Közigazgatástudomány

Közigazgatástudomány, or public administration science, is an interdisciplinary field that studies the organization, processes, and interventions of public governance. It draws on political science, public law, sociology, economics, and management to understand how public power is exercised and how public services are delivered.

The field examines the design and functioning of public institutions, policy implementation, and administrative reform. It addresses questions of efficiency, effectiveness, legitimacy, accountability, and transparency, and covers topics such as public management, budgeting, human resources, information systems, and ethics.

Methodologically, közigazgatástudomány combines normative analysis with empirical research. Researchers employ comparative studies, case analyses, statistics, qualitative interviews, and program evaluation to inform practice and policy.

Historically, the discipline emerged alongside the professionalization of public administration and the growth of policy analysis in Europe and North America. In Hungary, as in many other countries, it has developed through collaborations with political science, law, and economics and is taught in universities and research institutes.

Subfields include public management and governance, policy analysis, administrative law, public budgeting, human resource management, e-government, performance measurement, and reform studies. The aim is to improve public service delivery, accountability, and legitimacy, guiding officials, scholars, and citizens in the design and evaluation of public action.