Response to Holzer's "Communicating Commitment"

The image of our public servants is not as negative as Holzer and others suggest. However, it is not good enough to attract the "best and brightest" into the profession. We can use our skills to study significant innovations. Some reforms and a modest, research agenda are proposed. Let me begin by saying that I am in basic agreement with Marc Holzer’s arguments. I share his concerns and frustrations. There are three aspects of his paper, which I will address directly: the image of our public servants, recruitment of young people into government, and innovation in the public sector. In addition, I will offer some comments on our misplaced concerns in Public Administration, and will make some modest suggestions for our research agenda.