Administrative Leadership in the Public Sector

• Published date: 01 May 2009
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2009.02003.x
• Date: 01 May 2009
• Author: A. Carol Rusaw

Book Reviews 551

A. Carol Rusaw

University of Northern Virginia

Administrative Leadership in the Public Sector

Montgomery Van Wart and Lisa A. Dicke, eds., Admin-

istrative Leadership in the Public Sector (Armonk,

NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2008). 449 pp. $89.95 (cloth),

ISBN: 9780765613486; $34.95 (paper), ISBN:

9780765613493.

Leadership, particularly in public administration,

is an illusive concept. Often based on private

sector management and leadership theories

and practice, it has been underresearched as a prac-

tice and in theory. In existing studies of leadership

in private and public organizational contexts, writers

have def‌i ned leadership in three general camps: as

a set of exemplary traits, values, and behaviors that

individuals possess; the ability to inf‌l uence action and

motivation based on situational contexts and follower

characteristics; and ascription among followers. Much

of the scholarship has focused on individuals in charge

of for-prof‌i t f‌i rms rather than in government. In the

pubic sector, studies have centered on elected repre-

sentatives and heads of organizations. Administrative

Leadership in the Public Sector dif‌f ers from the existing

Leadership, particularly in public administration,

is an illusive concept. Often based on private sector

management and leadership theories and practice, it

has been underresearched as a practice and in theory.

In existing studies of leadership in private and public

organizational contexts, writers have def‌i ned leader-

ship in three general camps: as a set of exemplary

traits, values, and behaviors that individuals possess;

the ability to inf‌l uence action and motivation based

on situational contexts and follower characteristics;

and ascription among followers. Much of the scholar-

ship has focused on individuals in charge of for-prof‌i t

f‌i rms rather than in government. In the pubic sector,

studies have centered on elected representatives and

heads of organizations. Administrative Leadership in

the Public Sector dif‌f ers from the existing literature

in its emphasis on leadership as inf‌l uencing change

at both the individual and organizational levels.  e

focus dif‌f ers as well. Leaders are career public serv-

ants, for the most part, who may initiate and carry out

the roles and responsibilities of leadership at multiple

agency echelons.  e authors identify these leaders as

having personal characteristics and competencies that

enable them to create and sustain interpersonal and

organizational transformation from their knowledge

and experiences within the public sector.

Editors Montgomery Van Wart and Lisa Dicke point

out that the principles of scientif‌i c management have

limited the conceptualization of leadership to a set of

proscriptions for “best” ways.  e legacies of Frederick

Winslow Taylor and Henri Fayol have created a no-

tion that there is little dif‌f erence between public and

private sector management. Elected leaders as well as

corporate executives have tried to put these principles

into practice by emphasizing productivity in terms

of organizational inputs and outputs.  e system of

checks and balances among the branches of govern-

ment, which implies that no one branch has suf‌f‌i cient

power and authority to develop and implement goals

and strategies, however, negates the use of a single

source of planning, goal setting, and resource alloca-

tion.  e editors rightly note that, for public sector

leadership, the “best” principles are more in line with

best styles, techniques, and practices in individual

situations.

As an ASPA Classics volume, the book sets a founda-

tion by identifying several generic leadership theories

and concepts in Van Wart’s “Public-Sector Leadership

 eory” (chapter 2). In the main, however, most of

the chapters adapt or build theoretical frameworks

A. Carol Rusaw is a professor and

chair of the Education Department at the

University of Northern Virginia. Previously,

she taught public administration at the

University of Connecticut, interpersonal

and organizational communication at

the University of Louisiana–Lafayette,

and adult education and institutional

research at North Dakota State University.

In addition, she was a management and

organizational development specialist with

the federal government for 10 years.

E-mail: acrusaw@worldnet.att.net

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