| This dissertation examines the intellectual influence of Leonard Dupee White on the field of American public administration. This dissertation uses textual analysis to examine three domains of White's work: his teaching, his scholarship, and his practitioner experiences. Three themes characterize the focus of White's work: public administration's responsibility to address real social problems, its pragmatic nature, and the need for the ongoing development of administrative capacity. American public administration underwent a paradigm shift following World War II. It adopted a behavioralist perspective with an emphasis on organizational decision-making. White was concurrently exploring the historical roots of American public administration. This convergence of events obscured White and his contributions from the field's intellectual lens. |
