A once-in-a-generation event held every twenty years, the Minnowbrook conference brings together the top scholars in public administration and public management to reflect on the state of the field and its future.
Minnowbrook I (1968), II (1988), and III (2008) are watershed events in the intellectual development of public administration.
Before moving to Minnowbrook Conference III lets have a look at first two
First Minnow Brook Conference -
1. It was organised in the backdrop of anger and unrest against the Government.
2. It was organised in opposition to Philadelphia Conference.
3. It had participants from department of Political Science. Hence its approach was narrow and limited.
4. It focus was Change, Relevance, Social Equity and Value.
5. It gave rise to the concept of Public Administration.
6. New Public Administration failed in practise.
7. Its theme, tenure, tone and temperament was more radical and anti Government.
8. Its proceeding were combined in a report by Frank Marini in 1971 named "Toward a New Public Administration:The Minnow Brook Perspective".
9. It was held under the chairmanship of Dwight Waldo.
Second Minnow Brook Conference -
1. It was organised when the economy of USA was upbeat and a sense of euphoria was present among the masses.
2. It was organised for the support and expansion of US Public Administration.
3. Its participants were from field of Public Administration, Political Science, law, management, administration etc. Hence it was more broad-based and liberal.
4. Its focus was LPG - Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation.
5. It gave rise to the concept of New Public Management.
6. New Public Management proved to be successful.
7. It was highly encouraging and supportive.
8. All its proceedings were published in the essays in the Minnow Brook tradition edited by Richard T. Mayor and published by Timmy Bailey - "Public Management in the Inter-Connected World:Essays in the Minnow Brook Tradition." (1990)
9. It was held under the chairmanship of H George Fredrickson.
Minnowbrook Conference III
- This conference took place during September, 2008. It was organised when American economy was downgrading and global terrorism had shown its first effect.
- It was chaired by Rosemary O’Leary.
The first phase was a pre-conference phase. In this conference, the young and emerging scholars of public administration were asked to contribute a five page critique of public administration. Almost 56 proposals were accepted and considered. In this conference, a single formal critique of public administration was not being able to be developed rather a dozen of areas of concern in public administration were identified such as
Comparing it with Minnowbrook I & II
- Minnowbrook conference in 1968 and
1988 discussed the need for increasing RIGOUR and
RELEVANCE in Pub Ad while preserving its DIVERSITY and UNIQUE IDENTITY.
- The first two conferences can well be characterised as a search for identity and legitimacy as a separate field of study.
- By the THIRD MINNOWBROOK
CONFERENCE .....the crisis of IDENTITY was no LONGER a central FOCUS . The
discipline already had itzz own journals and trained PROFESSIONALs nd
SCHOLARs.
- Rather much discussion focussed on
DIVERSITY and infact many new scholars participating for the first time pressed for
more diversity in PERSPECTIVE and SUBJECT MATTER !! .
- Minnowbrook conference in 1968 and
1988 discussed the need for increasing RIGOUR and
RELEVANCE in Pub Ad while preserving its DIVERSITY and UNIQUE IDENTITY.