Public Personnel Management: Contexts and Strategies

by Jared J. Llorens, Heather Getha-Taylor

Overview

Effective public personnel management (also known as human resource management, HRM, or human capital management) is essential for successful government. Now in a thoroughly revised 8th edition, Public Personnel Management: Contexts and Strategies focuses on the critical issues and common processes in the management of public sector personnel. In keeping with prior editions, the text centers on the essential elements of public human resource management: strategic workforce planning, effective recruitment and retention, workforce development, and employee relations. Designed to further address the ways in which expectations for human resource managers have changed and developed over the last few years, this 8th edition includes several new features and improvements:

All-new, substantially restructured, and updated case studies and applied work assignments.

Examination and discussions of the impact and promise of artificial intelligence adoption on all aspects of the human resource management process.

Careful exploration of the evolving characterizations of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public workforces, and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on employee working conditions and expectations.

A fully updated online Instructor’s Manual, PowerPoint slides, discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading to make it easier to assign and use this classic text in the classroom.

Providing the most up-to-date and thorough overview of the history and practice of public human resource management, Public Personnel Management, 8th Edition reflects the need to navigate change – while preserving enduring values – to effectively manage the public service workforce. It serves as an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate introductory courses in public personnel management, public human resource management, and nonprofit personnel management.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040435427
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/20/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	402
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Jared J. Llorens is a professor in the Department of Public Administration in the E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University, USA. His research focuses primarily on public sector human resource management, with particular interests in compensation, recruitment, and human resource information systems. He previously served as editor-in-chief of Public Personnel Management and has also served on the editorial boards of the Public Administration Review and the Review of Public Personnel Administration . His research has been published in a wide variety of academic journals, including the Review of Public Personnel Administration and the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. Dr. Llorens is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and previously held a presidential appointment to the U.S. Federal Salary Council. He has served on numerous boards and councils, including a term on the National Council for the American Society for Public Administration.

Heather Getha-Taylor is a professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at the University of Kansas, USA. She served as editor-in-chief of Public Personnel Management and is the author or co-author of over 60 articles, book chapters, and other scholarly reports on topics in public human resource management, collaboration, and leadership. Her contributions to the field were recognized with the 2023 Jonathan West Outstanding Scholar Award from the American Society for Public Administration’s Section on Personnel Administration and Labor Relations. Dr. Getha-Taylor teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in public management and is the recipient of several teaching awards, including SPAA Faculty Teacher of the Year. In addition to her research and teaching, she serves the discipline and community, including as an editorial board member for public administration journals and served as an appointed member of the Johnson County (KS) and Miami County (KS) COVID Relief Fund Workforce Development Teams.

Table of Contents

Part I: Introduction Chapter 1. The World of Public Personnel Management Chapter 2. Doing Public HRM in the United States Part II: Planning Chapter 3. Thinking Strategically About HRM: Connecting Employees and Organizational Mission Chapter 4. The HR Role in Policy, Budget, Performance Management, and Program Evaluation Chapter 5. Defining and Organizing Work Part III: Acquisition Chapter 6. Recruitment, Selection, and Promotion Chapter 7. Rewarding Work: Pay and Benefits Chapter 8. Advancing Diversity in the Public Service Workplace: From Equal Employment Opportunity to Inclusive Organizations Part IV: Development Chapter 9. Leadership and Motivation: Connecting Theory and Practice Chapter 10. Training and Development: Building Capacity for Performance Chapter 11. Performance Management: Exploring the How and Why of the Appraisal Process Chapter 12. Ensuring Safe and Healthy Workplaces: Enduring Values, Evolving Practices Part V: Sanctions Chapter 13. Pursuing Organizational Justice: Balancing Expectations and Obligations Chapter 14. Collective Bargaining Part VI: Conclusion Chapter 15. Managing the Workforce of the Future: Challenges and Opportunities

Editorial Reviews

“This new edition effectively conveys the message about the importance to be adaptable, resilient, and navigate change while managing human resources in the public and nonprofit sectors. The book conveys this message through a variety of topical areas, examples, case studies, and applied work assignments. By employing a strategic perspective, this text stands apart by highlighting the evolving nature of public institutions and governance processes, and how the field of public personnel management, its philosophies, and approaches have been changing to more effectively respond to the local and global challenges of the day.”
Alisa V. Moldavanova, University of Delaware, USA

“The extensively updated 8th edition of Public Personnel Management continues to serve as THE authoritative resource for the study and practice of public sector human resource management. Llorens and Getha-Taylor offer a rigorous, comprehensive examination of the field, integrating foundational principles with an analysis of contemporary challenges. The 8th edition presents new cases and robust instructional support materials, while tackling emerging issues such as the development of artificial intelligence, evolving approaches to DEI, and the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public sector workforce. In short, after over 15 years teaching graduate HRM courses and despite several other excellent texts, Public Personnel Management remains my go-to resource in the classroom!”Edmund C. Stazyk, Professor of Public Administration and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York

From the Publisher