PAD 6417: Public Personnel Administration
Dr. Donald E. Klingner
Spring 1999, North Miami
Tuesdays, 5:00 – 7:40 p.m.
305/919-5768 work phone; 305/919-5848 work fax
305/758-0856 home phone; 305/758-0148 home fax
klingner@fiu.edu
Objectives: The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to the objectives,
context, and techniques of public personnel management.
Format: This course will be conducted as an intensive graduate seminar. I will set objectives
and guide the discussion. You will be responsible for completing assigned readings as
scheduled, and for contributing to class discussions. Attendance is required on the days when
"fishbowl" discussions are scheduled. As a courtesy, please let me know of absences in advance.
Office Hours: Immediately before and after class, or by appointment: School of Policy and
Management, College of Urban and Public Affairs (AC1-272), FIU, North Miami.
Requirements: You will complete three papers by the dates scheduled in the syllabus (6-8
pages, including notes, bibliography and appendices). These papers will be used as the basis for
a group discussion of this particular personnel activity ("fishbowl").
The first paper will be written on one of the following topics:
1. History of public personnel management
2. Role of the public personnel manager
3. Budgeting, planning and productivity
4. Analysis, classification and evaluation
5. Pay and benefits
The second paper will be on one of the following topics:
6. Affirmative action and workforce diversity
7. Recruitment and selection
8. Improving employee performance through leadership
9. Training, education and staff development
The third paper will be on one of the following topics:
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10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Performance appraisal
Employee health and safety
Employee rights and responsibilities
Collective bargaining
Strategic human resource management capability
Each of these papers will be either a research paper, which analyzes concepts or techniques in an
area, or a case study, which analyzes the effectiveness of a particular organization's handling of
an activity. This will usually be a current or previous employer, since first-hand knowledge of
the organization usually is necessary to discuss the feasibility of proposed solutions, and means
of overcoming implementation problems. If you choose to do a case study, be sure it includes the
following information:
1. Define the problem or situation (20% of your grade)
2. Propose a solution (10%)
3. Tell what problems you would be likely to encounter in implementing your proposed
solution, and how you would overcome them (70%)
4. Include a reference list of all sources (Internet sites, interviews, government documents,
books, and articles).
Book:
Donald Klingner and John Nalbandian, Public Personnel Management: Contexts and Strategies
(Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 4th edition, 1998).
Grades: Each paper will be worth 25% of your course grade. Participation in class and
"fishbowl" discussions will be worth 25%. Late papers will be penalized one letter grade, unless
permission is granted in advance. Papers will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- For a grade of C, I expect that papers will repeat existing knowledge from lectures and assigned
readings, and include notes and bibliography following some accepted format.
- For a grade of B, I expect that the requirements for a grade of C will be met, and in addition that
the paper will advance a coherent line of argument based on lectures, assigned and optional
reading.
- For a grade of A, I expect that the requirements for a grade of B will be met, and in addition,
the paper will combine your own insights with those of relevant scholarly literature to
demonstrate a view of the subject that is both personal and based on an understanding of relevant
theory and concepts.
I will review good quality first drafts of any paper given to me at least one week prior to the due
date. "Good quality" means that you have written the analysis and conclusions, and include a
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reference list. I will give you my comments on the paper over the phone so that you may, if you
wish, revise and improve it. The final copy is the one I will grade.
"Fishbowl": 25% of your course grade is based on performance in the three fishbowls, and in
other class discussions.
"Fishbowls" are a guided group discussion technique. Two concentric circles of chairs are
arranged. Those students presenting papers on one particular topic sit in the inner circle; other
persons sit in the outer circle. "Fishbowl" members (those in the inner circle) are responsible for
using a block of time to define their topic, discuss related concepts and problems, and summarize
the discussion. Those outside are responsible for listing, and for contributing to the discussion
by suggesting topics, which the fishbowl has neglected, for asking relevant questions, or
contributing information. To talk, outsiders must move to one of the empty chairs in the inner
circle. The success of fishbowls depends on shared responsibility for directing the discussion;
keeping comments short, relevant and well documented; drawing everyone into the discussion;
and allowing time for a summary.
Course Schedule
Date
Topic and Required Reading
January 5, 1999
Part I: Introduction
The World of Public Personnel Management
Read: K&N, ch. 1.
January 12, 1999
Role of the public personnel manager
Read: K&N, ch. 2.
Library Tour
January 19
Part II: Planning
Budgeting, Planning and Productivity
Read: K&N, ch. 3.
Analysis, Classification and Evaluation
Read: K&N, ch. 4.
January 26
Pay and Benefits
Read: K&N, ch. 5.
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February 2
Fishbowl #1
All first papers are due
February 9
Part III: Acquisition
Affirmative Action & Workforce Diversity
Read: K&N, ch. 6
Recruitment, Selection, Promotion
Read: K&N, ch. 7.
February 16
Part IV: Development
Improving Employee Performance through Leadership
Read: K&N, ch. 8.
February 23
Training, Education & Staff Development
Read: K&N, ch. 9.
March 2
Fishbowl #2
All second papers are due
March 9
Performance Appraisal
Read: K&N, ch. 10.
March 16
Employee Health and Safety
Read: K&N, ch. 11.
March 23
FIU Spring Break – no class
March 30
Part V: Sanctions
Employee Rights and Responsibilities
Read: K&N, ch 12.
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April 6
Collective Bargaining
Read: K&N, ch. 13.
Strategic Human Resource Management
Read: K&N, ch. 14.
April 13
Fishbowl #3
All third papers are due
Course Evaluation
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