THE TEMPORAL, SOCIAL, AND RESPONSIVENESS DILEMMAS OF PUBLIC PERSONNEL-ADMINISTRATION

Public personnel administration is confronted by three intertwined dil emmas. Responsiveness to political leadership is essential to a democr acy. Yet placing responsibility for personnel administration in the ha nds of political appointees introduces a transcience that is incompati ble with a sustained commitment to organizational improvement through applications of the behavioral sciences. Vesting careerists with perso nnel administration authority is the best way to address the three dil emmas. Doing so will require a rapprochement with political leaders, o ne that establishes a normative orientation to personnel administratio n in which responsiveness to policy leadership is asserted along with other essential values associated with public service.