The Promise and Paradox of Civil Service Reform

Contains fourteen essays that examine, through a public policy focus, the 1978 civil service reform and its aftermath.  The essays view policy design, implementation, and evaluation, as well as the overall politics of administration and institutional change.  An indispensible tool for students of public administration, bureaucratic politics, and personnel policy.

Contributors: Carolyn Ban; John Halligan; Kirke Harper; Mark Huddleston; J. Edward Kellough; Larry M. Lane; Chester A. Newland; James L. Perry; Beryl A. Radin; Robert Vaughn; and the editors.

“The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) was a landmark in legislative success for the administration of President Jimmy Carter. . . . The overall assessment of the authors included in this volume is that CSRA failed in achieving its promises. . . . This book should be of great interest to scholars of public personnel management as well as public policy analysis.”

—National Political Science Review

Fourteen essays examine, through a public policy focus, the 1978 civil service reform and its aftermath. 

Patricia W. Ingraham is professor of public administration and political science at Syracuse University.

David H. Rosenbloom is Distingushed Professor of public administration at American University.