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- Title
Public Administration In the Third Century.
- Authors
Hahn, Walter A.; Little, Dennis L.
- Abstract
The article forecasts a view on public administration in the third century. The study of the future deals with those sets of human decisions, either conscious or unconscious, which will either intentionally or unintentionally influence the direction of those trends. The primary objectives of futures research are not to predict the direction of these or similar trends or the future which they might describe, but to, 1. Describe alternative futures 2. Provide early warning signs of change 3. Identify possible consequences of developments and choices 4. Determine the state of one's knowledge about future possibilities 5. Invent the future through the creation and assessment of various policy options. Given the fact of accelerated change, one can, by studying its directions, stimulate both thought and action about the future. To do otherwise is to abdicate responsibilities and to lose the opportunity to direct and shape destiny. The question of the accuracy of past predictions or forecasts is a valid question, but depicts a lack of understanding as to how the study of the future relates to planning or policy analysis.
- Subjects
UNITED States; PUBLIC administration; FORECASTING; TRENDS; FOREIGN relations of the United States; CENTRAL economic planning; GOVERNMENT policy; POLICY sciences; GOVERNMENT productivity; DEFENSIVE (Military science)
- Publication
Public Administration Review, 1976, Vol 36, Issue 5, p577
- ISSN
0033-3352
- Publication type
Article