PADM 5330: Survey of Public Administration
Fall 2014
Online Course
Dr. Kenneth A. Wink
Office: Tyler, BUS 215A
Office Hours: Tuesday 9:30-12:30 and by Appointment
Phone: 903-566-7327
e-mail: kwink@uttyler.edu
Course Description: Focuses on the special challenges facing public agencies and
administrators. This course emphasizes issues surrounding agency relations with outside
constituencies, responsibility and accountability in public management and
administrative ethics. Note that there are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Introduction from Dr. Wink: I will be your instructor for PADM 5330: Survey of
Public Administration. As an online course, I am primarily a facilitator. You have to do
the work, but I am here to help. By way of introduction, I have been at UT Tyler for 16
years, as a teacher and coordinator of the Master of Public Administration program. I
have taught this course every year since being at UT Tyler. My previous job was at a
university in North Carolina. I am a native of Louisiana, but my wife is a native Texan
so that should count for something! I always enjoy teaching this course and I hope you
will enjoy the learning as much as I enjoy the teaching.
A Statement on Course Etiquette: All Discussion Board exercises need to be conducted
with the utmost civility toward other students. Also, all e-mail contact with me should be
conducted at my “regular” e-mail address listed at the top of this document. It would
help if in the subject line of the e-mail message you type your name and the course
number. I will try to respond to you within 36 hours of the time the e-mail is sent.
Course Objectives. By the end of the course, students (YOU!) should:
1. Be able to memorize key concepts in public administration and which authors
contributed to knowledge in the field (ex., the politics surrounding
administration in the public sector; budgeting; human resources management;
ethics; information technology, etc.).
2. Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the major academic contributions
in public administration (as in explaining them to me on Discussion Board!).
3. Be able to synthesize the broad scope of material you will read and we will
discuss to find some material that can be applied to your work environment to
improve your effectiveness as a worker in the public or nonprofit sector.
4. Be able to make inferences about how material presented in class may work in
theory and in practice but can be utilized in your particular work environment.
5. Be able to analyze and integrate the variety of material with which you will be
presented, thus producing a term paper in which you either draw together
seemingly divergent lines of research in a theoretically meaningful way or
illustrate how the material can be applied to a concrete work environment.
6. These student learning objectives are measureable, and I will describe below
how they will be incorporated into your course grade.
2
Textbooks:
1. Robert B. Denhardt, Janet V. Denhardt, and Tara A. Blanc, Public
Administration: An Action Orientation, 7th ed. Wadsworth, 2014.
2. Jay M. Shafritz, and Albert C. Hyde, Classics of Public Administration, 7th
ed. Wadsworth, 2012.
Grading system. Students will be evaluated on the following:
1. Preliminary work on the term paper, due in segments in the first four weeks of
class. 25 points
2. A term paper that will be discussed later in the syllabus. 75 points
3. Discussion Board questions that will be posed in three of the weeks. 20 points
4. Four reaction papers, to be explained later in the syllabus. 35 points.
5. A “debate” that will be held later in the semester. 20 points.
6. A case study, with questions you will answer. 10 points.
Thus, the grading scale will be as follows:
a. 166.5-185 pts.
= A
b. 148-166 pts.
= B
c. 129.5-147.5 pts.
= C
d. < 129.5 pts.
= F
Class schedule.
I.
Public Administration: Academic Discipline and Practice, Part I Week of
August 25
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 1, pp. 1-13
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Leonard White, “Introduction to the Study of Public
Administration.”
II.
Public Administration: Academic Discipline and Practice, Part II. Week
Of Sept. 1
C. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 1, pp. 14-26
D. Shafritz and Hyde
2. Woodrow Wilson, “The Study of Public Administration.”
3. Camilla Stivers, “Toward a Feminist Perspective in Public
Administration Theory.”
III.
The Environment of Public Management
A. The Political Context of Public Administration
1. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 2
Week of Sept. 8
3
2. Shaftritz and Hyde
a. Frank J. Goodnow, “Politics and Administration.”
b. Paul Appleby, “Government is Different.”
B. The Interorganizational Context of Public Admin., Part I Week of
Sept. 15
1. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc chapt. 3, pp. 79-107
C. The Interorganizational Context of Public Admin., Part II. Week of
2. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc chapt. 3, pp. 107-120
Sept. 22
3. Shafritz and Hyde
a. Deil Wright, “Federalism, Intergovernmental Relations, and
Intergovernmental Management.”
b. Joseph S. Nye, Jr., “Information Technology and Democratic
Governance.”
IV. Planning, Implementation, and Analysis/Evaluation
Week of Sept. 29
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc chapt. 4
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Yehezkel Dror, “Policy Analysts.”
2. Alice Rivlin, “Systematic Thinking for Social Action.”
3. Deborah Stone, “Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision
Making.”
V.
Public Budgeting and Finance
Week of Oct. 6
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 5
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Aaron Wildavsky, “Rescuing Policy Analysis from PPBS.”
2. Irene Rubin, “Perennial Budget Reform Proposals.
VI.
Human Resources Management
Week of Oct. 13
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 6
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Frederick Mosher, “Democracy and the Public Service.”
2. R. Roosevelt Thomas, “From Affirmative Action to Affirming
Diversity.”
VII.
Ethics in Public Administration
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc chapt. 7
Week of Oct. 20
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Dennis F. Thompson, “The Possibility of Administrative Ethics.”
2. Guy B. Adams and Danny L. Balfour, “Unmasking Administrative
Evil.”
4
VIII.
A. Organization Theory – The Early Voices (1880s-1940)
Week of Oct.27
1. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 8, pp. 289-303
2. Shafritz and Hyde
a. Frederick W. Taylor, “Scientific Management.”
b. Chester I. Barnard, “Informal Organizations and Their Relation to
Formal Organizations.”
c. Luther Gulick, “Notes on the Theory of Organization”
B. Organizational Theory – The Later Writers (1945-present) Week of Nov. 3
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 8, pp. 303-318
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Herbert A. Simon, “The Proverbs of Administration.”
2. Philip Selznick, “The Cooptative Mechanism.”
3. J. Steven Ott, “Understanding Organizational Culture.
IX. Management and the Exercise of Leadership
Week of Nov. 10
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt 9
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Mary Parker Follett, “The Giving of Orders.”
2. Louis Brownlow, et al., “Report on the President’s Commission on
Administrative Management.”
3. Mark H. Moore, “Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in
Government.”
X . Administrative Reform: The “Reinventing” of Government
Week of Nov. 17
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 10
B. Shafritz and Hyde
1. Ronald C. Moe, “Exploring the Limits of Privatization.”
Thanksgiving Holidays – No Readings or Assignments this Week
XI. The Future of Public Administration
Week of Dec. 1
A. Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc, chapt. 11
Term Paper Due: Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6:00 pm Central Time
5
POLICIES THAT MUST APPEAR IN EACH COURSE SYLLABUS
The following University policies must appear on each course syllabus or be provided as an informational
sheet (web-links to these policies may be used in the print or electronic syllabus)
http://www.uttyler.edu/academicaffairs/syllabuspolicies.pdf
Students Rights and Responsibilities
To know and understand the policies that affect your rights and responsibilities as a student at UT Tyler,
please follow this link: http://www.uttyler.edu/wellness/rightsresponsibilities.php
Grade Replacement/Forgiveness and Census Date Policies
Students repeating a course for grade forgiveness (grade replacement) must file a Grade Replacement
Contract with the Enrollment Services Center (ADM 230) on or before the Census Date of the semester in
which the course will be repeated. Grade Replacement Contracts are available in the Enrollment Services
Center or at http://www.uttyler.edu/registrar. Each semester’s Census Date can be found on the Contract
itself, on the Academic Calendar, or in the information pamphlets published each semester by the Office of
the Registrar.
Failure to file a Grade Replacement Contract will result in both the original and repeated grade being used to
calculate your overall grade point average. Undergraduates are eligible to exercise grade replacement for
only three course repeats during their career at UT Tyler; graduates are eligible for two grade replacements.
Full policy details are printed on each Grade Replacement Contract.
The Census Date is the deadline for many forms and enrollment actions that students need to be aware of.
These include:

Submitting Grade Replacement Contracts, Transient Forms, requests to withhold directory
information, approvals for taking courses as Audit, Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit.

Receiving 100% refunds for partial withdrawals. (There is no refund for these after the Census
Date)

Schedule adjustments (section changes, adding a new class, dropping without a “W” grade)

Being reinstated or re-enrolled in classes after being dropped for non-payment

Completing the process for tuition exemptions or waivers through Financial Aid
State-Mandated Course Drop Policy
Texas law prohibits a student who began college for the first time in Fall 2007 or thereafter from dropping
more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career. This includes courses dropped at another 2year or 4-year Texas public college or university. For purposes of this rule, a dropped course is any course
that is dropped after the census date (See Academic Calendar for the specific date).
Exceptions to the 6-drop rule may be found in the catalog. Petitions for exemptions must be submitted to the
Enrollment Services Center and must be accompanied by documentation of the extenuating circumstance.
Please contact the Enrollment Services Center if you have any questions.
Disability Services
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA
Amendments Act (ADAAA) the University offers accommodations to students with learning, physical and/or
psychiatric disabilities. If you have a disability, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases,
learning disabilities, head injury, PTSD or ADHD, or you have a history of modifications or accommodations
in a previous educational environment you are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility and
Resources office and schedule an interview with the Accessibility Case Manager/ADA Coordinator, Cynthia
Lowery Staples. If you are unsure if the above criteria applies to you, but have questions or concerns please
contact the SAR office. For more information or to set up an appointment please visit the SAR office located
in the University Center, Room 3150 or call 903.566.7079. You may also send an email to
cstaples@uttyler.edu
Student Absence due to Religious Observance
Students who anticipate being absent from class due to a religious observance are requested to inform the
instructor of such absences by the second class meeting of the semester.
6
Student Absence for University-Sponsored Events and Activities
If you intend to be absent for a university-sponsored event or activity, you (or the event sponsor) must notify
the instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the planned absence. At that time the instructor will set a
date and time when make-up assignments will be completed.
Social Security and FERPA Statement:
It is the policy of The University of Texas at Tyler to protect the confidential nature of social security
numbers. The University has changed its computer programming so that all students have an identification
number. The electronic transmission of grades (e.g., via e-mail) risks violation of the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act; grades will not be transmitted electronically.
Emergency Exits and Evacuation:
Everyone is required to exit the building when a fire alarm goes off. Follow your instructor’s directions
regarding the appropriate exit. If you require assistance during an evacuation, inform your instructor in the
first week of class. Do not re-enter the building unless given permission by University Police, Fire
department, or Fire Prevention Services.
Class Policies: Graduate Seminars
Participation Policy
In graduate seminars, participation is mandatory, not optional. If you miss an
assignment for good cause, I can grant you an incomplete or “I” grade and you can finish
that assignment by the end of next semester. But if you miss multiple assignments, you
will suffer the consequences of receiving a 0 on that assignment and/or I will ask you to
withdraw from the class. Note that the last day you can withdraw from a class is
October 27, at 5:00 pm Central Time. After that date, you would have to make a
hardship appeal to the Registrar’s Office to receive permission to withdraw from the
course.
The Writing Center
Located in BUS 202, the UT-Tyler Writing Center provides professional writing
tutoring for all students in all disciplines. If you wish to use the Writing Center, you
should plan for a minimum of two hour-long tutorials per assignment: the first to provide
an initial consultation and drafting plan, and the second to follow up. Be prepared to take
an active role in your learning – you will be expected to write and/or discuss your work
during your tutorial. While Writing Center tutors are happy to provide constructive
criticism and teach effective writing techniques, under no circumstances will they fix
your paper for you. Appointments: 565-5995. More information:
www.uttyler.edu/writingcenter.
7
Large Written Assignment
For your term paper assignment, you will have the option of writing one of two
papers.
I am referring to Option 1 as “The Applied Paper.” The applied paper will
involve your candid analysis of the organization for which you work. Should you choose
to write this paper, you will analyze your organization, assessing its strengths and
weaknesses, using as your criteria the concepts presented in the readings for this class.
In this paper, you will be asked to describe the strengths and weaknesses of the
organization, the incentive structure, and the budgeting and human resources skills of
managers in your work area. What tends to make the organization work effectively, and
what factors tend to hinder the success of the organization?
Of course, as this is a ticklish subject, you have my promise that I will not divulge
any information gleaned from this paper to ANYONE, for any reason. This assignment
is similar to the professional paper option of MPA students at an institution where I
previously taught, and a committee of several faculty members had no trouble keeping
information from the papers “under wraps.” So this is a tried and true exercise, and one
that you should not worry about getting you into any trouble.
However, should you still have reservations about pursuing this option, or should
you lack appropriate work experience, you may choose Option 2. Of course, if you
choose option 1 you may “change the names to protect the innocent,” but I do expect
option 1 to be a work of nonfiction.
I anticipate that you can realistically attain a good grade on this assignment with a
paper of approximately 15-20 pages in length.
Option 2 is the “The Theory Paper.” In order to illustrate to me that you have a
keen understanding of the material I am asking you to read, I want you to write a paper in
which you describe some recent school of thought or theory about organizational
behavior, that is the behavior of people in organizational settings. This will be more like a
traditional research paper. There are only five requirements for this paper:
(1) The theory or technique you describe should be contemporary, that is to say,
new.
(2) You should be able to compare and contrast this new theory or technique with
related theories or techniques that have come before it. In other words, you
should draw upon the readings from this course, and then build upon your
knowledge of organizational theory by doing your own, additional research.
(3) The theory or technique should have some relevance to the material presented
in the Denhardt, Denhardt, and Blanc text.
(4) You should draw from the public administration journals in completing this
assignment.
8
(5) The theory or technique should be applicable to the public sector, and not
only to the private sector.
In doing the “theory paper,” I want you to exhibit an understanding of the authors
you read. What, if any, common themes emerge? Do these thinkers support each other,
or do they challenge each other? How has thinking about organizational behavior
changed over the last 5-10 years?
I anticipate the theory paper will be approximately 15-20 pages in length. Like
the applied paper, this option will require a very close reading of the material, and some
serious thought about it as well.
Additional Points about Both Papers
1. For paper style and usage, you should employ the APA Publication Manual, 5th ed. or
a later edition of that publication. The quality of the style and the writing will be a
part of the grade on the paper.
2. Due date: The due date for your paper is December 9, 2014, 6:00 Central Time
3. Obviously, content is the most important thing with regard to grading the papers, and
I want you to demonstrate knowledge about public administration concepts and also
to illustrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and apply those concepts. Additionally,
I will grade on the quality of the research as to the depth and breadth of concepts and
sources used in your papers. But also note that grammar, usage, and style will count
for a sizeable portion of the grade, as well. So I would strongly urge you to follow
the style manual and to proofread (or have someone else proofread) your paper.
9
Reaction Paper Instructions
Reaction papers are papers that are assigned for a number of purposes. First,
reaction papers ensure that this material is read. Second, reaction papers are one method
of assessing your writing skills and your analytical abilities.
Reaction papers should consist of description/explanation and analysis. Although
there is no perfect formula to ensure a high grade, you should devote some of the paper to
a description of what the author said, what you believe the author meant, and you should
be able to provide a coherent summary of the main points of the author. Remember, you
are not to write a paper simply based on a verbatim restatement of the author’s own
words, as that would be plagiarism. Rather, this summary/explanation should be in your
own words. Convince me that you read the material and that you understand it.
Additionally, the student should provide an analysis. The analysis should
consist of the original thinking of the student as to how the author’s content fits into the
broad framework of the literature in the field we are studying. In the analysis, the student
should answer the questions, “So what?” and “What have I learned from this reading?”
Convince me that you read and thought about the assignment. You can also either agree
or disagree with the author on a key point or points, but you should defend your position.
A strong hint: A one- or two-sentence analysis at the end of the paper will not be
sufficient to ensure a high grade.
Reaction papers are due on the dates and times noted on your syllabus.
10
Class schedule. With assignment due dates
I. Public Administration: Academic Discipline and Practice, Part I Week of
August 25
Objective: Students should be able to explain how politics and
bureaucracy interact in a democracy.
Assignment: In one sentence, after reading the syllabus, tell me if you plan
to write a paper using the organizational analysis approach or do you plan
to write a more theory-based paper. 5 points. Due Date: August 30, 9:00
pm Central Time
II. Public Administration: Academic Discipline and Practice, Part II. Week
Of Sept. 1
Objective: Students should be able to describe the variety of writings
about public administration theory and practice.
Assignment: I want you to brainstorm about the issues you plan to address
in your paper. If you are doing the organizational analysis, briefly discuss
the issues you plan to address. If you are doing the theory-based paper,
have a topic in mind. This should be doable in one long paragraph. 5
points. Due Date: September 6, 9:00 pm Central Time
III.
The Environment of Public Management
A. The Political Context of Public Administration
Week of Sept. 8
Objective(s): Students should be able to describe how bureaucracy is
affected by
the three branches of government.
Students should be able to explain how the politicsadministration
dichotomy has been reconceptualized over time.
Assignment: I want you to give me an abstract or a rough outline of your
paper. This should be a well-fleshed out paragraph describing the topic
and content of your paper or a brief outline of the issues you plan to cover.
5 points. Due Date: September 13, 9:00 pm Central Time
D. The Interorganizational Context of Public Admin., Part I Week of
Sept. 15
Objective: Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the
importance of intergovernmental relations with regard to the fiscal and
other
relationships among the different levels of government.
11
Assignment: This should be a final, more complete outline of your paper.
It really should be the bones on which you build the paper, with little
deviation from the plan. So make sure you take this part of the process
seriously. 10 points. Due Date: September 20, 9:00 pm Central Time.
E. The Interorganizational Context of Public Admin., Part II. Week of
Sept. 22
Objective: Students should be able to demonstrate how changes in the
interorganizational context of public administration and technological
changes have affected government operations.
Assignment: Reaction Paper. 5 points. Due Date: September 27, 9:00
pm
Central Time.
IV.
Sept. 29
Planning, Implementation, and Analysis/Evaluation
Week of
Objectives: Students should be able to illustrate the steps in the policy
process.
Students should be able to show how policy analysis and
program
evaluation contribute to the policy process.
Assignment: Reaction paper. 10 points. Due Date: October 4, 6:00 pm
Central Time.
V.
of Oct. 6
Public Budgeting and Finance
Week
Objectives: Students should be able to explain the importance of
budgeting to
public sector managers and policy makers.
Students should be able to compare and contrast budget reform
efforts.
Assignment: Discussion Board Questions. 10 points. Due Date: October
11,
9:00 pm Central Time.
VI.
Oct. 13
Human Resources Management
Week of
12
Objectives: Students should be able to prioritize good human resources
management (HRM) techniques.
Students should be able to analyze and criticize arguments
about drug testing, unionization, and affirmative action as HRM policies
in the public sector.
Assignment: Reaction paper. 10 points. Due Date: October 18, 9:00
pm Central Time.
VII.
Ethics in Public Administration
Week of Oct. 20
Objectives: Students should be able to compare and contrast major schools of
thought on ethics.
Students should be able to assess the arguments for and against the
application of ethics to public-sector managing.
Assignment: Case study to read, and respond to questions. 10 points Due date:
October 25 9:00 pm Central time
VIII.
A. Organizational Theory – The Early Voices (1880s-1940)
Week of Oct.
27
Objectives: Students should be able to evaluate the usefulness of early theories of
organization.
Students should be able to summarize the importance of early
theorists on later theorists’ writing about organizational effectiveness.
Assignment: There will be a debate question. I will divide the class into a
number of groups and you will debate questions about organizational theory that I
will propose. This will be a two-week assignment worth 20 points. It is a group
assignment and group grading will apply. You should begin posting answers to
your questions to end on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 9:00 pm.
B. Organizational Theory – The Later Writers (1945-present)
Week of Nov. 3
Objectives: Students should be able to evaluate the usefulness of later theories of
organization.
Students should be able to choose the best techniques to evaluate
organizational effectiveness.
13
Assignment: Students will answer their group questions the week of Oct. 27.
They will then respond to the postings of the other group this week. All postings
in response to the other groups should be complete by Nov. 8 9:00 pm
Central time.
IX. Management and the Exercise of Leadership
Week of Nov. 10
Objectives: Students should be able to recommend elements of a leadership style
that would lead to effective management.
Assignment: Reaction paper. 10 points. Due date: Nov. 15 9:00 pm Central
time
X . Administrative Reform: The “Reinventing” of Government
17
Week of Nov.
Objectives: Students should be able to adapt theories of administrative reform to
their
own notion of what reforms help public-sector organizations work more
effectively.
Assignment: Discussion Board Question. 5 points. Due date Nov. 22 9:00 pm
Central time.
XI. The Future of Public Administration
Week of Dec. 1
Objectives: Students should be able to propose what the short-term future of
public administration is likely to resemble.
Assignment: Discussion Board Question. 5 points. Due date Dec. 6 9:00
Central time
Term Paper Due: Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6:00 pm Central Time
14