Chapter 9 Time Out?

Abstract

This chapter is about the time dimension in the study of public management. There are four main steps in my argument: First, much contemporary academic work in public management is effectively time-free, or at least time-neglectful. Second, however, I argue that many key processes in public management are actually highly time-dependent. Therefore, third, we need to restore the temporal dimension to our theorizing about the development of different regimes, systems, models, and techniques for the administration of public tasks. Fourth, such a restoration of the temporal dimension will need to take account of the different cultural “framings” of time – of the fact that different cultures and subcultures conceptualize, value, and treat time differently. Throughout, the discussion is meant to be general, suggestive, and exploratory – an early conversation rather than a last word.

Citation

Pollitt, C. (2007), "Chapter 9 Time Out?", Schedler, K. and Proeller, I. (Ed.) Cultural Aspects of Public Management Reform (Research in Public Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 231-245. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0732-1317(07)16009-7