POLS 331 - 2
Introduction to Public Administration
Spring 2008
DU 461
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Instructor: James O. Bagaka
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
By Appointment
Office:
Zulauf 114
E-mail:
jbagaka@niu.edu
I. INTRODUCTION
This course provides a
broad college level introduction to public administration. Unlike other
academic disciplines, public administration has strong practical and
theoretical components. The course introduces students to several topics such
as; the relationship between politics and administration, organizational
behavior, public policy-making, intergovernmental relation, public finance and
budgeting and program evaluation.
PUPORSE:
In exploring the above
topics, we (the students and the instructor) will seek to answer four broad
questions.
1. Can politics be separated from
administration?
2. Are the values such as efficiency
and democracy compatible?
3. How much discretion/authority
should bureaucrats have?
4. How should the government be structured
to accomplish its purpose?
It is hoped that an
attempt to answer the above questions will reveal the diverse goals--which are frequently
ambiguous and multi-faceted that beset public administration.
This course is
also designed to improve your academic skills and knowledge areas in the
following ways:
|
Oral
Communication |
Class discussion
on the assigned readings in class, paper discussions. |
|
Written
Communication |
Assigned Papers |
|
Analytical
Thinking |
Final Paper -
Book Review |
Required Texts:
Shafritz, J. M.
and E. W. Russell. 2007 Introducing
Public Administration (5th Edition).
Goodsell,
Charles. 2004. , Fourth Edition.
Additional readings especially the assigned journal articles will be
available and accessible on blackboard.
Grading:
Written
Paper Assignments (3 in total) 30%
Book Review 40%
Midterm
& Final Exam 20%
Participation/Attendance 10%
100%
Exams:
Both the mid-term and final
examinations will be in-class (dates are listed on the schedule. The final exam is not cumulative. Both exams will consist of multiple-choice
questions only. Make-up exams will only
be given in extreme emergencies and only with prior notice to the instructor. An unexcused absence on the date of an exam
will result in a score of zero for that test.
Written Assignments.
In total, I have assigned six
journal articles (posted on Blackboard) and each student is expected to pick
any three (3), and write a brief essay summarizing the main ideas in the articles.
I
encourage students to refer to the details of each reading as specified on the
various outlines posted on blackboard. Simply, visit blackboard and see
what is expected from each article before writing your paper. The course
outline below will tell you exactly when the papers are due. Papers must be
submitted in person on the due date. Each essay should be 3-4 pages long, typed
and double spaced. Late papers will receive one letter grade less.
Students will also be
required to do a book review for the book: The Case for Bureaucracy: A Public Administration
Polemic (2004).
By C. Goodsell. Details and specifics about the book review will also be posted
on blackboard.
FLOATING
ASSIGNMENT:
For the benefit of those who may
want to improve their grade, I have created a floating assignment. This
assignment requires a student to go out in the real world and conduct an
interview with a bureaucrat (public official) about the nature of his/her job.
Bureaucrats with managerial or supervisory roles will be ideal for this
assignment. The specifics of this assignment will also be on blackboard. NOTE:
This assignment will ONLY be done for two reasons: 1) in lieu of one
journal article and 2) to substitute a low scored paper. It DOES NOT
apply to the mid-term and final exams. Due date for this assignment is open
until April 25th the due date for the book review – No wonder it
is floating!!!
Class Participation.
We will use our Friday
session (s) for discussions. I have selected a few cases from your textbook
that we will review and discuss. The discussions will be done in small group
settings where each group will be expected to share their ideas with the rest
of the class. We will also use the discussion sessions to review the assigned
journal articles for the benefit of those who opt to do other articles instead.
Note: We will only review
articles that have already been done and I expect students who have read those
articles to lead the discussions. Please note that the discussion session is an
opportunity for us as a group to also revisit lingering issues. Feel free to
share your personal stories and views about public administration related
issues.
Academic
Integrity
Students are required to adhere to NIU’s code
of student conduct for academic integrity.
Violations will result in a failed grade on the assignment and possibly
the class. You are expected to
ensure that all assignments submitted for a grade reflect substantially your
own work, that work submitted under your name is substantially original, and
that you have understood and learned the competencies in each assignment and
not relied solely on the knowledge of others.
Students whose work is substantially plagiarized from others will
receive a ‘0’ on that assignment or exam.
If you are unclear of what actions constitute plagiarism, please see me.
General Advice. Your best strategy for success is to keep up with the
assigned readings, attend class regularly, participate in our discussions, take
good notes and then take time to study for the exam.
Extra
credit. Sorry, none is available. No exceptions. If you find
you’re having trouble, seek help early
in the semester and devise strategies for improving your performance on
required exams and assignments.
Rules of The Game
Cell Phones &
Class Decorum. With rare exceptions, cell phones, Ipods, etc. should be turned
off before class starts. I ask also that you be civil during class and respect
the needs of your fellow students, most of whom actually will be trying to do
well in the course! If you don't, I may ask you to leave. Arriving late (more
than 5 minutes), talking and sleeping in class will not be tolerated. Students
who make the learning environment uncomfortable for others will be asked to
leave the room.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: "Under Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making reasonable
accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those students with
disabilities that may have some impact on their coursework and for which they
may require accommodations should notify the Center for Access-Ability
Resources (CAAR) on the fourth floor of the
Class Schedule:
Jan 14 Introductions
Jan 16 What is Public Administration?
Read:
SRB,
Jan 18 Discussion:
Read:
Case
- How a President Undeservedly Received Credit for Discipline. pp. 32 - 33.
Jan 23 Intergovernmental Relations
Read:
SRB, Ch. 4, pp.132 -167.
Jan 25 Discussion:
Read:
Case - Two Case Studies:
How Intergovernmental Management Became Intergovernmental Chaos: The
Cases of United Flight 93 and Hurricane
Katrina. pp. 168 - 170.
Jan 28 & 30 The Political and Cultural
Environment of Public Policy and Its Administration
Read: SRB,
Paper # 1 Due (Jan 30): Charles Lindblom (1959)
"The Science of Muddling Through."
Feb 1 Discussion:
Read : Case - Were The Space Astronauts Killed By Fog? pp. 77 - 79.
{
Also Lindblom's Article will be discussed}
Feb 4 & 6 Honor, Ethics, and Accountability
Read: SRB,
Feb 8 Discussion:
Read: Case- The Blood on Robert McNamara's Hands and Conscience. pp. 207 - 210.
Feb 11 & 13 The Continuous Reinventing of the Machinery
of Government
Read: SRB,
Paper # 2 Due (Feb 13): R. Moe & R. Gilmour (1995). "Rediscovering
Principles of Public Administration:
The Neglected Foundation of Public Law."
Feb 15 Discussion: Reviewing
Moe & Gilmour's Article.
Feb 18 & 20 The Evolution of Management and Organization
Theory
Read: SRB,
Feb 22 Discussion:
Read: Case - The Critical Importance of Administrative Doctrine.
pp.
251 - 254.
Feb 25 & 27 Organizational Behavior
Read: SRB,
Paper # 3 Due (Feb 27):
Feb 29 Discussion: Review
Mar 3 Mid-term Review Exercise
Mar 5 Mid-term
Exam
Mar 8-16 Spring Break
Mar 17 & 19 Personnel Management and Labor Relations
Read: SRB,
Mar 21 Leadership
Read: SRB,
Mar 24 & 26 Managerialism and Performance Management
Read: SRB,
Paper # 4 Due (Mar 26): David H. Rosenbloom (1993).
“Have an Administrative RX? Don’t Forget the Politics.”
Mar 28 Discussion
Read: Case -
Transforming the Postal Service. Pp. 389 - 392.
We’ll also Review
Rosenbloom’s Article.
Mar/ Apr Social Equity
31 & 2 Read: SRB,
Apr 4 Discussion
Read: Case - Social Security Reforms, pp.
514 - 517.
Apr 7 & 9 Public Financial Management (I)
Read: SRB,
Apr 11 Public Finance Management (II)
Read: SRB,
Paper # 5 Due : Allen Schick (1966). “The
Road to PPB: The Stages of Budget Reforms.”
Apr 14 & 16 Public Budgeting – Theory (I)
Read: SRB,
Apr 18 Public
Budgeting (II) – Exercise.
Students will have the
opportunity to review some public sector budgets.
The instructor will bring sample
budgets in class for the exercise.
Apr 21 Reviewing Allen Schick’s Article
(1966).
Apr 23 - 28 Program Evaluation and Auditing
Read: SRB, Ch. 14 pp.529 - 546.
Paper # 6 Due (Apr, 25): Wholey Joseph (1996) “Formative and Summative
Evaluation: Related Issues in Performance Measurement.”
Apr 30 Reviewing Wholey’s Article
Book Review Due
May 1 Final Exam Review – Last Day of
Class!!
May 3 Final Exam
Good Luck!!!