Research into the Theory and Practice of Public Administration
| Published date | 01 July 1931 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.1931.tb02904.x |
| Author | J. R. Howard Roberts |
| Date | 01 July 1931 |
tice
of
Public
Research
into
the Theory
and
Prac-
..
Administ
rat
ion
By
Mr.
J.
R.
Town
Clerk
of
[Being a Paper
to
be
discussed
HOWARD
ROBERTS,
Kingsto
n-upon-Hull
at
the Summer Conference
of
the
Institute
of
Public Administration, July,
19311
ESEARCH is defined in
a
modem dictionary as
“
laborious and
R
natural search as for truth, diligent
inquiry
or examination in
seeking facts or principles, inquiry, scrutiny.”
To
say that the
theory and practice of Public Administration had ever had applied
to them such attention as is implied in this definition would amount
to an over-statement
of
the facts. It must be conceded that individual
thinkers have from time to time written upon various aspects of the
matter, Royal Commissions and Departmental Committees have con-
sidered and reported upon the subject, but
I
do not know of
a
single
volume
in
the English language which could really be said to deal
exclusively with it. Why
this
apparent neglect
?
It could be said with
equal
truth that the subject of industrial
or
commercial administration had until recent years been regarded
with somewhat similar indifference. One
is
reminded
of
the story
of
the farmer with whom a methodical enthusiast remonstrated for
keeping no accounts
in
connection with
his
poultry farming-his reply
was,
“
Why should
I?
If
the hens
ain’t
laying there’s nowt to
account for, and
if
they
be
laying there’s nowt to worry about.”
This
doctrine
of
easy going
laissez-faire
may have been good enough
in
either commercial or public administration in the past, but it
will
be agreed that it is certainly not
good
enough for the present, and
will be less and less acceptable in the future.
It being therefore beyond doubt that more intensive research
is
a necessity, how best can it be carried out?
Perhaps
it
may
be
thought at first sight
that
those best able to
carry out such investigations are the administmtols themselves, but
while their co-operation may be essential
I
doubt if
in
fact they are
best fitted for the task
of
the actual research. In the first place
the
legislature has
in
the past few years increased the burdens upon
the
349
To continue reading
Request your trial