Understanding 'The Study of Administration' Paper

The question asks about the author of the significant paper titled 'The study of administration'. This paper is a foundational text in the field of public administration.

Identifying the Author of the 1887 Paper

The paper 'The study of administration' was published in the journal Political Science Quarterly in the year 1887. This work is widely recognized as marking a crucial point in the development of public administration as a distinct field of study.

The author of this influential paper is Woodrow Wilson. At the time of writing this paper, Woodrow Wilson was a professor of political science. He later went on to become the 28th President of the United States.

Let's briefly look at the options provided and their relevance:

• Henry Fayol: Known for his work on management theory, particularly his 14 Principles of Management. While influential in administration, he did not write 'The study of administration'.
• Woodrow Wilson: Correctly identified as the author of 'The study of administration'. His paper is considered a cornerstone text advocating for the separation of politics and administration.
• Mary Parker Follett: An important figure in management and organizational theory, known for her ideas on constructive conflict and integration. She is not the author of this specific paper.
• Max Weber: A sociologist known for his work on bureaucracy, power, and authority. His contributions are fundamental to understanding administrative structures, but he did not write 'The study of administration'.

Based on the historical record and study of public administration history, Woodrow Wilson is the author of 'The study of administration', published in 1887 in the Political Science Quarterly.

Revision Table: Key Thinkers in Administration

Additional Information on 'The Study of Administration'

'The study of administration' by Woodrow Wilson is often cited as the starting point for the academic study of public administration in the United States. In this paper, Wilson argued for a separation between the political process (which is concerned with policy-making) and the administrative process (which is concerned with executing those policies efficiently and effectively). This concept is known as the politics-administration dichotomy.

Wilson argued that administration should be studied systematically, using methods similar to those used in other sciences, to improve governmental efficiency. He believed that government administration could learn much from business management practices.

The paper's influence was profound, shaping the direction of public administration research and education for decades. It established the idea that public administration was a distinct field requiring specialized knowledge and training.