The Role Demands and Dilemmas of Minority Public Administrators: The Herbert Thesis Revisited

• Published in: Public administration review 1994-09, Vol.54 (5), p.409-417
• Main Authors: Murray, Sylvester, Terry, Larry D., Washington, Charles A., Keller, Lawrence F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 9140; 9190; 9550; Accountability; Administrative agencies; Administrative science; Administrator Education; Administrator Role; African Americans; American minorities; Careers; Civil rights; Civil Rights Legislation; Civil servants; Civil service; Communities; Community Relations; Conference of Minority Public Administrators; Conformity; Decision making; Educational administration; Employment; Essays; Federal Government; Government (Administrative Body); Government agencies; Herbert, Adam W; Hispanic Americans; Human resources; Institutional Cooperation; Minorities; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority employment; Minority Groups; Minority interest; Minority Public Administrators; Peer Influence; Politics; Polls & surveys; Professionals; Public Administration; Public Agencies; Public Officials; Public policy; Public sector; Public sector organizations; Racial Bias; Research Problems; Role Conflict; Sector-based studies; Social aspects; Social Behavior; Sociological problems; Statistical data; U.S.A; Universities; University administration; USA; Work environment
• ISSN: 0033-3352; 1540-6210
• DOI: 10.2307/976425

How has the situation of the minority public administrator changed over the past two decades? In 1974, PAR published a symposium titled, "Minorities in Public Administration." Adam W. Herbert, the symposium's editor, contributed an article that identified the role demands and dilemmas of minority public administrators. Herbert painted a picture of a minority administrator who is confined to "social service agencies," held hostage by several powerful forces beyond his or her control. Has this portrait of minority administrators changed in the last 20 years? How do minority public administrators view themselves in relation to the demands discussed by Herbert? Do they perceive themselves as innocent victims or legitimate participants in statecraft? To answer these questions and more, Sylvester Murray and his colleagues at Cleveland State University surveyed members of the Conference of Minority Public Administrators (a section of the American Society for Public Administration). The authors found that significant changes have occurred since Herbert published his essay. Minorities have made impressive gains in securing upper-level management positions in federal administrative agencies. Minority administrators are also taking a more proactive position in dealing with the forces and demands discussed by Herbert.