Traditional flavors? The different sentiments in European and American administrative thought

To state that Americans and Europeans have different attitudes toward the c oncept of stole is commonplace. but how does this influence the study of pu blic administration This article traces differences in Western administrati ve thought in terms of traditions underlying the conceptualization of publi c administration The traditions encompass a specific orientation toward the state (ontology) and toward conceptualization (epistemology); combining th e two. the more common stateness/stateless differentiation can be refined a s a means to capture different sentiments in administrative theory. The art icle concludes with an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the tw o ideal-typical traditions and calls for the further development of the con cept of the administrative state.