Theory–Practice Exchange in Local Government Management

The connection of theory to practice in public administration represents a critical transfer of information between scholarship and application. This important relationship establishes a basis of exchange among those engaged in the field, a bond that may be most magnified and accessible at the local levels of government. This study examines the perspectives of practitioners and scholars toward improving the theory–practice exchange in local government management through a series of focus group interviews held at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual conference over 4 years. The findings suggest that the scholar and practitioner communities agree on several approaches and principles that may contribute to enhancing the theory–practice exchange within the themes of research transaction, collaboration, and professionalism. These themes offer mutual contexts for theory–practice interactions, which may help to inform institutional integration and best practice models, and facilitate a functional coexistence of interdependence and improved exchangeability in local government management

Best practice · Business · Database transaction · Economics · Field (mathematics · Government (linguistics · Information exchange · Local government · Management · Organizational theory · Political science · Practice theory · Public relations · Scholarship · Social exchange theory · Social science · Sociology · Transaction cost · E-Government and Public Services · Engineering · Law · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research · Urban Planning and Governance

• Speaking truth to power … or to the Ivory tower? Public affairs researchers’ reports of practitioners’ use of their research

  Barry Bozeman, Spencer Lindsay et al.•Public Management Review•2025

  Incluir item

• The Last 20 Years of Empirical Research on Government Utilization of Academic Social Science Research

  Open Access•Jenenne P Nelson, Spencer Lindsay et al.•Administration & Society•2023

  Incluir item

• Building Research Partnerships to Bridge Gaps between the Study of Organizations and the Practice of Intelligence

  Michael Landon-Murray, Rick Caceres-Rodriguez•The International Journal of…•2020

  Incluir item

• La transferencia del aprendizaje en el contexto de la Administración Pública

  Open Access•María Asensio Menchero•Reforma y democracia•2023

  Incluir item

• Leadership At The Apex

  Poul Erik Mouritzen, James H Svara•Leadership At The Apex•2002

  Incluir item

• Content Analysis

  Klaus Krippendorff•Content Analysis•2019

  Incluir item

• Introduction

  Jenny Kitzinger, Rosaline S Barbour•Developing Focus Group Research•1999

  Incluir item

• Content Analysis

  Mack Shelley, Klaus Krippendorff•Journal of the American…•1984

  Incluir item

• Social Research Methods

  W Lawrence Neuman•Social Research Methods•2002

  Incluir item

• Qualitative Diary Research Design

  Lauri L Hyers•Diary Methods•2018

  Incluir item

• The Design and Analysis of Focus Group Studies

  John Knodel•1993

  Incluir item

• Basics of Social Research

  Avdhesh Jha•Social Research Methodology•2023

  Incluir item

• Focus Groups as Qualitative Research

  David Morgan, David L Morgan•Focus groups as qualitative…•1997

  Incluir item

• Advanced Focus Group Research

  Edward F Fern, Edward Fern•Advanced Focus Group Research•2001

  Incluir item

• Qualitative Interviewing

  Open Access•Frank B Brooks, Herbert J Rubin et al.•Modern Language Journal•1996

  Incluir item

• Local Governments in Multilevel Systems

  Open Access•Robert Agranoff•The American Review of Public…•2013

  Incluir item

• Practical Theory

  Open Access•Hugh T Miller, Cheryl Simrell King•The American Review of Public…•1998

  Incluir item

• The Contemporary Role of City Managers

  Open Access•John Nalbandian•The American Review of Public…•1989

  Incluir item

• Assessing MPA Program Outcomes

  Open Access•Theodore H Poister, Patricia W Ingraham et al.•The American Review of Public…•1991

  Incluir item

• Running Government Like a Business

  Open Access•Richard C Box•The American Review of Public…•1999

  Incluir item

• Education for the Public Service

  Open Access•Phillip W Roeder, Gordon P Whitaker et al.•Administration & Society•1993

  Incluir item

• The Bureau of Municipal Research and the Development of a Professional Public Service

  Open Access•Bruce D Mcdonald•Administration & Society•2010

  Incluir item

• Profiling Public Affairs Programs

  Open Access•Steven G Koven, Frank Goetzke et al.•Administration & Society•2008

  Incluir item

• Organizations Working Together

  Christine Oliver, Catherine Alter et al.•Contemporary Sociology A Journal…•1994

  Incluir item

• Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences

  John D Hillebrand, Bruce L Berg•Teaching Sociology•2000

  Incluir item

• Effective Practitioner–Scholar Relationships

  Open Access•Fiona Buick, Deborah Blackman et al.•Public Administration Review•2015

  Incluir item

• Reinventing Government

  Open Access•Richard C Kearney, Barry Marvin Feldman et al.•Public Administration Review•2000

  Incluir item

• Meeting the Challenges of Policy‐Relevant Science

  Open Access•Elisabeth Graffy, Elisabeth A Graffy•Public Administration Review•2008

  Incluir item

• Contemporary Challenges in Local Government

  Open Access•John Nalbandian, Robert O’neill et al.•Public Administration Review•2013

  Incluir item

• Learning from the States? Federalism and National Health Policy

  Open Access•Carol S Weissert, Daniel Scheller et al.•Public Administration Review•2008

  Incluir item

• Do Policy Makers Use Academic Research? Reexamining the “Two Communities” Theory of Research Utilization

  Open Access•Joshua Newman, Adrian Cherney et al.•Public Administration Review•2015

  Incluir item

• Public Administration in a Global Context

  Eric W Welch, Eric Welch et al.•Public Administration Review•1998

  Incluir item

• The Politics–Administration Dichotomy

  Open Access•Tansu Demir, Ronald C Nyhan•Public Administration Review•2008

  Incluir item

• Metropolitan Governance and Institutional Collective Action

  Open Access•Richard C Feiock, Richard Feiock•Urban Affairs Review•2009

  Incluir item

• Paradigms of Public Administration

  Nicholas Henry•Public Administration Review•1975

  Incluir item

• The Big Questions of Public Administration Education

  Open Access•Robert B Denhardt•Public Administration Review•2001

  Incluir item

• The Science of Public Administration

  Open Access•Bradley E Wright•Public Administration Review•2015

  Incluir item

• Practitioner in the Classroom

  Open Access•Donna M Milam•Public Administration Review•2003

  Incluir item

• Continuing Education for City Managers

  William V Donaldson•Public Administration Review•1973

  Incluir item

• Federal Government Reform

  Open Access•Jonathan D Breul, John M Kamensky•Public Administration Review•2008

  Incluir item

• Dichotomy and Duality

  James H Svara•Public Administration Review•1985

  Incluir item

• The Roles of Local Government Managers in Theory and Practice

  Open Access•Kimberly L Nelson, James H Svara•Public Administration Review•2014

  Incluir item

• Best Practice Research and Postbureaucratic Reform1

  E Sam Overman, Kathy J Boyd•Journal of Public Administration…•1994

  Incluir item

• The Study of Administration

  Open Access•Woodrow Wilson•Political Science Quarterly•1887

  Incluir item