Gregg G. Van Ryzin

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. In this timely Advanced Introduction, Gregg G. Van Ryzin explores key ideas, methods, practices and prospects in the growing subfield of behavioral and experimental public administration (BEPA). He investigates the intellectual history of BEPA, as well as the rise of applied behavioral science work in governments around the globe. Chapters demonstrate the essential role of experimental design and logic in addressing emerging challenges in public policy and administration, including the ethical considerations of nudging. Key Features: Traces the key theoretical ideas that inspired BEPA Scrutinises the rise of behavioral insights teams, or nudge units Examines the methodology and function of randomized experiments Analyses research on crucial themes, including government performance, work motivation, representative bureaucracy, collaborative governance and coproduction Outlines the criticisms and limitations of BEPA, as well as its prospects for future research and practice This Advanced Introduction is a valuable read for scholars and students of public management and administration. Public managers and practitioners will benefit from its insights on the real-world applications of behavioral science and experimental techniques.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. In this timely Advanced Introduction, Gregg G. Van Ryzin explores key ideas, methods, practices and prospects in the growing subfield of behavioral and experimental public administration (BEPA). He investigates the intellectual history of BEPA, as well as the rise of applied behavioral science work in governments around the globe. Chapters demonstrate the essential role of experimental design and logic in addressing emerging challenges in public policy and administration, including the ethical considerations of nudging. Key Features: Traces the key theoretical ideas that inspired BEPA Scrutinises the rise of behavioral insights teams, or nudge units Examines the methodology and function of randomized experiments Analyses research on crucial themes, including government performance, work motivation, representative bureaucracy, collaborative governance and coproduction Outlines the criticisms and limitations of BEPA, as well as its prospects for future research and practice This Advanced Introduction is a valuable read for scholars and students of public management and administration. Public managers and practitioners will benefit from its insights on the real-world applications of behavioral science and experimental techniques.

Thoroughly updated to reflect changes in both research and methods, this Third Edition of Remler and Van Ryzin’s innovative, standard-setting text is imbued with a deep commitment to making social and policy research methods accessible and meaningful. Research Methods in Practice: Strategies for Description and Causation motivates readers to examine the logic and limits of social science research from academic journals and government reports. A central theme of causation versus description runs through the text, emphasizing the idea that causal research is essential to understanding the origins of social problems and their potential solutions. Readers will find excitement in the research experience as the best hope for improving the world in which we live, while also acknowledging the trade-offs and uncertainties in real-world research.

A revolution in the measurement and reporting of government performance through the use of published metrics, rankings and reports has swept the globe at all levels of government. Performance metrics now inform important decisions by politicians, public managers and citizens. However, this performance movement has neglected a second revolution in behavioral science that has revealed cognitive limitations and biases in people's identification, perception, understanding and use of information. This Element introduces a new approach - behavioral public performance - that connects these two revolutions. Drawing especially on evidence from experiments, this approach examines the influence of characteristics of numbers, subtle framing of information, choice of benchmarks or comparisons, human motivation and information sources. These factors combine with the characteristics of information users and the political context to shape perceptions, judgment and decisions. Behavioral public performance suggests lessons to improve design and use of performance metrics in public management and democratic accountability.