UMUC-Europe

PUAD 501: Concepts of Public Administration

 

Faculty Member:  Ljiljana Mihajlovic                               Term: 4                   Dates: 1 April-22 May 2002

Class Location:     Sarajevo                                                 Class Times:          Mon & Wed 1830-2130

Phone Number:     061 222 304                                            Office Hours:        By appointment

 

Reading List:       

 

Textbooks:                            Stillman, Richard Public Administration: Concepts and Cases

Deinhardt, Public Administration: Action Orientation

 

Selected Texts:                     Lynn, Lawrence E. et al “Studying Governance and Public Management: Challenges and Prospects”

Minogue, Martin “Should Flawed Models of Public Management be Exported? Issues and Practices”

Selected chapters from Rose-Ackerman, Susan: Corruption and Government:

Chapter 5: “Reform of the Civil Service”

Chapter 7: “Corruption and Politics”

Chapter 8: “Democracy and Corruption: Incentives and Reforms”

 

Additional readings will be assigned during the course.

 

Course Description:

 

The course is a graduate-level introduction to the fundamental concepts, issues and problems of public administration. It will focus on the ever-changing role of American public sector at the local, state and federal levels, its historic development, present context, and proposals for future reform. Additionally, students will be able to review interesting case-studies of public administration reform in transition countries of Eastern Europe for their group project assignments.

 

More specifically, the course will cover the following areas:

 

·         The environment in which public administration functions, including its political and intergovernmental contexts;

·         Organisational issues, such as budgeting, human resources management and leadership in public sector;

·         Discussions on the future of public administration, calls for reform and public sector innovation.

 

The course is based on the seminar approach, where class participation is essential. Students will be expected to read the assigned texts before the class in order to fully participate in discussions. In addition, each student will be expected to prepare two individual oral presentations on selected topic and work on a team project assigned during the second week of the course.

 

 

Course Objectives:

 

By the end of the course the students should be able to:

 

1.        Overview and analyse the fundamental theoretical foundations of American public administration, its concepts and issues;

2.        Develop deeper understanding of organisational issues in public administration, including operational and ethical considerations;

3.        Examine and put into practice major managerial skills essential for successful functioning of public administration: leadership, presentation, communication, and teamwork;

4.        Develop research skills and produce coherent essays on issues important for the field.

 

 

Evaluation:            The final grade will be based on the following activities:

                                in-class participation                                           15 points

                                in-class individual presentations                      20 points

                                mid-term 3 hr essay exam                                    20 points

                                team project work                                 10 points

                                final 3hr essay exam                                             35 points

 

A=90-100 points; B=80-89; C=70-79; Below: 70 Fail

 

Class Policies and Procedures:

 

Attendance: Regular class attendance is expected. If you should miss a class meeting, it remains your responsibility to obtain information concerning the material covered and upcoming assignments.

 

Make-up Examinations: If you must miss an announced exam for duty reasons or illness, you must provide documentary proof to be permitted to take a make-up exam.

 

Plagiarism: Plagiarised papers, reports, or exams will receive a grade of 0 (zero) points, whether copied in whole or in part. See the European Division Catalog for UMUC policy on academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

 

Autobiography

 

Ms Mihajlovic holds a BA degree from the University of Zagreb and an MPhil degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. During her studies in Zagreb, she also graduated from the pilot Peace Studies project administered by the Centre for Peace Studies and Anti-War Campaign. Ms Mihajlovic worked for two years with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the period 1993-1995 during war in Bosnia. In her subsequent positions, she worked with European Community Monitor Mission in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Sarajevo and the Democratisation Department of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Ms Mihajlovic is currently employed with the Office of Public Affairs of the United States Embassy in Sarajevo.

 

PUAD 501 Class Schedule

 

Meetings               Readings                               Topics                                                    Activities

 

Class 1                   Ch 1D 1S                                Introduction to public                         Introduction to case study

administration                                       method

 

Class 2                   Ch 3D 3, 5, 6 S                       Context of                                              Group discussion

                                                                                public administration

 

Class 3                   Ch 2D 4, 14 S                         Political context of public                   Group discussion

administration                                      

 

Class 4                   Ch 2, 4 S                 Concept of bureaucracy                     Oral presentations

                                                                                                                                                Group tasks assigned

Class 5                   Ch 4D 16 S                             Ethics in public administration          Oral presentations

 

Class 6                   Ch 7, 8D 8, 10 S                     Introduction to management              Group discussions

and planning                                         Video projection  

 

Class 7                   Ch 5D 12 S                             Financial management                         Group discussions

 

Class 8                                                                   Mid-term exam                                     Exam (3 hours)

 

Class 9                                                                   Exam revision                                        Exams returned    

 

Class 10                 Ch 6D, 11 S                            Human resources in public                 Oral presentations

administration      

 

Class 11                 Ch 10D                                   Personal skills in public                      Oral presentations

administration                                                                      

 

Class 12                 Ch 11D, 9,13 S                       Interpersonal skills and decision-     Group discussions

making in public administration

 

Class 13                 Ch 9D 15 S                             Reinventing government                    Group discussions

 

Class 14                 Ch 12D                                   Future of public administration         Group project reports

 

Class 15                                                                 Final written exam                              Exam (3 hrs)

 

Class 16                                                                 Return and review of final                  Exam review

exams