there is no “one best way” of undertaking and publishing qualitative research ( Haverland and Yanow 2012 ; Jensen and Rodgers 2001 ). However, we do suggest common tenets of good practice and in particular highlight that the link between research design, analytic approach, and theoretical contribution should be made transparent as this is the “golden thread” that supports effective theorizing. The conceptual leap underpinning a theoretical contribution is certainly more substantial and convincing when these elements are expertly and explicitly connected. Consequently, we emphasize and encourage a holistic approach to transparency, both in terms of the provision of detail on each element of the research process and in terms of the connection between research design, analytic approach, and theoretical contribution.

Extant literature highlights that theorizing can contribute in a variety of ways—by testing, elaborating, or generating theory, premised on deductive, inductive, or abductive analysis. In this study, we observe diversity in approaches to theorizing that are inductive and abductive. Our case study analysis portrays different ways that “conceptual leaps” can be made and articulated, with evidence that theorizing is being underpinned by different levels, dimensions, and combinations of rigor and richness. For example, Bate (2000) convinces through a synthesis of rich thick description of data, with rigor derived from a highly transparent account of the research design and underpinning rationale. In contrast, Waring, Currie, and Bishop (2013) provide a rich range of data sources and are highly transparent regarding their analytic approach, delivering rigor in the derivation of their claims. Ferlie and McGivern (2014) demonstrate richness in a convincing application of a novel theoretical perspective to their data, and rigor in transparent mapping of the derivation of their theoretical contribution. However, of the four considered studies, Saz-Carranza and Ospina (2011) satisfies the widest range of criteria as rigor and richness are evidenced in a detailed, persuasive, and reflexive research account that underpins a clear and convincing theoretical contribution. As such, this study best meets requirements specified by Golden-Biddle and Locke (1997 , 65) who argue that theorizing occurs when authors both show their data, and tell their significance.

Our findings indicate that convincing qualitative studies provide different, but sufficient, combinations of rigor and richness. So, contrary to common assertions that there is an oppositional relationship between the two, and an inherent trade-off in their pursuit, we suggest that there is clear potential for both rigor and richness to be attained in qualitative research. Indeed, we would argue that effective theorizing in qualitative research should reflect a complementary synergy between the two. Further, our case studies illustrate that rigor, richness, and their combinations come in a variety of forms. In response, and in the face of concerns raised about the quantitative restyling of qualitative research, we highlight and indeed support and encourage the continuation of plural forms of theorizing through qualitative scholarship, while mindful of the need to fulfill the good practice transparency requirements highlighted earlier.

The study suffers from a series of limitations. For example, our narrative review is focused upon a specific topic within public administration—network governance—and analysis of a different field could potentially yield an alternative set of findings. The field is young relative to other comparators in public administration, and has been at the forefront of recent demands for policy and practice insight. These factors likely influence the kinds of research questions being addressed and types of theorizing in evidence in this subdiscipline. Future research that systematically reviews qualitative study in other subfields of public administration might reveal more or less plurality in theorizing. In addition, we note that our study is premised on review of published articles. These are unlikely to capture the full detail of qualitative studies, their research design or the richness of their data. The articles have also been subject to review processes, such that the preferences of editors and referees, together with journal conventions, may have constrained plurality.

To conclude, this study was designed to extend debate by emphasizing the importance of sound qualitative research in public administration that blends rigor with richness and thereby facilitates effective theorization. We contribute to long-running discussions of qualitative scholarship in public administration and we generate evidence that suggests the need for an over-arching but nuanced set of principles that address the need for consistency and connection within the research process. The proposed guiding principles serve to emphasize essential elements for high quality theorizing, along with those that may vary, given the pluralism evident within, and characteristic of, qualitative research. So we look forward to the wider application, development, and refinement of our ideas in future analyses of qualitative research in other subfields of public administration. We also note that our findings are likely to have relevance beyond qualitative research, with clear potential to speak to debates on mixed methods research ( Atkins and Wilkins 2013 ), where the need for a convincing conceptual leap between theory and data is equally imperative. Finally, we hope that greater attention to theorizing in qualitative research in public administration may result in an improved representation of qualitative scholarship in journals in the field, leaving the discipline better positioned to capitalize upon “its ability to expose theoretical boundaries and push theoretical insights” whether these are generated on an inductive, abductive, or deductive basis ( Bansal and Corley 2012 , 513).

Graeme Currie’s time writing the manuscript was funded by National Institute for Health Research CLAHRC (Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care) West Midlands’. The views expressed here are his own.

We are grateful for support received from the editors and helpful comments received from our three anonymous reviewers. We note our thanks for permission from the authors and from Oxford University Press on behalf of the Public Management Research Association to reuse material from “Ferlie, Ewan and Gerry McGivern. 2014. Bringing Anglo-governmentality into public management scholarship: The case of evidence-based medicine in UK health care. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 24(1): 59–83” and from “Saz-Carranza, Angel, and Sonia Ospina. 2011. The behavioural dimension of governing interorganizational goal-directed networks – Managing the unity-diversity tension. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 21(2): 327–365.” We also note our thanks for permission from Wiley to reuse material from “Bate, Paul. 2000. Changing the culture of a hospital: From hierarchy to networked community. Public Administration 78(3): 485–512.”. © 2000 Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. We also acknowledge permission from Wiley to reuse material from “Waring, Justin, Graeme Currie, and Simon Bishop. 2013. A contingent approach to the organization and management of public–private partnerships: An empirical study of English health care. Public Administration Review 73(2): 313–326.” © 2013 by The American Society for Public Administration. DOI: 10.1111/puar.12020.

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As cited in Ferlie and McGivern (2014) , Foucault (2007 , 108) defines governmentality as “the ensemble formed by institutions, procedures, analyses and reflections, calculations and tactics . . . that has the population as its target, political economy as its major form of knowledge and apparatuses of security as its essential technical element.”

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Current Trends and Issues in Public Administration

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By Matt Rowley Posted on April 26, 2022

U.S. public agencies at the federal, state and local levels – and governments across the world – have reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic in various ways. Public administration professionals are navigating through the heavy economic and social pressures they’ve faced since the start of the pandemic, and they’ve learned about the need for flexibility and adaptability within multi-level governance systems.

Although the pandemic has caused many issues and challenges in public administration, there are also other trends worth monitoring. In this article, we explore eight current trends and issues in public administration, including those directly connected to the pandemic and those that aren’t.

1. Increased Digital Governance

The complications of the COVID-19 pandemic have ushered in the next generation of government digitization . For many public agencies, digital transformation went from "good to have" to "must-have." Governments have sped their digital journey along three important dimensions to accommodate the spike in service demand while working virtually:

• Building a more digitally-skilled staff.
• Growing their digital infrastructure.
• Investing in citizen connection.

2. Improved Data Management

Within and beyond government, data is becoming increasingly important. Public agencies are developing new ways to maximize the value of the data they have, including sharing it correctly and ethically. The trend toward fluid, dynamic data is transforming how government and its partners in academia, charities and the commercial sector utilize and exchange data around the world.

This can include repurposing data to acquire fresh insights into the past and present, as well as making informed projections about the future. Organizations can create programs that are based on an intelligence architecture. Past performance, along with real-time data, can help public administration officials make better decisions for the future.

3. Anticipatory Public Services

Citizens are increasingly receiving tailored, seamless and proactive services in their daily lives, and they expect the same from government entities. For example, state and local agencies are exploring the increased use of digital tools – such as automated text message reminders – when administering the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

In order to transform their services and realize this idea of seamless service delivery , governments are pursuing several strategies, such as:

• Committing to entirely digital services.
• Constructing infrastructure to enable such seamless services.
• Establishing proactive services based on life events.

4. Comprehensive Cybersecurity Measures

With government agencies investing more in digitization – including more efforts in using data and anticipatory services – cybercriminals now have more potential targets in the public sector. Improving the nation’s overall cybersecurity is a national priority , as a single cyberattack on one government target can pose a danger to a whole industry or sector. Government officials are working to break down internal silos, identify vulnerabilities, and employ skilled cybersecurity professionals at all levels.

5. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Another concern related to increased digitization and data usage is ensuring that government agencies also prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion. Responsible organizations are now concentrating more on the underlying causes of systemic inequalities and examining how their policies are produced, implemented and reviewed. Some of the approaches being used are:

• Accessible design of government services.
• Co-creation and citizen engagement.
• Data sovereignty and equity.
• Equitable access to public goods.

6. Flexible and Remote Workplaces

Organizations are rethinking how to carry out their missions. The pandemic brought the future of government employment into the present, from remote labor to telemedicine and online classrooms. This direction coincides with the rise of flexible and remote workplaces , including methods for managing a distributed workforce and providing high-quality citizen services remotely.

7. Agile Administration

Again, the COVID-19 pandemic underlined the importance of rapid, flexible and mission-driven governance, and public administration offices across the globe have demonstrated that they are up to the task. Government entities must be able to make quick judgments and move ahead with confidence, especially during emergencies . Policymaking, legislation, procurement and the workforce are all examples of where this is needed.

8. Rebuilding Government Trust

In the U.S., trust in the government has hovered near historic lows for years. One of the keys to rebuilding this trust is understanding that “the government” is not one entity; it’s composed of many different agencies that fulfill different roles and offer different services.

Deloitte Insights, a global research agency, proposed the following six “ archetypes ” of government agencies, each with their own set of considerations and strategies for restoring trust:

• Educator: Impart knowledge, skills and resources to inform, influence or drive an outcome (example: Census Bureau).
• Enforcer: Enforce rules and regulations by detecting wrongdoing and enacting consequences (example: law enforcement agencies).
• Innovator: Drive new ways of thinking and doing or support the innovation of others through investment (example: NASA).
• Regulator: Develop rules and regulations that effectively deter undesired or illegal behaviors (example: Food and Drug Administration).
• Retailer: Offer goods and services to external customers or staff in a competitive environment (example: U.S. Postal Service).
• Retailer-Like: Provide a service, often for a fee, but no competitive alternative exists (example: Department of Motor Vehicles).

Government agencies can identity their archetype, focus on their public perception, study what has worked for other agencies within their archetype, and build strategies to strengthen their perception. It can be a complicated challenge, but rebuilding government trust is possible.

Education in Public Administration

In addition to following new trends in public administration and developing your key skills , advancing your education with a degree in public administration can also be helpful for your career.*

Here at Columbia Southern University, we offer an online Master of Public Administration , including concentrations in criminal justice and emergency services management . To learn more about our online degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, visit our website .

*Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes, and CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.

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198 Public Administration Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best public administration topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on public administration, 📌 most interesting public administration topics to write about, ⭐ simple & easy public administration essay titles, 📑 good research topics about public administration, ❓ public administration essay questions.

• Benefits and Problems Associated With New Public Management to Public Administration in Relation to Policies The attempts of NPM to renovate the public sector through the use of managerial reforms that stress on improved productivity with regards to significance, quality of service offered to the public and efficiency does not […]
• Planning for Public Administration It is accorded dominance with the reason that it is the first role that is performed and its outcomes are the plans that dole out as the direct for the actions of staff members.
• Contributions of Max Weber’s Bureaucracy to Public Administration It will be argued in the discussion that the approach is characterized by hierarchical distribution of power and authority in both public and private sector organizations.
• Why Study Public Administration? However, in order to qualify to be a public administrator in most senior posts in the government, one must possess a minimum of a master’s degree in public administration or business administration. In some cases, […]
• Public Administration as an Academic Discipline As an academic discipline, public administration refers to the study of the development and implementation of such policies with the aim of enabling scholars to understand and apply such knowledge to their daily undertakings in […]
• Public Administration in the United States When the government is involved directly, it employs public members to serve as employees for the benefit of the general population, while indirect involvement of the government would be when the government hires private contractors […]
• Public Administration: The Ethical Challenges This case study of craftsmanship inspects the ethical implication of integrating the same principles of cultivating virtue and embracing collective values.
• Public Administration Ethical Dilemma and Theories Smith should take the responsibility of ensuring that the needs of the majority are upheld since the welfare of the community, and the organization is of importance.
• Public Administration and Administrative Law The laws of the land define boundaries in which public administrators offer guidance, as well as the roles of the citizens in the decision making process.
• Ethics in Public Administration The most convincing argument that proves that the new public management model does not pose a direct threat to the integrity of organizations deals with corruption.
• Public Administration: Functions, Problems, and Educational Requirements With the help of such definition, it is not that difficult to identify the functions of public administration and clear up what the role of attorneys and prosecutors for society are.
• Disciplines of Public Administration and Public Policy Kettl and Fessler, note that public administration is a secondary field branching from the discipline of political science One of the major reasons for creating a separate discipline of public administration and graduate schools of […]
• Professionalism and Ethics in Public Administration It is important to note that not always the practice of public administration focus on profits but the good of the public is always a mandatory interest of the practitioners of public administration.
• Public Personnel Administration’s Legal Challenges A credit is given to the public in the current society that has raised the bar for policymakers to perform a high level of productivity and quick actions in the public administration.
• Centralia Mine Disaster and Public Administration Failure Scanlan, who was the district inspector at the time, identified the hazards surrounding the coal mines and reported his findings about a possible explosion to other relevant professionals. Scanlan should not have taken heed to […]
• Diversity in Public Administration The following are the specific questions that the researcher seeks to answer through this study: How does a lack of diversity play a role in limited representation in public administration in the country?
• Accountability in Public Administration A consideration is also given to discuss the people whom public officials are accountable to, and the most effective means of ensuring a balance between the demands for accountability and the need to have high-performing […]
• New Technologies and Globalization: Public Administration The continual growth and implementation of e-government and especially e-democracy has proven to be instrumental in governance in the current age.
• Culture and Public Administration Relationship in Canada Organizations in Canada can be characterized as ones who base their development on the principles not of the strong hierarchy and centralization, but on the possibilities for the communication and interaction on all the levels […]
• Effective Public Administration Personnel Public administration is concerned with the implementation of government policies and management of the behavior of non-elected officials before they are inaugurated to work in the public service.
• Public Administration Policies The response of public administration to the various social needs of the government has been effective, but what emerges from analysis of the concept of public administration is that choice of particular public policy is […]
• Public Administration It is worth noting that such government operations determine the extent of success of the plans put in place to meet the needs of the public.
• Public Administration: Inferential Statistics RQ2: What is the effect of rule-following leadership on PSM and employee performance? RQ3: What is the effect of political loyalty leadership on PSM and employee performance?
• Public Administration Study: Research Methodology Hypothesis two would be: some sections of the government Laws are not clear to allow non-profit organizations participation in the policy-making process.
• Public Administration Definition Some of the views can still be reconciled; for instance, it is claimed that public administration is primarily related to the executive branch of government, at the same time being related to the other two.
• The Contributions of Anthony Downs’ “The Inside of Bureaucracy” to Public Administration Bureau-Structure goals: entails the values of officials with regard to the design of constitution of the bureaus to which the officials belong4.
• Public Administration: Progressive, Associational, and Polycentric Reforms One of the strongest points in the article is the authors’ intentions to describe the tendencies, but not to demonstrate their own opinions and attitudes to the approaches.
• Ethics in Public Administration: Duncan Hunter’s Case Misuse of public funds due to personal and greedy intentions at the expense of the society that has entrusted you as a public administrator or a representative is a move that contradicts administration ethics.
• The U.S. Researched Public Administration Case Study It is essential to note that social inequity, in particular, challenges the ethical values and moral code of residents of the United States and the entire planet from the point of view of discrimination and […]
• Public Administration in Denmark The overarching goal of the digitalization process described in the case study was to improve the communication among the vital stakeholders, directly connecting politicians and citizens.
• Pro-Social Rule-Breaking in Public Administration This paper, therefore, discusses pro-social rule-breaking, when it is ethical for public administrators to dissent, and some of the problems it might cause.
• Public Administration: Theory and Practice To avoid mistakes and differences of opinion, the application of adequate theoretical and practical methods is an essential attribute of successful work. The relevance of administration in the public sphere is due to a number […]
• Implementation of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Public Administration In public administration, the term diversity, equity, and inclusion refers to programs and policies which encourage the participation and representation of distinct groups of people by considering the inclusion of distinct races, religion, age, culture, […]
• The Standard Deviation in Public Administration The standard deviation is the measure of dispersion that indicates the closeness of the data cluster to the mean. In general, it is defined as “the number of standard deviations a score of interest lies […]
• Forum: The Future of Public Administration Despite changes to labor costs and protections, it is fair to anticipate governmental agencies in the U.S.to be model employers. Therefore, despite extra expenses and changes to protections, expecting agencies in the U.S.government system to […]
• Public Administration Challenges and Societal Changes A societal change in the quality of life is most likely to happen, and the public administration’s task is to strengthen socially significant development.
• Public Administration: The Rational Model Consequently, it leads to the limitation of the scientific and societal views on the role and character of the individual in society to their industrial function and the connivance of their rights and freedoms in […]
• Gender Discrimination in Public Administration The subject of the dispute and the statement of claim was the vacancy of a traffic controller, which was initially offered to Johnson, but then, as part of the program, the place was given to […]
• How Political Ideas Impact Public Administration The government and its citizens uphold the rule of law; therefore, everybody is equally accountable to the country’s laws as outlined in the constitution.
• Improving Public Administration in the US In contrast to NPR, the main focus of this research is on social issues and a general retrospective on the long-lasting consequences of the crisis at the beginning of the 21st century.
• Evaluation of Agency’s Public Personnel Administration It is intended to maintain the competitive employment marketplace, prevent violation of the mentioned provisions, and ensure that HR professionals are in the best position to comply with the hiring practices of a particular company.
• Non-Profit Organizations and Public Administration However, by involving non-profit organizations in the public administration system, the government aims to reduce its visible participation in the scopes of economics and politics. However, it results in corruption and various manipulations due to […]
• Public Administration in the Progressive Era In the context of this video lies the idea that progressives fought for the rights of certain groups of people who were once deprived of them, the struggle for justice and for the eradication of […]
• Public Administration: Presenting the Future of Healthcare In the U.S. the administrative political system has one of the highest numbers of veto points, which combined with ideology makes healthcare policy exceptionally slow.
• “Repositioning American Public Administration?” by Durant & Ali First of all, Durant and Ali make two major points about the American public administration system: that it was designed in a way that facilitates estrangement in the early 20th century and that later attempts […]
• Popularity of Quantitative Methods in Public Administration For investigation of the attitude of the respondents to the educational reforms, it is necessary to include different types of questions into the list to be answered.
• Structure of Public Administration After the elections, vested interests resume control of the government, greatly reducing the number of policies passed with the interest of the electorate.
• United Arab Emirate Education: Public Administration Challenges The United Nations is trying to address the issue of Higher Education provision in the United Arab Emirates. To meet this issue perfectly, a simultaneous approach is necessary to identify and address relevant issues within […]
• Ethics in Public Administration: Company vs. City The interested list in the Woodbee development plan is the people who are the residents who will be the major beneficiary of the jobs created by the company.
• Leadership Evolution in Public Administration The economic power of the empire was strengthened through control of most of the land; which acted as isthmus connecting two continents providing a strategic geographical position for trade; making him an icon of religion […]
• Public Administration: Unemployment Economic Impact The “official” unemployment rate is released by the U. S government is not a correct reflection of the actual state of unemployment in the nation.
• Public Administration Role in Developing Countries: Mozambique The article has been keen to mention that, today, it is the overall duty for all the economists, accountants and even the dealing with public administration, especially with debt management and forecasting to come up […]
• The Impact of Political and Economic Forces on Public Program Administration Political forces are the pressure groups that constitute the different organizations that are involved in the agreement and transactions of the political affairs of the society in question; personalities that participate in the running of […]
• Public Administration and Bureaucracy Three decades ago, political theories of political control of bureaucracy underwent complete transformation; shifting from the paradigm that emphasizes the extreme difficulty with which electoral institutions have in controlling the massive powers of the federal […]
• Public Administration Activity: Nation Building This paper will therefore discuss the process of nation building in countries and the consequences faced by the countries where nation building is not a success.
• Problems in Public Administration The described case reveals the significant demerit in the system of public administration, as the scheme of rank transfer is absolutely incomplete, as the reconfirmation and the appointment of the other person on the heading […]
• The Public Administration Evaluation Process Second, the rising awareness of the ‘human feature’ of administration is an area of interest in public administration because the administration is concerned with the behaviors of people in the public environment and the psychology […]
• Participatory Approach of Public Administration Through Social Media in the UAE The present report outlines the major components of a proposed study on the current state of social media integration in the public sector of the United Arab Emirates and the evaluation of their actual and […]
• Budgeting, Public Administration and Social Security The amount of resources available to any individual organization is finite, which calls for financial management and budgeting activities. The functions of budgeting in these organizations are as follows: Prioritization and allocation of available financial […]
• Public Administration and Core Values The author has organized his paper as a set of questions that seek to address this matter in a comprehensible way.
• Public Administration and Emerging Problems While sharing a meal with the Canadian Prime Minister and other guests, he spots the Prime Minister eating a camembert cheese and uses that to criticize the role of the Minister of health in intending […]
• Political Regimes and Public Administration in Canada The better parts of the legislatures are inflexible but permit very little flexibility from the prevailing regime sources such as the military and churches.
• Public Administration Ethical Issues: Fire Service In the course of the investigation, we come to the conclusion that regardless of the fact that the fire departments work and the public of administration are given significant attention, there are still such problems […]
• Public Administration Reforms in the United Arab Emirates From the standpoint of public administration, the adoption of e-government is now an inevitable and unquestioned objective because it signifies a shift towards a new, customer-oriented management paradigm and has the goal of reducing costs […]
• Ethica Behavior and Trust in Public Administration The hierarchy of ethics refers to a set of principles that govern decision-making and operations in the public sector. The administrators have to guarantee that they safeguard public property and exercise their powers in line […]
• Non-Profit and Public Administration Organizations The following literature review explores the evidence of the relevance of the approach for non-profit and public administration organizations, reviews the current methods of assessment, looks into the role of IT as a factor, and […]
• Public Administration Theories and Approaches Any profession can be related to public administration in case it is associated with the provision of public services and networking.
• Recreation Zones and Public Administration Issues The recreation and parks department, the functions of which the committee is going to limit, should be defended by the public. I guess that people should not be deprived of the opportunity to participate in […]
• Public Administration: Reducing the Number of Prison Inmates Therefore, there is an urgent need to consider the adoption of the strategies that will help reduce the overcrowding rates so that the threats associated with the phenomenon ) could be avoided successfully.
• Government’s Role in Healthcare Financing: Public Health Financing and Administration The paper discusses the historical background of healthcare financing and the roles of the government in allocating resources. The role of the government comes in to redistribute resources carefully to balance the economic and social […]
• Public Administration Model in the UAE It can be assumed that the current situation concerning the threat of a culture clash and the assimilation of the UAE people to the European and American cultural standards represents the major hindrance to the […]
• Public Administration Theories in the UAE Context Public administration theories and claims that are important to be discussed in the context of the development of the public sector in the U.A.E.are associated with privatisation or contracting out and with the improvement of […]
• Public Administration: Bertelli’s and Riggs’ Views In this kind of oversight, members of the public, the media and other interest groups ensure that elected officials offer desirable services by constantly reporting on elements of their performance that do not meet expectations.
• The UAE’s Public Administration System The UAE is one of the most developed countries of the East that is why it is possible to analyze it.
• Culture Clash in the UAE’s Public Administration In other words, an impressive culture clash can be observed within the realm of the UAE public administration and is to be resolved as soon as possible so that the residents of the state could […]
• Legal Change in Public Safety Administration In 1970, the Congress enacted the Clean Air Act as the first significant federal environmental laws to ensure clean air. The law allows the Environmental Protection Agency to introduce the National Ambient Air Quality Standards […]
• William Deming’s Contribution to Public Administration A significant argument made by Deming was that “85% of the problem is in the system and 15% in the people”.
• Public Administration: Community Projects When the government came to renovate the community project, none of the community members was involved in the renovation process. Government’s failure to involve community members in the renovation process led to building a facility […]
• Public Administration: Union Gospel Mission Apart from collecting donations from well-wishers and churches to feed, cloth and provide shelter for thousands of the poor people, the Union Gospel Mission of Vancouver’s program can be redesigned in such a way that […]
• Public Administration: Fire Department in America Through the modernization of fire-fighting equipment and the emerging need to have state-funded firefighting departments, Boston emerged as the first city in America to have a state-funded firefighting department.
• Public Administration: National Park Service The rangers of all times had the same basic functions and purposes to protect and patrol the lands belonging to their country. The task of the National Park Service is to preserve the beauty of […]
• Public Administration: Homeless in Phoenix Various models have been adopted to eradicate the problem, but the general formula to control the issue has been through the exclusion of the homeless from the main city as lepers into the territorial confinement […]
• Public Administration Theories The most important theories in the field of Public Administration have their foundation in the areas of bureaucracy as well as epistemological issues related to the academic and profession in the public service.
• Public Administration in Theory Public administration theorists noted that it was crucial to analyze a variety of aspects to be able to come up with effective strategies to make the government effective.
• Public Administration Operations The state legislature merit program is an effective approach to allocating awards; this means that the terms of allocating the awards should be specific when outlining the criteria for those who qualify for the merit […]
• Influence of Government Paradigms on Public Accountability: Public Administration and Network Governance The focus of public administration on adoption of mechanisms for ensuring that government is accountable to the client underlines the change of public administration systems from being bureaucratic.
• Public Administration Issue: Police Brutality The trend is ongoing and is not expected to end any time soon because of the social structure and the culture that does not value the contributions of minorities and people of color.
• Public Administration: Anthony Downs, Aaron Wildavsky and Herbert Kaufman It is necessary to point out that Downs contributed greatly to the development of the public administration theory as he revealed major stages of bureaus existence.
• Public Administration: Solutions for a Crisis Situation The use of this approach could be beneficial for the department in question as it would lead to the necessary change and creation of the appropriate atmosphere.
• Period of Change for the US Public Administration To sum up, it is possible to note that Katz and Kahn were some of the most influential theorists of public administration in the 1960-1970s.
• Development of the Theory of Public Administration He noted that it was essential to analyze the process of decision-making to enable public administrators to function effectively. It was acknowledged that public administrators needed motivation and leadership to ensure effective work of the […]
• Post-War Public Administration Theorists Post-war period can be regarded as the time when theorists of public administration rejected scientific methods and strategies to enhance effectiveness of the US government. The theorist noted that business management can be used in […]
• Theories of Public Administration Essay In the middle of the twentieth century, sociologists and theorists of public administration focused on imperfections of the government. Maslow contributed greatly to the development of public administration.
• Public Administration Between the 1930s and 1950s One of the most significant theorists that contributed greatly to the development of the field of public administration was Luther Gulick.
• Weekly Journal: Public Administration Thus, Wilson, Goodnow, Addams and Taylor are some of the most influential theorists who made a profound contribution to the development of the public administration.
• Public Administration: Government and Governance The three arms of the government have the responsibility of managing the affairs of the country. The main aim of the three arms of the government is to offer checks and balances to avoid cases […]
• Communication in Public Administration System The channels used in communication process in the public administration system vary depending on the total number of population it connects to the information flow character. The process of managing communication in public administration has […]
• Public Administration: Conceptual Study The Philadelphia Municipal Wireless Network is a perfect example of the initiative that involves ‘collaborative public management’ with the interest of the public, private sector and the economy as a whole to benefit.
• DOD Policy on Social Media Concerning Military Members and Government Public Administration In the current era of digital technology, the government has a duty of ensuring that the department of defense policy on social media addresses the use of invented technologies of communication within and outside the […]
• Public Administration and E-Government The shift towards e-government has altered the structure of governments, the mode of government information transmission and decision making processes. Through benefits associated with e-governments; better, reliable, accurate and timely information and communication is spread […]
• Theory Critique of Bureaucratic Politics on Public Administration and Public Policy: Rational choice theory In the rational voting model, voters with social preferences, it is argued that the expected utility of voting is independent of the size of the electorate.
• Public Administration as an Interdisciplinary Field: Assessing Its Relationship With the Fields of Law, Management, and Political Science Bradley Wright, the author the article, provides both theoretical and practical views on the discussed issues to understand the influence of other disciplines on public administration.
• Article Synopsys on Public Administration In the article, the author presents a well-planned presentation of arguments and approaches used to assert the validity and reliability of facts.
• Summary of Article on Public Administration The work in question is a theoretical analysis of problems in the sphere of public administration dedicated to the problems of morality and ethics.
• The American Review of Public Administration Early childhood education is the epicenter of the analysis, with the active integration of third parties in the public platform being one of the major emphases.
• Review on the Discipline of Public Administration The objective of this research paper is to describe the rationale of creating a separate discipline of public administration and the creation of graduate schools of public policy, whether public administrators should matriculate in a […]
• Issue on Public Administration; Social Equity The higher the economic gap among the people the lower is the country in terms of development. On the other hand, the smaller the gap among the people the higher is the level of development.
• New Public Management Can Be Considered to Be Both a Panacea and a Plague to Public Administration A major reason for the decline of NPM is that these practices were entirely brought to public sector without a clear understanding of differences that exist in public and private sectors. To begin with there […]
• Public Administration in America: Grants to Help Homeless In an effort to solve the homelessness issue, the municipal council of the city in conjunction with other governmental and non-governmental agencies concerned had the goal of eliminating homelessness in the city by the year […]
• Public Administration and Private Business There is an argument that the main aim of public administration is to enact public policies while the aim of private business is to ensure that owners and shareholders increase their wealth and net worth.
• Public Administration Officers This means that public should not use their authority to oppress people but instead they should use it for the betterment of the public.
• The Constitution in Public Administration: A Report on Education The constitution should be the overall law that governs issues and management of public institutions; in some instances, the constitution may have some bureaucracy that hinders efficiency among public administrators however it is normative that […]
• Introduction of Information Technology to Canadian Public Administration At this stage, the director of information technology is to introduce the information system technology as a new concept to the city.
• Introduction to Canadian Public Administration: Solving the Current Issues and Improving the System Clockwork To start with, it is doubtful that one can handle the responsibilities of both the Merit Commissioner and the PSERC Commissioner.
• Public Policy Administration in Modern Society Public policy administration can be defined as “the implementation of government policies, based on the expert analysis and the resolution of specific issues that generally have far-reaching impact on the citizens who live under the […]
• ‘The Etiology of Administrative Evil: Eric Voegelin and the Unconsciousness of Modernity’, in American Review of Public Administration, vol.31, no.3, September, 2001, pp.296-312. In this, the importance of Voegelin’s work, is given suitable merit, and more than this, in presenting his ideas alongside similar ethical and philosophical approaches, the author, does strengthen the arguments for broadening and deepening […]
• Ethics in Public Administration: Case 2 – Paul’s Scenario Only combining the three traditional ethical approaches and acting in accordance to the ethics triangle, the mayor could achieve the greatest good for the greater number.
• Traditional Public Administration vs. The New Public Management: Accountability vs. Efficiency
• Cloud Computing and Public Administration
• What Challenges Does the Traditional Public Administration Encounter in a Changing Public Sector Environment?
• Democracy and Public Administration
• The Importance of Ethics in Public Administration
• Cooperation Between the Public Administration and Commercial Institutions
• Urban Planning and Public Administration
• Business Administration vs Public Administration: Similarities and Differences
• The US New Public Administration
• Key Figures in the History of Public Administration
• Challenges of Modern Public Administration and Ethical Decision-Making
• Effective Public Administration for a Mid-Sized Space Power: Comparison of Canada and the United States
• The Big Questions Facing Public Administration
• War and the Effects on Public Administration and Its Agencies
• Bulgarian Public Administration Facing the Challenges of the Expanding European Administrative Space
• Web and Social Media: A New Opportunity for the Public Administration in the Relationship With the Citizen
• Computerization, Accounting Transparency and Competitiveness of Public Administration
• Human Resource Reforms in Public Administration
• The Role of Diversity in Public Administration
• Establishment Size, Public Administration and Government Wage Differentials
• Public Administration in America
• Improvement of Public Administration Based on Human Rights
• Local Public Administration Reform: The Romanian Case
• Democracy, Human Rights and Public Administration
• Psychosocial Issues in Public Administration
• Contrasting Public Administration With New Public Management
• Academic Goals and Interest in Public Administration
• Significant Issues Within Public Administration
• Enhancing the Capacity for Innovation of Public Administration
• Development Through Positive Deviance and Its Implications for Economic Policy Making and Public Administration in Africa
• Good Union and Public Administration
• Implementing Meritocracy in Senior Public Administration
• Leadership Within Public Administration
• Public Administration in a Global Context: Bridging the Gaps of Theory and Practice Between Western and Non-Western Nations
• Theories and Concepts of Public Administration
• Human Resource Management in Public Administration: Key Challenges
• New Technologies and Globalization: Public Administration
• Ethics and Integrity in Public Administration Concepts and Cases
• Communication and Public Administration
• Public Administration vs Management: What Is the Difference?
• Inclusion and Diversity in Public Administration
• Comparative Public Administration and Globalization
• Local Law Enforcement and Public Administration
• Economics and Public Administration
• Codes of Ethics and Public Administration
• The Reassessment of the Traditional Approach of Auditing Within Public Administration
• Budgeting and Public Administration
• Institutional Communication and Organizational Culture in Romanian Public Administration
• Strategic Management in Public Administration
• Public Administration vs. Political Science
• What Is the Era of Challenge in Public Administration?
• How Far Henri Fayol’s Principle of Management Is Relevant to Contemporary Public Administration?
• What Is the New Role of Public Administration in Modern Society?
• Is Public Administration an Art or Science?
• What Are the Traditional Approaches to Public Administration?
• How Are the Principles of Public Administration of Kautilya’s Arthashashtra Relevant in Modern Public Administration?
• What Are the Differences Between Traditional Public Administration and New Public Management?
• How Do Politics Affect Public Administration?
• What Are the Key Concepts of Ethics in Public Administration?
• Why Is Public Administration Important in Developing Countries?
• Could Public Administration Ever Be Totally Separate From Politics?
• What Are the Core Values of Public Administration?
• How Is Philosophy Related to Public Administration?
• What Is the Most Important Function of Public Administration?
• How Does Public Administration Borrow Ideas From Other Disciplines?
• What Are the Stages in the Evolution of Public Administration?
• How Could Electronics and Communication Engineering Be Useful in Public Administration?
• Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important in Public Administration?
• What Are the Principles of Successful Public Administration?
• How Is Business Administration Different From Public Administration?
• What Is the Role of the Public Administration in Public Policy?
• What Is the Golden Era of Public Administration?
• How Is Public Administration Associated With Science?
• Which Is the Oldest Approach in Public Administration?
• What Is the Behavioral Approach in Public Administration?
• How Is International Public Administration Related to Domestic Public Administration?
• What Is the Role of Public Administration in Bureaucracy?
• Who Is the Father of Public Administration?
• How Is Social Psychology Relevant to Public Administration?
• What Is the Relationship Between Public Administration and Sociology?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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[100+] Public Administration Research Topics With Free [Thesis Pdf] 2023

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What is the Difference between Public Administration and Public Policy?

There are many reasons to choose to pursue a career in the public sector rather than in the business world. Often, people are drawn to public or nonprofit careers because doing so gives them an opportunity to do good and enact change for the better.

A public administration degree prepares students for management, whereas a public policy degree prepares students interested in analyzing policies and suggesting improvements. 1

Here are four major differences between a master’s of public policy (MPP) and a master’s of public administration (MPA):

Public Policy vs. Public Administration 2

Tight Focus vs. Broad Focus

An MPP is focused on one thing: policy. You’ll study all aspects of policy, from infrastructure to public opinion. It is a highly specialized degree that is almost exclusively relevant to a particular area.

On the other hand, an MPA degree can give you a broad range of skills and knowledge to help no matter which direction you want. If you’re interested in leadership and administration roles in the public sector, or you anticipate that you might want to leave the public sector at some point, an MPA degree may be a better choice for you.

Policy Research and Evaluation vs. Management and Implementation

The work done by public policy professionals informs the work done by public administrators, but the two career paths differ in that one works to create policy while the other works to implement it.

If you’re drawn to law and statistics and you are interested in developing public policy, consider an MPP. If you are instead more interested in business, management, and related skills, but you’d prefer to work in the public sector rather than private, an MPA might be a better fit.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Students in MPP programs gather and analyze data that they use for detailed problem-solving, making it a better fit for analytical-minded individuals. On the other hand, MPA students tend to graduate into jobs that require a great deal of human interaction, so it’s best to have good people skills if you intend to follow this career path.

Professional Experience Optional vs. Required

An MPA degree builds on your existing professional background and can be applied to a variety of different professional roles, so it typically requires that you already have some experience in public administration. It expands on what you already know and builds on it to make you a more effective leader. If public policy appeals to you, and you think you have the right strengths and interests to be a good fit for it, you will probably be successful in an MPP program, even if your undergraduate degree and professional experience are not tied to public policy in any way.

Kent State University’s Online Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Kent State’s Online Master of Public Administration (MPA) is one of only a select number of online MPA programs in the United States that is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). Our program is designed for busy working professionals who want to gain the knowledge, skills, and credibility necessary to advance a career in the public sector. Using learning techniques that help you apply what you learn in real-time, this program positions you for senior management positions in local, state, and regional governments, as well as in nonprofit organizations.

For more information on Kent State’s Online Master of Public Administration (MPA), visit https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/political-science/master-of-public-administration/ .

Not interested in a Master’s Degree? Try Kent State’s Online Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management

Kent State’s Online Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management combines the quality and flexibility of our MPA degree with the agility of a short-term, targeted professional skills-development program. In as few as 12 months, you can gain enhanced knowledge of fundraising, development, advocacy, and board relations.

• Complete the Postbaccalaureate Certificate in as little as a year
• Three start dates: January, May, August
• No GRE requirement

For more information on Kent State’s Online Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management, visit https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/political-science/master-of-public-administration/certificate .

1 Retrieved on August 1, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/how-to-decide-between-public-administration-public-policy-degrees#:~:text=%22The%20main%20distinction%20here%20is%20that%20a%20public,Public%20and%20Environmental%20Affairs%2C%20wrote%20in%20an%20email 2 Retrieved on August 1, 2022, from https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/political-science/master-of-public-administration/community/public-policy-v-public-administration

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• Improving Folic Acid Intake
• MTHFR Gene Variant and Folic Acid
• Folic Acid and Neural Tube Defects
• Clinical Overview
• Folic Acid: The Best Tool to Prevent NTDs Training
• Folic Acid Resources
• Folic Acid Social Media Toolkits
• Folic Acid Community Resources
• From Heritage to Health Toolkit

Folic Acid: Sources and Recommended Intake

• Folic acid is a form of folate found in fortified foods and vitamins.
• Including fortified foods and vitamins in your diet can help you get 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
• Check nutrition and supplement labels on products to ensure they contain folic acid.

CDC recommends all people capable of becoming pregnant get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily. Getting 400 mcg of folic acid each day helps prevent some serious birth defects called neural tube defects (NTDs).

There are multiple ways to meet this recommendation. You can get folic acid from supplements, such as vitamins, or from foods where folic acid has been added, such as enriched bread.

It is also important to have a varied diet with folate-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables and beans.

Terms to know

Fortification is a way to add vitamins or minerals, or both, to foods. Flours, pastas, breads, rice, and breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid will be labeled "enriched."

Mandatory fortification requires food manufacturers to add certain vitamins or minerals, or both, to specified foods. This is done to address a significant public health need. For example, fortification of cereal grains with folic acid is mandated in the United States to help reduce the occurrence of NTDs.

Voluntary fortification allows food manufacturers to add vitamins or minerals, or both, to foods. Manufacturers need to follow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food additive regulations.

Dietary supplements are products taken by mouth that contain ingredients intended to add nutrients to the diet.

Vitamins are a type of dietary supplement that can contain folic acid.

Folic acid is a proven option for NTD prevention.‎

Sources of folic acid, fortified foods.

Fortified foods provide an important source of folic acid. Folic acid is added to some staple foods to help people meet their daily needs. Foods fortified with folic acid include some flours, breads, pastas, rice, and breakfast cereals. These products are labeled as "enriched." 1

Supplements

Taking a daily vitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid helps ensure you're getting enough to prevent NTDs. Generally, vitamins contain folic acid and have 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid. However, some vitamins now list other forms of folate (such as 5-MTHF) instead of folic acid. These types of folate found in supplements are called "natural," but they are not the same as naturally occurring food folate.

It's important to check the Supplement Facts label to ensure your vitamins contain folic acid. Folic acid is the only form of folate shown to help prevent NTDs. No scientific studies exist that show that supplements containing other forms of folate can prevent these conditions.

What the research shows

Folic acid fortification and supplementation have proven effective in preventing NTDs. Since mandatory fortification began in 1998, about 1,300 babies are born each year without an NTD who might otherwise have been affected. 2

However, certain groups remain at higher risk for having a pregnancy affected by NTDs. Research shows Hispanic/Latina women still have lower folate levels. 3 4 In an effort to close this gap, the FDA allowed voluntary folic acid fortification of corn masa flour in 2016.

National surveys in the United States show daily multivitamin use has declined among women aged 18–44 years. Specifically, daily use declined among women aged 25-44 years and among Hispanic/Latina and non-Hispanic White women, while use among other groups remained unchanged. 5

A CDC study found that about half of women report eating enriched cereal grain products as their only source of folic acid. 6 Consuming folic acid from both supplements and fortified foods could help more people meet the recommended 400 mcg daily. This could potentially prevent up to 700 additional NTDs annually.

Tips for getting enough folic acid

Here are some tips to help ensure you're getting enough folic acid:

1. Take a vitamin with folic acid . When taking supplements, more is not better. Look for vitamins that have 400 mcg of folic acid. You can find them at pharmacies, grocery stores, or discount stores.

If taking a vitamin upsets your stomach, try taking it with food or just before bed. If you have trouble taking pills, try a chewable vitamin. Also, be sure to take it with a full glass of water.

2. Eat fortified foods . Some flours, breads, pastas, rice and breakfast cereals. These products are labeled as "enriched."

3. Combine both approaches. You can take a vitamin with folic acid and eat fortified foods to ensure you are getting enough folic acid. It is also important to eat folate-rich foods as part of a balanced diet.

Overall, remember to check your vitamins and food labels to ensure they contain folic acid.

Checking the label

Nutrition and supplement labels show folate content in mcg dietary folate equivalent (DFE) and mcg folic acid per serving. For example, the label below shows "667 mcg DFE (400 mcg folic acid)." This means that 400 mcg of folic acid is part of the total folate (667 mcg DFE) per serving.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food Standards: Amendment of Standards of Identity for Enriched Grain Products to Require Addition of Folic Acid: Final Rule. 21 CFR Parts 136, 137, and 139. Federal Register 1996;61(44):8781-97.
• Williams J, Mai CT, Mulinare J, Isenburg J, Flood TJ, Ethen M, Frohnert B, Kirby RS, Centers for Disease C, Prevention. Updated estimates of neural tube defects prevented by mandatory folic Acid fortification — United States, 1995–2011. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64(1):1-5.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Racial/ethnic differences in the birth prevalence of spina bifida — United States, 1995–2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009;57(53):1409–1413.
• MA, Mai CT, Wang Y, et al. The association between race/ethnicity and major birth defects in the United States, 1999–2007. Am J Public Health. 2014;104(9):e14–23.
• Wong, EC, Rose CE, Flores AL, and Yeung LF. Trends in Multivitamin Use Among Women of Reproductive Age: United States, 2006–2016. Journal of Women's Health. 2019;28(1): https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2018.7075 .
• KS, Qi YP, Devine O, Tinker SC, Berry RJ. Modeling the impact of folic acid fortification and supplementation on red blood cell folate concentrations and predicted neural tube defect risk in the United States: Have we reached optimal prevention? Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;107(6):1027–1034.
• Hendler SS, Rorvik DR. PDR for Nutritional Supplements. Montvale: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 2001.

Folic acid is a B vitamin. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can help prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine.

For Everyone

Health care providers, public health.

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

News Roundup Spring 2024

CEGE Spring Graduation Celebration and Order of the Engineer

Forty-seven graduates of the undergraduate and grad student programs (pictured above) in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering took part in the Order of the Engineer on graduation day. Distinguished Speakers at this departmental event included Katrina Kessler (MS EnvE 2021), Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and student Brian Balquist. Following this event, students participated in the college-wide Commencement Ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci. 

UNIVERSITY & DEPARTMENT

The University of Minnesota’s Crookston, Duluth, and Rochester campuses have been awarded the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, joining the Twin Cities (2006, 2015) and Morris campuses (2015), and making the U of M the country’s first and only university system at which every individual campus has received this selective designation. Only 368 from nearly 4,000 qualifying U.S. universities and colleges have been granted this designation.

CEGE contributed strongly to the College of Science and Engineering’s efforts toward sustainability research. CEGE researchers are bringing in over $35 million in funded research to study carbon mineralization, nature and urban areas, circularity of water resources, and global snowfall patterns. This news was highlighted in the Fall 2023 issue of  Inventing Tomorrow  (pages 10-11). https://issuu.com/inventingtomorrow/docs/fall_2023_inventing_tomorrow-web

CEGE’s new program for a one-year master’s degree in structural engineering is now accepting applicants for Fall 2024. We owe a big thanks to DAN MURPHY and LAURA AMUNDSON for their volunteer work to help curate the program with Professor JIA-LIANG LE and EBRAHIM SHEMSHADIAN, the program director. Potential students and companies interested in hosting a summer intern can contact Ebrahim Shemshadian ( [email protected] ).

BERNIE BULLERT , CEGE benefactor and MN Water Research Fund founder, was profiled on the website of the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF). There you can read more about his mission to share clean water technologies with smaller communities in Minnesota. Many have joined Bullert in this mission. MWRF Recognizes their Generous 2024 Partners. Gold Partners: Bernie Bullert, Hawkins, Inc., Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and SL-serco. Silver Partners: ISG, Karl and Pam Streed, Kasco, Kelly Lange-Haider and Mark Haider, ME Simpson, Naeem Qureshi, Dr. Paul H. Boening, TKDA, and Waterous. Bronze Partners: Bruce R. Bullert; Brenda Lenz, Ph.D., APRN FNP-C, CNE; CDM Smith; Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA MN); Heidi and Steve Hamilton; Jim “Bulldog” Sadler; Lisa and Del Cerney; Magney Construction; Sambatek; Shannon and John Wolkerstorfer; Stantec; and Tenon Systems.

After retiring from Baker-Tilly,  NICK DRAGISICH  (BCE 1977) has taken on a new role: City Council member in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. After earning his BCE from the University of Minnesota, Dragisich earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas. Dragisich retired in May from his position as managing director at Baker Tilly, where he had previously served as firm director. Prior to that, he served as assistant city manager in Spokane, Washington, was the city administrator and city engineer in Virginia, Minnesota, and was mayor of Chisholm, Minnesota—all adding up to more than 40 years of experience in local government. Dragisich was selected by a unanimous vote. His current term expires in December 2024.

PAUL F. GNIRK  (Ph.D. 1966) passed away January 29, 2024, at the age of 86. A memorial service was held Saturday, February 24, at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), where he started and ended his teaching career, though he had many other positions, professional and voluntary. In 2018 Paul was inducted into the SDSM&T Hardrocker Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame, joining his mother Adeline S. Gnirk, who had been inducted in 1987 for her work authoring nine books on the history of south central South Dakota.

ROGER M. HILL  (BCE 1957) passed away on January 13, 2024, at the age of 90. His daughter, Kelly Robinson, wrote to CEGE that Roger was “a dedicated Gopher fan until the end, and we enjoyed many football games together in recent years. Thank you for everything.”

KAUSER JAHAN  (Ph.D. 1993, advised by Walter Maier), PE, is now a civil and environmental engineering professor and department head at Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. Jahan was awarded a 3-year (2022- 2025), $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The grant supports her project, “WaterWorks: Developing the New Generation of Workforce for Water/Wastewater Utilities,” for the development of educational tools that will expose and prepare today’s students for careers in water and wastewater utilities.

SAURA JOST  (BCE 2010, advised by Timothy LaPara) was elected to the St. Paul City Council for Ward 3. She is part of the historic group of women that make up the nation’s first all-female city council in a large city.

The 2024 ASCE Western Great Lakes Student Symposium combines several competitions for students involved in ASCE. CEGE sent a large contingent of competitors to Chicago. Each of the competition groups won awards: Ethics Paper 1st place Hans Lagerquist; Sustainable Solutions team 1st place overall in (qualifying them for the National competition in Utah in June); GeoWall 2nd place overall; Men’s Sprint for Concrete Canoe with rowers Sakthi Sundaram Saravanan and Owen McDonald 2nd place; Product Prototype for Concrete Canoe 2nd place; Steel Bridge (200 lb bridge weight) 2nd place in lightness; Scavenger Hunt 3rd place; and Aesthetics and Structural Efficiency for Steel Bridge 4th place.

Students competing on the Minnesota Environmental Engineers, Scientists, and Enthusiasts (MEESE) team earned second place in the Conference on the Environment undergraduate student design competition in November 2023. Erin Surdo is the MEESE Faculty Adviser. Pictured are NIKO DESHPANDE, ANNA RETTLER, and SYDNEY OLSON.

The CEGE CLASS OF 2023 raised money to help reduce the financial barrier for fellow students taking the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, a cost of $175 per test taker. As a result of this gift, they were able to make the exam more affordable for 15 current CEGE seniors. CEGE students who take the FE exam pass the first time at a rate well above national averages, demonstrating that CEGE does a great job of teaching engineering fundamentals. In 2023, 46 of 50 students passed the challenging exam on the first try.

This winter break, four CEGE students joined 10 other students from the College of Science and Engineering for the global seminar, Design for Life: Water in Tanzania. The students visited numerous sites in Tanzania, collected water source samples, designed rural water systems, and went on safari. Read the trip blog: http://globalblogs.cse.umn.edu/search/label/Tanzania%202024

Undergraduate Honor Student  MALIK KHADAR  (advised by Dr. Paul Capel) received honorable mention for the Computing Research Association (CRA) Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award for undergraduate students who show outstanding research potential in an area of computing research.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

AKASH BHAT  (advised by William Arnold) presented his Ph.D. defense on Friday, October 27, 2023. Bhat’s thesis is “Photolysis of fluorochemicals: Tracking fluorine, use of UV-LEDs, and computational insights.” Bhat’s work investigating the degradation of fluorinated compounds will assist in the future design of fluorinated chemicals such that persistent and/or toxic byproducts are not formed in the environment.

ETHAN BOTMEN  (advised by Bill Arnold) completed his Master of Science Final Exam February 28, 2024. His research topic was Degradation of Fluorinated Compounds by Nucleophilic Attack of Organo-fluorine Functional Groups.

XIATING CHEN , Ph.D. Candidate in Water Resources Engineering at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory is the recipient of the 2023 Nels Nelson Memorial Fellowship Award. Chen (advised by Xue Feng) is researching eco-hydrological functions of urban trees and other green infrastructure at both the local and watershed scale, through combined field observations and modeling approaches.

ALICE PRATES BISSO DAMBROZ  has been a Visiting Student Researcher at the University of Minnesota since last August, on a Doctoral Dissertation Research Award from Fulbright. Her CEGE advisor is Dr. Paul Capel. Dambroz is a fourth year Ph.D. student in Soil Science at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria in Brazil, where she studies with her adviser Jean Minella. Her research focuses on the hydrological monitoring of a small agricultural watershed in Southern Brazil, which is located on a transition area between volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Its topography, shallow soils, and land use make it prone to runoff and erosion processes.

Yielding to people in crosswalks should be a very pedestrian topic. Yet graduate student researchers  TIANYI LI, JOSHUA KLAVINS, TE XU, NIAZ MAHMUD ZAFRI  (Dept.of Urban and Regional Planning at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), and Professor Raphael Stern found that drivers often do not yield to pedestrians, but they are influenced by the markings around a crosswalk. Their work was picked up by the  Minnesota Reformer.

TIANYI LI  (Ph.D. student advised by Raphael Stern) also won the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation (DDET) Fellowship for the third time! Li (center) and Stern (right) are pictured at the Federal Highway Administration with Latoya Jones, the program manager for the DDET Fellowship.

The Three Minute Thesis Contest and the Minnesota Nice trophy has become an annual tradition in CEGE. 2023’s winner was  EHSANUR RAHMAN , a Ph.D. student advised by Boya Xiong.

GUANJU (WILLIAM) WEI , a Ph.D. student advised by Judy Yang, is the recipient of the 2023 Heinz G. Stefan Fellowship. He presented his research entitled Microfluidic Investigation of the Biofilm Growth under Dynamic Fluid Environments and received his award at the St. Anthony Falls Research Laboratory April 9. The results of Wei's research can be used in industrial, medical, and scientific fields to control biofilm growth.

BILL ARNOLD  stars in an award-winning video about prairie potholes. The Prairie Potholes Project film was made with the University of Delaware and highlights Arnold’s NSF research. The official winners of the 2024 Environmental Communications Awards Competition Grand Prize are Jon Cox and Ben Hemmings who produced and directed the film. Graduate student Marcia Pacheco (CFANS/LAAS) and Bill Arnold are the on-screen stars.

Four faculty from CEGE join the Center for Transportation Studies Faculty and Research Scholars for FY24–25:  SEONGJIN CHOI, KETSON ROBERTO MAXIMIANO DOS SANTOS, PEDRAM MORTAZAVI,  and  BENJAMIN WORSFOLD . CTS Scholars are drawn from diverse fields including engineering, planning, computer science, environmental studies, and public policy.

XUE FENG  is coauthor on an article in  Nature Reviews Earth and Environment . The authors evaluate global plant responses to changing rainfall regimes that are now characterized by fewer and larger rainfall events. A news release written at Univ. of Maryland can be found here: https://webhost.essic. umd.edu/april-showers-bring-mayflowers- but-with-drizzles-or-downpours/ A long-running series of U of M research projects aimed at improving stormwater quality are beginning to see practical application by stormwater specialists from the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. JOHN GULLIVER has been studying best practices for stormwater management for about 16 years. Lately, he has focused specifically on mitigating phosphorous contamination. His research was highlighted by the Center for Transportation Studies.

JIAQI LI, BILL ARNOLD,  and  RAYMOND HOZALSKI  published a paper on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors in Minnesota rivers. “Animal Feedlots and Domestic Wastewater Discharges are Likely Sources of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) Precursors in Midwestern Watersheds,” Environmental Science and Technology (January 2024) doi: 10.1021/acs. est.3c09251

ALIREZA KHANI  contributed to MnDOT research on Optimizing Charging Infrastructure for Electric Trucks. Electric options for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks (e-trucks) are still largely in development. These trucks account for a substantial percentage of transportation greenhouse gas emissions. They have greater power needs and different charging needs than personal EVs. Proactively planning for e-truck charging stations will support MnDOT in helping to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. This research was featured in the webinar “Electrification of the Freight System in Minnesota,” hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies. A recording of the event is now available online.

MICHAEL LEVIN  has developed a unique course for CEGE students on Air Transportation Systems. It is the only class at UMN studying air transportation systems from an infrastructure design and management perspective. Spring 2024 saw the third offering of this course, which is offered for juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Research Professor  SOFIA (SONIA) MOGILEVSKAYA  has been developing international connections. She visited the University of Seville, Spain, November 13–26, 2023, where she taught a short course titled “Fundamentals of Homogenization in Composites.” She also met with the graduate students to discuss collaborative research with Prof. Vladislav Mantic, from the Group of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis at the University of Seville. Her visit was a part of planned activities within the DIAGONAL Consortium funded by the European Commission. CEGE UMN is a partner organization within DIAGONAL, represented by CEGE professors Mogilevskaya and Joseph Labuz. Mantic will visit CEGE summer 2024 to follow up on research developments and discuss plans for future collaboration and organization of short-term exchange visits for the graduate students from each institution. 

DAVID NEWCOMB  passed away in March. He was a professor in CEGE from 1989–99 in the area of pavement engineering. Newcomb led the research program on asphalt materials characterization. He was the technical director of Mn/ROAD pavement research facility, and he started an enduring collaboration with MnDOT that continues today. In 2000, he moved from Minnesota to become vice-president for Research and Technology at the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Later he moved to his native Texas, where he was appointed to the division head of Materials and Pavement at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, a position from which he recently retired. He will be greatly missed.

PAIGE NOVAK  won Minnesota ASCE’s 2023 Distinguished Engineer of the Year Award for her contributions to society through her engineering achievements and professional experiences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced ten inaugural (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines awards, with a potential $1.6 billion investment nationally over the next decade. Great Lakes ReNEW is led by the Chicago-based water innovation hub,  Current,  and includes a team from the University of Minnesota, including PAIGE NOVAK. Current will receive $15 mil for the first two years, and up to $160 million over ten years to develop and grow a water-focused innovation engine in the Great Lakes region. The project’s ambitious plan is to create a decarbonized circular “blue economy” to leverage the region’s extraordinary water resources to transform the upper Midwest—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Brewing one pint of beer generates seven pints of wastewater, on average. So what can you do with that wastewater?  PAIGE NOVAK  and her team are exploring the possibilities of capturing pollutants in wastewater and using bacteria to transform them into energy.

BOYA XIONG  has been selected as a recipient of the 2024 40 Under 40 Recognition Program by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. The award was presented at the 2024 AAEES Awards Ceremony, April 11, 2024, at the historic Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

JUDY Q. YANG  received a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship Award. This two-year award recognizes promising assistant professors and is intended to advance the careers of individuals who have the potential to make significant contributions to their departments and their scholarly fields. 

Professor Emeritus CHARLES FAIRHURST , his son CHARLES EDWARD FAIRHURST , and his daughter MARGARET FAIRHURST DURENBERGER were on campus recently to present Department Head Paige Novak with a check for $25,000 for the Charles Fairhurst Fellowship in Earth Resources Engineering in support of graduate students studying geomechanics. The life of Charles Fairhurst through a discussion with his children is featured on the Engineering and Technology History Wiki at https://ethw.org/Oral-History:Charles_Fairhurst#00:00:14_INTRODUCTION

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