Penn State Harrisburg Faculty Details

Vita

Göktug Morçöl is an associate professor of public administration and policy in the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. His research interests are complexity theory, metropolitan governance, business improvement districts, and research methodology. He teaches courses in research methods, program evaluation, and policy analysis.

He has authored, edited, and co-edited the books Complexity and Policy Analysis (ISCE Publishing, 2008), Business Improvement Districts (CRC Press, 2008), Handbook of Decision Making (CRC Press, 2007), A New Mind for Policy Analysis (Praeger, 2002), New Sciences for Public Administration and Policy (Chatelaine Press, 2000). His articles have appeared in journal such as Administrative Theory and Praxis, Policy Sciences, Public Administration Quarterly, Politics and Policy, International Journal of Public Administration, and Emergence.

Göktug Morçöl has served as the chair of the Complexity and Systems Studies Network of the American Society for Public Administration and on the committees of the Public Administration Theory Network and Policy Studies Organization. He is the coordinator of the Policy Analysis and Evaluation Certificate Program offered by the School of Public Affairs.

Education

• Ph.D. , Public Administration and Policy, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1990
• M.S., Political Science and Public Administration, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1982
• B.S., Sociology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1979

Research Areas

• Business Improvement Districts
• Complexity Theory
• Metropolitan Governance
• Policy Analysis and Evaluation Methodology

Professional Affiliations

• American Society for Public Administration
• Public Administration Theory Network
• Policy Studies Organization

Course Offerings

• PADM 503: Research Methods
• PADM 535: Policy Analysis and Planning
• PADM 550: Policy and Program Evaluation
• PADM 573: Theory and Research in Public Policy and Governance
• PADM 575: Advanced Research Design

Selected Publications

• Dennard, L., Richardson, K., & Morçöl, G. (Eds.) (2008). Complexity and policy analysis: Tools for designing robust policies in a complex world. Goodyear, AZ: ISCE Publishing.
• Morçöl, G., Hoyt, L., Meek, J., & Zimmermann, U. (Eds.). (2008). Business improvement districts: Research, theories, and controversies. New York: CRC Press.
• Morçöl, G. (Ed.). (2007). Handbook of decision making. New York: CRC Press.
• Morçöl, G., & Zimmermann, U. (2006). Metropolitan governance and business improvement districts. International Journal of Public Administration, 29(1-3), 5-29.
• Morçöl, G., & Zimmermann, U. (2006). Community improvement districts in metropolitan Atlanta. International Journal of Public Administration, 29(1-3), 77-105.
• Morçöl, G., & Patrick, P. (2006). Business improvement districts in Pennsylvania: Implications for democratic metropolitan governance. International Journal of Public Administration. 29(1-3), 137-171.
• Morçöl, G. (2005). A new systems thinking: Implications of the sciences of complexity for public policy and administration. Public Administration Quarterly, 29(3), 297-320.
• Morçöl, G. & Zimmermann, U. (2005). Transportation management associations: Prospects and problems for public administration. International Journal of Public Administration, 28, 1095-1116.
• Morçöl, G. (2005). Phenomenology of complexity theory and cognitive science: Implications for development of an embodied knowledge of public administration and policy. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 27(1), 1-22.