Meaningful knowledge about public administration: Epistemological and methodological antecedents

Abstract

While scientific knowledge has become valuable in creating national and global policies, the influence of Public Administration knowledge may be perceived as limited and thus not meaningful. This study aimed to understand the epistemological and methodological antecedents for meaningful knowledge about public administration. It departed from two assumptions, namely that of a social ontology of a complex, emerging and socially constructed public administration reality, and that of the co-situatedness of scholars, administrators, politicians and citizens in the public administration reality. The current study has shown that a situated knowledge quest for this reality implies, firstly, an extended epistemology to recognize and consider all forms of tangible and non-tangible knowledge about public administration within relevant contexts. Secondly, it implies an interscience methodology drawing from multi- and transdisciplinary traditions for comprehensive knowledge about public administration within relevant contexts. Meaningful knowledge about public administration can influence public policy only if (a) it is consistent with the social ontology of this reality, (b) it is of value for the situated and interconnected knowledge stakeholders, (c) this emerging, irreducible and complex reality is explored through an extended epistemology, and (d) results from a methodology of interscience and complex thinking.