Abstract

Public Management and Public Administration are important professions for an emerging democracy such as South Africa. They operate as the interface between state and public and are responsible for enacting many of the government's policies and social initiatives. Concerns about a lack of capacity in the sector suggest that those in these roles may be unable to meet the demands of the workplace. This article reports on a study that responded to calls for the curriculum to address such concerns by interrogating the knowledge structures of Public Management and Public Administration programmes in higher education. Interviews, textbooks and course guides were analysed to illuminate the forms of knowledge being legitimated in curricula. The study found that the focus on knowledge, skills and processes might be at the expense of a focus on the development of particular attributes or dispositions in the knowers. Furthermore, the knowledge level focus was limited in that it was highly contextualised and “light” on theory, raising questions about the acquisition of powerful knowledge needed for good governance and critical engagement in the public sector. The study recommends that both programmes include more conceptual knowledge; exposure to critical powerful forms of knowledge; and the development of particular attributes and dispositions.

摘要

对于南非这样的新兴民主国家，公共管理和公共管理是重要的职业。它们充当国家与公众之间的接口，并负责制定政府的许多政策和社会举措。对这一部门能力不足的担忧表明，担任这些职务的人可能无法满足工作场所的要求。本文报告了一项研究，该研究通过询问高等教育中的公共管理和公共管理课程的知识结构来响应课程要求，以解决此类问题。对访谈，教科书和课程指南进行了分析，以阐明在课程中合法的知识形式。研究发现，专注于知识，技能和过程可能是以牺牲知识者的特定属性或性格发展为代价的。此外，知识水平的关注是有限的，因为它是高度上下文化的，并且是理论上的“亮点”，这引发了有关获取善政和关键参与公共部门所需的强大知识的问题。研究建议两个程序都包含更多的概念性知识；接触重要的强大知识形式；以及特定属性和性格的发展。提出有关获取良好治理和公共部门关键参与所需的强大知识的问题。研究建议两个程序都包含更多的概念性知识；接触重要的强大知识形式；以及特定属性和性格的发展。提出有关获取良好治理和公共部门关键参与所需的强大知识的问题。研究建议两个程序都包含更多的概念性知识；接触重要的强大知识形式；以及特定属性和性格的发展。