Towards a typology of models in public administration and management as field of scientific inquiry

Abstract

Models are often the envisioned outcome of research endeavours in Public Administration and Management (PAM). Especially post-graduate studies intend to construct models as “ideal type” interventions to improve policy, structures, systems, functions and behaviour in government settings. The scientific underpinnings associated with model construction and the nature of the type of models that are available are, however, often not understood clearly. The purpose of this article is firstly, to gain conceptual clarification about the concept “model” and secondly, to contribute towards constructing a typology of models in PAM as a discipline. Typologies fulfill a classification function. Therefore it is proposed that a typology of models in PAM could aid in an appropriate design of research endeavours to achieve the desired end result and make meaningful contributions to the field of PAM research in general.