JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDUCATION - naspaa

Enhancing Professional Socialization Through the Metaphor of Tradition
sets of interacting variables. Indeed, per Weber’s (1949) method, the varying
meanings and prescriptions for these “generic” elements are used to generate
ideal-types. Each tradition of public administration is based on a “genetic
code” of mutually exclusive legitimacy logics—Constitutional, Discretionary,
and Collaborative—which respectively create three distinct role
conceptualizations of the Bureaucrat, Entrepreneur, and Steward.
A brief narrative can explain how these role conceptualizations were
generated using the genetic meanings of a specific set of generic elements. Each
tradition has a unique perspective and description of the governance context
that is assumed in its theories. The world as seen from this perspective is taken
as the reality that theory either responds to or promotes. Ontology and
political philosophy frame the underlying meaning of democratic legitimacy
that is promoted by a given tradition. In turn, this political ontology prescribes
how political authority should be distributed to government, and the
appropriate scope of action delegated to administration. In order to ensure that
neither authority nor scope is being overstepped, each tradition prescribes
specific ways to achieve responsibility and accountability. These limitations on
scope of action, and paths to responsibility and accountability, further dictate
the type of decision-making rationality that should be used. Furthermore, these
combined elements dictate the type of organizing style best suited for
implementation. All together, these elements imply a specific role
conceptualization for public administration and administrators in a democratic
society, including their relationship to elected officials and citizens. Through all
of these constraints, the behavior of the administrator is channeled into a
specific role pattern.
By way of a basic sketch, in the role of Bureaucrat, actions are framed by
the rules and procedures commanded by the separated powers of the
constitutional order, through the organizational hierarchy, in order to ensure
legitimacy. This approach empowers the role of elected official, to whom
administrators must be accountable. In the role of Entrepreneur, actions are
framed by the independent pursuit of various performance criteria, as standins
for the legitimate public good, which empowers public administrators as
discretionary experts who are responsible for desirable outcomes. In the role of
Steward, legitimate actions are framed by the standards of direct democracy,
and are answerable to the citizens impacted by the decision or action, thereby
empowering citizens as democratic sovereigns to whom administrators must
be responsive. Table 1 provides a summary of the findings pertaining to each
tradition and its unique role conceptualization. While these details are beyond
the scope of this discussion, they are offered as examples of the way that key
concepts of public administration can be organized via the metaphor of
tradition. These elements are common concepts, covered in the core
curriculum of most MPA programs. (See Table 1.)
Journal of Public Affairs Education 297