Public Administration and Macroeconomic Issues: Is This the Time for a Marriage Proposal?

A number of Public Administration (PA) scholars have raised concerns regarding the discipline’s neglect of macroeconomic challenges. Our article focuses on the link between macroeconomic trends and PA. We submit that PA needs to address changing economic structure, shrinking workforce, growing financial leverage, and rising wealth inequity to maintain relevance. Study of these trends complements PA research on government revenue reform and economic development. Furthermore, we suggest PA rebalances its underlying assumptions regarding intellectual boundaries and view of human nature. Without a paradigm shift, PA may lose any legitimate claim to be an appropriate administrative science.