If apples were oranges: the public/nonprofit/business nexus in Peter Drucker’s work

The authors review Peter Drucker’s writings, framing them within the context of his formative years. Moving to an analysis of the lens through which he views business, nonprofits, and government, they examine the nexus at which public administration, nonprofit management, and business meet. Specifically, Drucker’s prediction of the centrality of the knowledge worker to productivity and his focus on organizational mission are situated squarely at the nexus. His attention to nonprofit management represents a useful application of his notion of mission‐focused management. However, his treatment of public management falls short, failing to appreciate the dynamics of cultural and constitutionally‐imposed restraints.