DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SECIENCE EDUCATION
University of Education, Winneba
Course Code and Title: POLI 243: Public Administration
Lecturer: Dr. Maliha Abubakari
Email: maliha2008@yahoo.com
Office/contact Hours: Thurs. 10am-1pm
Additional office hours may be scheduled by appointment. Appointments are best arranged
Via e-mail.
COURSE OUTLINE, 2018/2019
Synopsis and requirements of the Course:
The course is designed to introduce students to the study of public administration, in the context
of an increasingly globalised world, in which public and private actions intersect at all times.
It complements the course 'Public Policy by exploring further the administrative dimension of
policy processes. The course will also draw examples from the Ghana to make the course less
abstract and more practical.
Course Objectives: The end of the semester, students should be able to:

understand the core theories, concepts and approaches used in various subfields of
public administration

familiarize the students with the classic contributions and new research perspectives in
the field of public administration

identify and address core issues in public governance, through a comparative approach
and bearing in mind of the challenges posed by global processes

discuss public policy challenges in specific administrative areas (health, Education,
energy etc.) of interest to the students
Course Requirement:
Students are required to take a mandatory examinations and assessment to arrive at the final
grade. The first form of assessment will constitute student’s participation, contribution to
discussions in class and presentation in class (10%). The second is a mid- semester exam or
quiz with a corresponding mark of 30%. The date and time would be communicated to all
students in class by the instructor. The third and final assessment is the end of semester
examination with the overall marks of 60%. Thus, the marks obtained from the three
assessment will constitute the final grade.
Weekly Lecture Schedules:
Introduction
Week 1&2: Course Overview and Introduction to Public Administration
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Course Overview
Administration and Public Administration
Scope and Importance of Public Administration
Public Administration and business Administration
Politics and Administration Dichotomy/Convergence
Week 3&4: Principles and Theories of Administration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Scientific Management – Frederick Winslow Taylor (1911)
The Administrative Theory - Henry Fayol (1919)
Bureaucracy - Max Weber (1924)
Alton Mayo and the human relations school
New Public Administration
Week 5&6: Theories of Public Administration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ecological Theory of Public Adminstration
Contingency Theory
Systems Approach
Public-Choice Theory
The Critical Theory
Week 7: Mid-Semester Examination
Week 8&9: Centralised and Decentralised Administration
1.
2.
3.
4.
Centralised Administration
Decentralised Administration
Advantages and Disadvantages of Decentralisation
Factors favouring Decentralisation
Week 10&11: Electronic (E) Government
1.
2.
3.
4.
Meaning of Electronic Government and ICT
Theoretical Relationship between ICT and Administration
Effects of ICT on Public Administration
Futures of E-government
Week 12: Presentation of Cases of Social Service Administration in Ghana
1. Health Service Administration in Ghana
2. Education Service Administration
3. Energy Service Administration
Week13: Course Summary
References:
Hatch, M.J. (1997). Organisation Theory: M
odern Symbolic and Postmodern Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, Ch 1
Jaffee, D. (2001). Organisation Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill
Shafritz, J. M., Ott, S. J., & Jang, Y. S. (2011). Classics of Organizational Theory (7th
ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth.
Ayee, J.R.A. (1999). Decentralisation and Conflict: The Case of District Chief
Executive and Members of Parliament in Ghana. Friedrich Ebert Foundation:
Accra,
Ademolekun, L. (1999). Public Administration in Africa: Main Issues and Selected
Country Studies. Westview Press: Boulder, Colorado