http://aas.sagepub.com Administration & Society RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles Administration & Society 0095-3997 http://aas.sagepub.com:80/icons/banner/title.gif http://aas.sagepub.com http://aas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/0095399709349910v1?rss=1 The definition and nature of the public interest is an ongoing area of debate and controversy among public administration scholars and practitioners. This article’s main thesis is that there exists an identifiable public interest entailing both normative and pragmatic elements that should be a foundational concern of every practicing public administrator. The administrator’s duty entails three factors: (a) the fiduciary duties to the commons as defined and constrained by constitutional principles, (b) policies that are congruent with our democratic values, and (c) the practice of nonidiosyncratic and universalized ethical administrative leadership and decision making. The article addresses this much maligned and dismissed topic by tracing its historical development focusing on the various lenses, working definitions, characteristics, and typologies of the public interest and illustrating their application in a case study of the Federal Communications Commission. The authors conclude with summary reflections and implications for public administration and public policy. ]]> Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:03:49 PST info:doi/10.1177/0095399709349910 2009-11-06 Article http://aas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/0095399709349027v1?rss=1 Public organizations operate as open systems in settings that can be a source of difficulties for managers and for program performance. The unexpected arrival of two major hurricanes in 2005 caused widespread havoc, and some of the consequences constituted major shocks to public agencies—in particular, to public educational systems. This article assesses whether such shocks caused drops in performance, and whether organization and management contributed to a mitigation of these deleterious effects. Evidence indicates that shocks do disrupt performance but also that staff capacity and stability in street-level personnel of the organizations can reduce or eliminate these negative consequences. ]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:28:11 PST info:doi/10.1177/0095399709349027 2009-11-04 Article