Since the subject of administrative reform first came into prominence in the early 1960s, considerable progress has been made in its theory and practice. The book surveys the state of the art as it has evolved and major steps in reaching common understanding of what is involved in improving public sector performance with special emphasis on - upgrading public administration, - organization and management, - tackling public maladministration, - and dealing with over 150 common bureaupathologies. The book contains case studies of reform campaigns around the world and special attention is given to current attempts to transform bureaucratic centralism in the East Bloc into market socialism, to overhaul the mixed welfare state in the West, and the seemingly fruitless attempts to invigorate public sector administration in the Third World. Serious gaps in the current state of the art are indicated and a future research agenda proposed to fill in some of those gaps in the next decade.