Designed to serve as a basic text for an introductory course in Public Administration, this innovative work provides students with an understanding of the basic management functions that are covered in all standard textbooks with two important differences.First, it is written to address the needs of both the experienced practitioner and the entry-level public servant. Case examples bridge the content-rich environment of practitioners with the basic principles of public administration sought by pre-service students.Second, the discussion of basic management practices is grounded in the political and ethical tensions inherent in the American constitutional form of governance. This reflects the author's belief that public administration operates as an integral part of the country's political traditions, and thereby helps define the political culture. The book provides a framework for understanding American political traditions and how they inform public administration as a political practice.The book includes tables and charts to summarize and distill the main features of each chapter. Each section includes a master case that is integrated into the discussion of topics and principles covered in subsequent chapters. The book provides students with a chronological development of four governing legacies that have remained at the center of public administration since the nation's founding. Each chapter includes practical study questions, and the book includes a comprehensive bibliography.