中国公共行政学案例研究:问题与挑战

Chinese Public Administration Research Methods:Problems and Challenges

案例研究已经成为中国公共行政学实证研究的重要研究方法之一。本文从最能体现案例研究旨趣和优缺点的单案例研究入手,通过探讨单案例研究的评价标准,研究过程和方法论传统,揭示案例研究的研究旨趣和方法论问题。在此基础上,本文指出中国公共行政案例研究需要对案例研究的美国传统和欧洲传统进行深入学习、研究和反思,构建兼具两个传统优点,又能反映中国行政文化、制度和行为以及中国社会科学研究路径特色的案例研究范式。为实现这一目标,中国公共行政学本科及研究生教学和人才培养体系都需要进行改革。

Given case studies have become one of the most important research methods in Chinese public administration research,there is a growing interest in discussing relevant methodological issues among Chinese public administration scholars.Drawing upon the international and domestic research on case studies,this article jumps on the bandwagon to examine some important methodical issues of case studies such as the quality,the research process and the methodological traditions of case studies methods.This article articulates that case studies,in fact,a research strategy that can combine both quantitative and qualitative research methods.Chinese public administration scholars should further study and reflect on case studies’ two traditions,American tradition and European tradition respectively,so as to construct a new paradigm that is able to combine the advantages of the two traditions,and also at the same time reflects Chinese administrative culture,institution,behavior and the traditional research tradition of Chinese social science.To achieve the goals,reforms in Chinese public administration education at both undergraduate and graduate levels are required.