The research discusses what are the major similarities and differences in how a public administrator committed to the positivist perspective and one committed to the interpretivist or phenomenological perspective would approach the task of understanding and acting in public organizations? This paper considers how the two different theories, positivism and interpretivism, influence the way of thinking and practicing in the field of public administration.
The research discusses the core concepts of positivism and interpretivism and presents the role of positivist research in public administration, which dominated the establishment of public administration during the Progressive era, as well as the limitations associated with it. In addition, the research provides a better understanding of the historical context in which other new alternative theories were presented in the field, including interpretivism. The article highlights their similarities and differences before it concludes with how these theories are related to the practice in public administration.