Public Management in the Context of Contingency Theory

Does public management, i.e. the management of public interest organisations, differ from business management, i.e. the management of profit-oriented organisations, and if so, in what way? This is the question that the book in the hands of the reader seeks and provides possible answers to. It is framed by the contingency theory, which assumes that there is no single best solution and method that is equally applicable in all circumstances; that there is a need for flexibility in the methods to be applied; and that the methods to be applied in a given situation must be adapted to the circumstances. Public Management in the Context of Contingency Theory addresses the issue of situational management in public administration organisations, as their specific environment – its complexity, dynamics and changes – also implies a need for their managers to adapt; one possible means of doing so is the adaptive use of contingency theory.