000			01325pab a2200169 454500
008			180718b1997 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aGoodsell, Charles T.
245			_aAdministration as ritual
260			_c1997
300			_ap.939-61
362			_aApr-May
520			_aPublic administration as an activity possesses in large degree the formal attributes of secular collective ritual, e.g., repetition, role playing, stylization, order, staging, and creation of meaning. Three types of administrative ritual can be identified: explicit rites, such as ceremonies and regularized events; formalistic processes, like budgeting and auditing; and expressive programs, exemplified by anti-drug campaigns and rural free delivery. Rituals constructed inside organizations tend to use specialized language and involve active participation; those directed to outsiders employ lay language and dramatic forms. Ritual in administration is unavoidable, and it affects different observers differently. If excessively compelling, it could be dangerous, but within proper constraints it helps to state collective purpose and reinforces common bonds. - Reproduced
650			_aPublic administration - United States
650			_aPublic administration
773			_aInternational Journal of Public Administration
909			_a34269
999			_c34269 _d34269