Religion and public management literature review

Abstract

This paper reviews literature that is concerned with the role of religion in public administration and management. Firstly we provide some conceptual clarifications and then go on to examine and compare the key features of the traditional/bureaucratic model and the new public management model (NPM), as well as the theoretical frameworks and values that underpin them. We then move to assess the extent to which the mainstream literature in public administration/management considers aspects of values and beliefs and the role of religion with respect to these. This section also reviews literature that discusses the influence of culture on public administration and development. In section four we review the few studies that have directly addressed the role of religion in public administration/management, and finally, in section five, we attempt to identify research gaps.