Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Quantitative And Qualitative Research Controversy In Public Administration: An Analysis Of Statistical Data Presented On United Kingdom People Category In The Cia World Factbook, Khandaker Nayeemul Islam

The Hilltop Review

Two traditions of social science research can be identified as ‘quantitative‘ and ‘qualitative‘ research, which are different from each other in style and technique. Supporters of these two traditions ―sometimes seem to be at war regarding the supremacy of their respective tradition in analyzing social phenomena (King, Keohane and Verba, 1994). In general, this war is quite visible in the field of social science and in public administration, which refers as federal, state and local government, as a discipline of social science. Transcending the boundaries of academia this debate has received considerable interest recently from people every corner of the …

Citizen-Informed Performance Measurement And Reporting In Local Government: Key Factors For Effective Democratic Governance, Eileen L. Pierce

Dissertations

Citizen engagement and performance measurement are concepts inherently in conflict with each other. Local government values citizen input and good governance. Simultaneously, the pressure of local government to be efficient and effective utilizing managerial techniques common in the private sector is intense. Due to challenges associated with the integration of performance measurement and active citizen involvement, initiatives in this area are sparse.

This study, using a mixed methods analysis, explored the research questions through examination of thirty-six units of local government that participated in the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation‘s Government Trailblazer Program. This program provided a unique opportunity for exploratory …

Exploring Collaborative Governance: Case Studies Of Disruptions In Coastal Zone Management Collaborations And Resulting Effects Upon The Collaborations And Outcomes, Roselyn Zator

Dissertations

This study examined disruptions in collaborative governance in four state coastal zone management commissions or councils in California, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. The comparative case study used qualitative analysis of pre- and post- disruption conditions. The disruption was defined as a chain of events that started with a loss or diminished level of public trust in the decision-making of the commission or council. The loss of public trust led to changes in the external environment meta-variable (political action) that affected (disrupted) the institutional design and relationship dynamics meta-variables of the commissions or councils.

To better understand the …