Public Management Research

Abstract

Are public management researchers sufficiently addressing the contemporary challenges and changes in the real world of public management, including the challenges identified by public management practitioners themselves? If research is to be relevant for senior public managers, it should engage with these contemporary trends and challenges. The article thus raises some normative as well as analytical aspects of research. Research effort should place considerable weight on understanding and responding to the challenges articulated by public management practitioners. This will enable researchers and practitioners to navigate better the ‘swamp’ of complex and wicked problems, rather than be content with theory-building on the ‘high ground’.