Political Science 5350/Administrative Theory
Dr. Kathleen (Kathy) Staudt, 747 7975 (kstaudt@utep.edu)
Office Hours
The fields of political science, sociology, education, and business all share common intellectual
traditions in the form of "classical organizational theory." However, the organizations are
different: the contexts, accountability relations, measurements of effectiveness, and governance
structures vary in the private sector (market/business), public administration (government, including
education), and the non-profit sector. In this seminar, we critically evaluate the administrative
theories and consider their usefulness in public and private institutions.
Required Books:
Jay Shafritz and J. Steven Ott, Classics of Organization Theory
Rosabeth Kanter, Men and Women of the Corporation
James Q. Wilson, Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It
Seminar participants will prepare reflections on the theories and apply insights (or lack of
insights) to the explanation and practice of administration, as observed, experienced, and
analyzed in books and academic articles. Presumably, we share interests in improving the
efficiency and effectiveness (broadly defined) of administration: To what extent do theories
augment our ability to conduct research and/or to reform/transform organizations?
Besides weekly reflections (2-3 pages each), seminar participants will write both a `review of the
literature' from the list of academic journals on this syllabus (10 pages), and a book review (3 pages)
that summarizes, evaluates, and applies insights to administration in our region. The books are
integrated into the weekly assignments and reviews should be reported at those times. Evaluation
weights: reflections and seminar participation (50%); literature review (30%); book review (20%).
Attendance is essential, and plagiarism will be penalized (consult the university web site).
August 26
Introduction
September 2 In Shafritz and Ott
Introduction and Chronology
Ch 1, Classical Organization Theory
Henri Fayol, "General Principles of Management
Frederick Taylor, "The Principles of Scientific Management" Max
Weber, "Bureaucracy"
Luther Gulick, "Notes on the Theory of Organization"
Wilson, Chs 1-2, Organizations ("Armies, Prisons, & Schools;"
"Organization Matters")
September 9 In Shafritz and Ott
Ch 2, Neoclassical Organization Theory Chester
Barnard, "The Economy of Incentives"
Robert Merton, "Bureaucratic Structure and Personality" Herbert
Simon, "The Proverbs of Administration"
Philip Selznick, "Foundations of the Theory of Organization" Richard
Cyert & James March, "A Beahvioral Theory of Organizational
Objectives"
Kanter, Ch 1-2, The Players and the Stage
("Men and Women of the Corporation: The Population;"
"Industrial Supply Corporation: The Setting")
September 16 In Shafritz and Ott
Ch 3, Human Resource Theory/Organizational Behavior Perspective Mary
Follett, "The Giving of Orders" Fritz Roethlisberger, "The Hawthorne
Experiments" Abraham Maslow, "A Theory of Human Motivation" Douglas
McGregor, "The Human Side of Enterprise" Irving Janis "Groupthink..."
Bart Victor and Carroll Stephens, "The Dark Side of the New
Organizational Forms"
Book, Michael Lipsky, Street-Level Bureaucracy
September 23 Wilson, Operators (Chs 3-6) Book, Graham
Allison, Essence of Decision
September 30 Kanter, Ch 3 "Managers; " Ch 4 "Secretaries" Wilson,
Managers, Chs 7-9
Book, Anthony Downs, Inside Bureaucracy
October 7
In Shafritz and Ott
Ch 4, Modern Structural Organization Theory
Tom Burns & G. M. Stalker, "Mechanistic and Organic Systems"
Peter Blau and W. Richard Scott, "The Concept of Formal Organization" Arthur
Walker & Jay Lorsch, "Organizational Choice: Product v. Function" Henry
Mintzberg, "The Five Basic Parts of the Organization" Elliott Jaques, "In Praise of
Hierarchy"
Books, Kathy Ferguson, The Feminist Case Against Bureaucracy Pressman
& Wildavsky, Implementation
October 14 Kanter, Ch 6 "Opportunity" Wilson,
Executives, Ch 10-11
Book, Herbert Kaufman, The Forest Ranger
October 21 In Shafritz and Ott
Ch 5, Systems Theory and Organizational Economics
William Scott, "Organization Theory: An Overview and an Appraisal" Daniel
Katz & Robert Kahn, "Organizations and the System Concept" James
Thompson, "Organizations in Action"
Book, Deborah Stone, Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making
October 28 Kanter, Ch 7 "Power"
In Shafritz and Ott
Ch 6, Power and Politics Organization Theory
Jeffrey Pfeffer, "Understanding the Role of Power in Decision Making" John
French and Bertram Raven, "The Bases of Social Power" James March, "The
Power of Power"
Henry Mintzberg, "The Power Game and the Players"
Book, Michael Crozier, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon
November 4 Wilson, Context Chs 13-15
November 11 In Shafritz and Ott
Organizational Culture and Sense Making
Edgar Schein, "Defining Organizational Culture"
Meryl Louis, "Surprise and Sense Making: What Newcomers Experience In
Entering Unfamiliar Organizational Settings" Joan Acker, "Gendering
Organizational Theory" Scott Cook & Dvora Yanow, "Culture and Organizational
Learning"
Book, Kathleen Staudt, Women, Foreign Assistance and Advocacy
Administration
November 18 Kanter, Ch 8, "Majorities & Minorities"
In Shafritz and Ott
Ch 8, Harrison Trice and Janice Beyer
Peter Senge, "The Fifth Discipline: A Shift of Mind"
Al Gore, "Creating a Government that Works Better and Ccosts Less: Report of
the National Performance Review"
Book, Michael Fullan, What's Worth Fighting For?
November 25 Wilson, Change, Chs 17-20
Kanter, Understanding and Action, Chs 9-10
December 2 Final Presentations: Literature Reviews
List of Academic Journals
Policy Studies Journal Social Studies Quarterly Review of Policy Research
Academic of Management Review Academy of Management Journal
Administrative Science Quarterly Organizational Dynamics
Nonprofit Management and Leadership Journal of Organizational Behavior Harvard
Business Review Public Policy and Management
Occupational and Organizational Psychology Human Resource Development Human
Resource Management Review Evaluation Review
International Review of Administrative Sciences Journal of Pubic Administration Research and
Theory Public Performance and Management Review Public Administration Review Harvard
Educational Review