Public management is undoubtedly an acknowledged area of management science, but with meager empirical research. This book takes this challenge and presents a rare analysis of public management from the perspective of 12 Prime Ministers of Poland who governed between 1989 and 2014. The author features the concepts, practice and challenges of public management by making use of direct interviews with the Prime Ministers according to the classical management functions of planning, organization, direction and controlling. The book also presents a theoretical inquiry which redefines public management by breaking away from the traditional paradigm of public management, and introducing a 'mega-organizational' understanding of the state within new institutional economics.

Konrad Raczkowski is Professor of Economics and Management, who specializes in the unofficial economy, public finances and management in the economic system. He is a Director of the Economic Institute at the University of Social Sciences in Warsaw and Head of the Department of the Economic Security Management.