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What is it? The Public Administration Genome Project (PAGP) is a grand
attempt to digitally "map" and then usefully employ the full set of topics,
variables, and interrelationships that comprise and involve all of the "genes" that
make up public administration. It is based on the highly regarded and useful
Human Genome Project.
Why do it? Like the world in general, the P. A. world is becoming more diverse
and complicated. Hence, few administrators can be expected to know, much less
remember, the many relevant strategies, external forces and related impacts that
might be part of a particular situation. There thus is a need for a comprehensive, logic-based, readily accessible
system (called "COMPASS") to help in finding and elaborating on such topics, variables, and interrelationships.
What is in the book? It starts with a broad overview of the whole PAGP. It then turns to an elaboration of both
the basic and then the more comprehensive analogies with the human genome; the Human Genome Project; and
other related concepts (like catalysis and evolution).
These are followed by a set of new and seemingly unconnected subjects: (a)
norms for citizens and public administrators, and (b) semantic and syntactic
analyses. Then come some interesting and diverse case studies, and
comparisons of such to theories.
All these set the scene for development of procedures for contributing to and
using COMPASS, the information and guidance system which is the central
product of the PAGP. The whole concept of the PAGP subsequently is
revisited through an example that encompasses all of its major elements and
processes.
The last part of the book focuses on future directions, asking questions like
"Is the PAGP (and COMPASS) an impossible dream or a much needed
reality?"
