The paper studies three major trends in the modern theory of public administration: New Public Management, Neoweberianism, Governance. Authors trace the dynamics of the different theories and ideas in the field of governance and offer a conceptual framework for comparative analysis and classification of public administration systems in different countries. This framework could be useful in evaluating of conditions and prospects of development for different public administration systems. The paper highlights the dominant motives of each of the paradigms of governance and presents particular practices that characterize the implementation of the relevant models of public administration.