Metis

Abstract

When seeking to accomplish public ends in a prudent manner, administrators are occasionally put in precarious situations that require a degree of metis. Metis is a distinct form of knowledge characterized by a mixture of wile and wisdom and is valuable because it can offer viable alternatives for solving complex problems in contingent situations. Individualized problems often require administrators to forego routinized recommendations and pursue a path to prudence through shrewd thinking and action. However, if metis is not properly contained, it runs the risk of sinking under the weight of unscrupulous motivation and of negatively affecting the legitimacy of administrative action. What is important is that a crafty ethos is bound within a proper sphere. This is why a bounded metis informed by a modified version of intermediate scrutiny may provide a meaningful guide that legitimizes the ability of administrators to handle ambiguous situations in a prudent manner.

Exploring the practical wisdom of mētis for management learning

“…As Fukuyama (2004: 199) notes, 'The most successful programs are often idiosyncratic, involving … mētis, the ability to use local knowledge to create local solutions'. Mētis has accordingly been observed in the manoeuvres of politicians and FBI agents, for example, in the wake of the Watergate scandal (Newswander and Newswander, 2013). Similarly, Collin et al's (2011) ethnographic exploration of work life in a Finnish hospital uncovers everyday behaviours by nursing staff that obliquely and subtly contest the formal power and authority of surgeons and doctors.…”

Where You Sit Is Where You Stand

“…Discretion, defined as latitude of action, is a function of organizational, environmental, and dispositional factors (Hambrick & Finkelstein, 1987, as summarized in Key, 2002). Studies of administrative discretion in the public sector have found that discretion directly impacts policy outcomes (Newswander & Newswander, 2013; Sowa & Selden, 2003). Despite this, under similar institutional and environmental conditions, managers can still have markedly different perceptions of how much discretion they have (Key, 2002; Sowa & Selden, 2003).…”

Administrative Character

“…One problem with finding prudence partly has to do with a character that privileges reason, not idiosyncratic solutions (Fukuyama, 2004;C. B. Newswander, 2012;C. B. Newswander & Newswander, 2013).…”