PSC 306sps: Public Organizations, Objectives for SPS accelerated course

By Jeremy Lewis. Revised 19 Mar. '07

Week 1

Introduction to the course, and student information

Introductory Lecture on Bureaucracy

to understand the general characteristics of American bureaucracy

to perceive the differences between American and European bureaucracies

critical thinking about the general characteristics of American bureaucracy

Stillman 1: Scope and Purpose: read the introductions by Stillman

Case1: Martin, "Blast in Centralia No. 5: Mine Disaster."

to understand the multiple causes of failure in public administration

to reach beyond the personalities and perceive systemic failures in administration

to understand the processes of complex organizations

Lecture: Max Weber's theory of the formal organization of bureaucracy

Stillman 2: Formal Structure:(read introduction)

Case 2: George Lardner, "How Kristin Died."

to understand the multiple causes of failure in public administration

to reach beyond the personalities and perceive systemic failures in administration

to understand the processes of complex organizations

Stillman 3: Ecology of Public Administration: (read introduction)

Case 3: Norma Riccucci, "Dr. Helene Gayle & AIDS epidemic."

Week 2

Stillman 4: Political Environment: (read introduction)

Case 4: Maureen Hogan Casamayou, "The Columbia Accident."

to understand how the political environment affects American public officials

to understand the nature of risk management in complex public projects

to perceive the tensions among contractors and public officials

Stillman 5: Intergovernmental Relations: (read introduction)

Case 5: Susan Rosegrant, "Wichita Confronts Contamination".

In the US federal system, how does a state or locality get affected by federal aid and rules? [Stillman's intro]

Are there occasions when a locality should face up to problems locally, rather than calling on federal aid? [Rosegrant]

to learn about the US intergovernmental relations

to understand the complex relations between federal funding and mandates

to perceive the complexity of public and private authorities' arrangements to implement public policy

Stillman 6: Informal Group: (read introduction)

Elton Mayo, "Hawthorne & Western Electric Co.";

Case 6: William Langewiesche, "American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center."

to understand the nature of informal groups in the workplace

to learn of the efficiencies -- and tensions -- that can arise from human bonding in teams

critical thinking about the nature of human motivation in the workplace

Stillman 7: Decisionmakers: Competing Bureaucratic Subsytems (read introduction)

Case 7: James Pfiffner, "Decision to go to War with Iraq."

to understand the competition among bureaucratic subsystems in decisionmaking

to think critically about competition among subsystems in a case study

Week 3

Test: Essay Questions covering all materials to this point.

to think critically about the materials of the course up to this point

Stillman 8: Incrementalism: (read introduction)

Case: 8: Jack Nagel, "The MOVE Disaster."

to perceive the distinction between the rational comprehensive theory of decisionmaking and real-world models of decisionmaking

to understand the theory of incremental decisionmaking

to apply the theory of incrementalism to a case study

Stillman 9: Administrative Communication (read introduction)

Case 9: Susan Rosegrant, "Shootings at Columbine High School: Law Enforcement Response."

to understand the difficulties of communicating within and among bureaus

to apply the theory of communication to a case study

Stillman 10: Executive Management: (read introduction)

Case 10: William Langewiesche, "Lessons of ValueJet 592."

to understand the theory of executive management

to apply the theory of executive management to a case study

Week 4

Stillman 11: Public Personnel Motivation: Culture (read introduction)

Case 11: Deborah Sontag, "Who Brought Bernadine Healy Down?"

to understand the theory of public personnel motivation

to apply the theory of public personnel motivation to a case study

Stillman 11: Budgeting: (read introduction)
Case 12: James K. Conant, "Wisconsin's Budget Deficit."

to understand the theory of public budgeting

to apply the theory of public budgeting to a case study

Stillman 13: Implementation: (read introduction)

Case 13: Michael Elliott, "They Had a Plan."

to understand the theory of implementing public policy

to apply the theory of implementing public policy to a case study

Stillman 14: Issue Networks: (read introduction)

Case 14: Laura Sims, "Reinventing School Lunch."

to understand the theory of issue networks

to apply the theory of issue networks to a case study

Week 5

Stillman 15: Deregulation: (read introduction)

Case 15: W. Henry Lambright, "Human Genome Project."

to understand the theory of deregulation

to apply the theory of deregulation to a case study

Competing Ethical Obligations: (read introduction)

Case 16: Montjoy & Slaton, "Case of the Butterfly Ballot."

to understand the theory of competing ethical obligations in the public sector

to apply the theory of ethical obligations to a case study

Homework Essays Due:

careful analysis of selected course topics and materials

organized writing about selected course topics and materials

FINAL EXAM. Comprehensive: pages of one-paragraph answers and 1-page essays. Questions.

demonstration of factual and conceptual knowledge of course materials in paragraph answers

demonstration of some integration of course materials in essays

critical thinking about key concepts in the class demonstrated in essays