Examining differences in local government management among U.S. States: A regional analysis of MPA programs and professionalism

According to the literature, the differences in the institutionalization of professionalism in local government management observed among the U.S. states may be attributed to various formative factors. Given the prominence of the Master of Public Administration/Affairs (MPA) degree in the local government profession, the purpose of this study is to assess the impact of municipal proximity to a university-based MPA program on the nature and/or occurrence of professional local government management in regional U.S. states. The importance of this study is to provide further evidence to previous research in this area regarding state/municipal features that may affect the character and incidence of professional local government management in regional contexts.;Utilizing an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) multiple regression analysis, the estimated effect of municipal proximity to a university-based MPA program on local government professionalism was evaluated while holding constant other control variables determined to be associated with the actualization of professional local government management. In addition, comparative analysis involved categorization and description of characteristics indicative of the nature and contribution to professionalism in local government management of university-based MPA programs. The region of interest included the seven U.S. states of the West North Central Midwest: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.;The findings suggest that an increase in the distance of a municipality from a university-based MPA program within the state and region is negatively associated with local government professionalism. Despite dissimilarities in composition and local government specificity among the regional MPA degree programs, the results corroborate the proposition that university-based MPA programs may contribute to professional public administration within a geographic sphere of influence. This leads to the conclusion that the accessibility and dispersion of university-based MPA programs within a state may affect the nature and/or occurrence of professional local government management, thus providing further understanding of the differences in the institutionalization of local government professionalism among regional U.S. states.