Luther Halsey Gulick III Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Luther Halsey Gulick III (1892–1993) is considered to be one of the most important leaders in the practice and study of public administration. Deemed the “dean of public administration,” Gulick promoted the creation of several institutions that furthered both the professionalism of public managers and the study of public administration. These organizations include the Brookings Institution, the International City/ County Management Association, the American Society for Public Administration, and the National Academy of Public Administration. Although he was a prolific author, Gulick once proclaimed that his interest was in the promotion of ideas into practice, rather than into print. Among his publications are Better Government Personnel, Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Public Service Personnel (1935); Administrative Reflections from World War II (1948); Modern Management for the City of New York (1953); and The Metropolitan Problem and American Ideas (1962).

Gulick had a culturally diverse upbringing. He spent the first twelve years of his life in Japan; then his family’s missionary work took them to California, Germany, and eventually back to the United States.

As a young man, Gulick gained early admission into Oberlin College, where he graduated in 1914 with high honors in political science. At commencement he met keynote speaker Charles Austin Beard, a foremost authority in American history and political science. Gulick’s passion for the study of public administration was inspired by Beard’s commencement address, and Gulick continued his studies at Columbia University’s graduate program in political science, which was headed by Beard.

Concurrently, Gulick enrolled in the Training School of Public Service of the New York Bureau of Municipal Research (BMR). There he was eventually employed by the BMR after serving as an intern. After a short time with the federal government during World War I (1914–1918), he returned to the BMR as director of the Training School. These organizations were later absorbed into the National Institute of Public Administration, with Gulick becoming its director. He served this organization in various capacities for over sixty years.

Gulick provided assistance and direction on projects outside the scope of municipal research. He conducted work on pensions and social security in the state of New-York for Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt.This relationship continued throughout Roosevelt’s presidency and led to Roosevelt’s 1936 appointment of Gulick to the President’s Committee on Administrative Management, also known as the Brownlow Commission. Gulick’s work on this committee led to his seminal piece, Notes on the Theory of Organization (1937), in which he outlined the functions of the chief executive. These functions are represented by the acronym POSDCORB—planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting.

Although Gulick’s professional life focused primarily on the study of government organizations rather than practice, he did serve as the first city administrator for New York City from 1954 to 1956. Frustrated by the political realities that slowed implementation of administrative reforms, he resigned after only two years. Gulick served for many years thereafter as a consultant on federal, state, and local projects. He remained a devoted public servant and an active participant in the study of public administration until his death in 1993.

Bibliography:

Blumberg, Stephen K. “Seven Decades of Public Administration: A Tribute to Luther Gulick.” Public Administration Review 41, no. 2 (March/April 1981): 245–248.
Fitch, Lyle C. “Luther Gulick.” Public Administration Review 50, no. 6 November/December 1990): 604–608.

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