Marc Holzer and Richard W. Schwester have written a fresh and highly engaging textbook for the introductory course in Public Administration. Their coverage is both comprehensive and cutting-edge, including not only all the basic topics (OT, budgeting, HRM), but also reflecting new realities in public administration: innovations in e-government, the importance of new technology, changes in intergovernmental relations, especially the emphasis on inter-local and shared regional resources, and public performance and accountability initiatives. Public Administration has been crafted with student appeal in mind. Each of the book’s chapters is generously illustrated with cartoons, quotes, and artwork—all reinforcing the book’s theme that the field of public administration is rooted in the cultural and political world. Each chapter is also supported with a listing of key terms, exercises, and additional resources. The textbook is supported by one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use instructors' manuals of any introductory text on the market today. It contains full lesson plans with activities to accommodate a broad range of teaching and learning styles for each chapter, PowerPoint decks for each chapter (with visuals and links embedded), 8 new long-term project / student presentation ideas, an updated 'Quotes and Notables' section with biographical information and media links for each chatper, updated test questions with answer keys, and updated terms and definitions for each chapter.

The past two decades have been marked by a period of substantial and often fundamental change in public administration. Critically reflecting on the utility of scholarly theory and the extent to which government practices inform the development of this theory, the Handbook of Public Administration was a landmark publication which served as an essential guide for both the practice of public administration today and its on-going development as an academic discipline. The Concise Paperback Edition provides a selection of 30 of the original articles in an accessible paperback format and includes a new introduction by B. Guy Peters and Jon Pierre. It is an essential point of reference for all students of public administration.

Updated in its 3rd edition, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning presents quickly applied methods for analyzing and resolving planning and policy issues at state, regional, and urban levels. Divided into two parts, Methods which presents quick methods in nine chapters and is organized around the steps in the policy analysis process, and Cases which presents seven policy cases, ranging in degree of complexity, the text provides readers with the resources they need for effective policy planning and analysis. Quantitative and qualitative methods are systematically combined to address policy dilemmas and urban planning problems. Readers and analysts utilizing this text gain comprehensive skills and background needed to impact public policy.

The key roles that the University of Southern Californias professional schools have played in promoting public affairs are brought into sharp focus in this detailed history, edited by a group of academic experts intimately involved in the development of the school. Through its School of Policy, Planning, and Development, USC has taken a distinctive approach in pushing forward community enterprise on a local and global basis. The school was forged through a merger of its School of Public Administration and School of Urban Planning and Development, both of which were pioneers in their fields. This compilation was created as part of the 2009 celebration of SPPDs eighty years of widely shared academic inquiry, facilitation of learning, and advancement of civic and professional public practice. New generations seeking to sustain the schools tradition of leadership now have a detailed history that tells how amazing developments in technologies and systems enabled the university to successfully promote its ideals. USC Emeritus Dean of Gerontology, James Birren, sums it up well when he states, You cant know where you are going until you know where you have been. Recall the universitys history of core values, vital practices, and great contributions in Futures of the Past.