The Politics–Administration Dichotomy: An Empirical Search for Correspondence between Theory and Practice

Abstract

The politics–administration dichotomy has been one of the most disputed theories of public administration. Despite serious critiques, neither the theoretical utility nor the normative power of the dichotomy has totally disappeared over the past decades. The dichotomy has been advocated on the grounds that the dichotomous division of labor and authority between elected and administrative officials increases the democratic accountability and planning ability of public administrators. This article first builds a theoretical model of the politics–administration dichotomy and then evaluates the model using empirical data collected from a nationwide sample of city managers serving in council‐manager local governments. Results of structural equation modeling illustrate that the politics–administration dichotomy fails to obtain its predicted tendencies in actuality. The authors interpret the findings in light of the contemporary public administration literature. The article aims to make a theoretical‐empirical contribution to one of the most challenging questions in public administration.

Professionalism, Responsiveness, and Representation: What do They Mean for City Managers?

“…Critics focused on the theory's lack of empirical foundations and inherent normative limitations (e.g., Demir & Nyhan, 2008). As an alternative to the dichotomy, some scholars developed what is widely known today as complementarity.…”

“…Conventional models such as the politicsadministration dichotomy envisioned a strictly professional role for public administrators, who are deemed responsible only for providing technical expertise to the policy process in their capacity as neutral advisors to elected officials. From Weber to Wilson to some contemporary scholars of public administration, public administrators have been portrayed as strictly professional and emotionally detached, engaging in information analysis and employing scientific tools to generate fact-based decisions (Demir & Nyhan, 2008).…”

Professionalism among Icelandic Mayors: Job Postings, Experience and Education as Determinants of Professionalism at the Icelandic Local Level

“…Thus, it is possible to "see professionalism as a set of internal standards that can provide bases on which to build virtuous administration" (Fox 1992, 2). However, unlike many other types of professions, such as doctors or lawyers, the professional autonomy of city managers is highly restrained, as they are, in essence, a dependent profession in a hierarchical political relationship (Demir & Nyhan 2008). Furthermore, Svara (1990) has argued that there is a clear conceptual link between accountability and professionalism for city managers.…”

Politics and Public Service Human Resource Management Systems in Malawi

“…The relations between politics and management (administration) as Demir and Nyhan (2008) noted, is complex. In reality, a continuum rather than a dichotomy can be noted.…”