AS.470.695 Course Syllabus Fei Roberts

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Course Syllabus

Course: AS.470.695: Essentials of Public and Private Management Department: Advanced Academic Program, Zanvyl Krieger School of

Arts and Sciences Semester: Summer 2023 Instructor: Fei Roberts, Ph.D. Session times: Mondays & Wednesdays 9:30 AM-12:45 PM Location: 412

AS.470.695 Course Syllabus Fei Roberts

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INSTRUCTOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION Office: WDC.829 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: By appointment Note: I prefer to be contacted via email (not Canvas inbox). COURSE DESCRIPTION The purpose of the course is to help equip students to operate effectively as managers in both the public and private sectors. This class covers two major topics: (1) we will discuss the history of public administration scholarship and identify the key questions and debates proposed by the schools of Scientific Management, the “Orthodoxy,” the New Public Administration, New Economics of Organizations, Constitutionalism and Neo- Constitutionalism, New Public Management (NPM), and Collaborative Public Management; (2) we will examine concepts and theories that explain organizations and organizational behavior including factors such as the nature of the political environment, staffing, organizational culture, performance management, and leadership. The impact of these factors is explored in the context of policy development and implementation. As a result of this course (combined with your own experience and skills), you should be able to recognize and define public administration issues at all levels of government, to offer insightful analysis of public administration issues that you encounter in practice, and to ask good questions, offer good suggestions, and make good arguments concerning how such issues might be addressed or solved. The course materials include conceptual and analytic literature as well as case materials and examples drawn from a variety of sources. The general idea is that you should use the conceptual materials to analyze issues raised by the cases and examples. COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this course, students will be able to:

1. Apply relevant organizational theories and concepts to better define and understand the sources of organizational problems;

2. Become familiar with common obstacles that arise in organizations and potential solutions to these problems;

3. Apply informed understandings of human behavior in organizational settings to managerial and policy decisions;

4. Consider the ethical challenges in public administration; 5. Evaluate what qualities a manager should exhibit in order to be successful and how

managerial behavior should adapt to various conditions; 6. Demonstrate proficient writing, analytical, and presentation skills

AS.470.695 Course Syllabus Fei Roberts

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REQUIRED MATERIALS: No specific books are assigned for the course. A wide selection of readings have been assembled for the course, some available on the internet and others placed on Canvas. Many readings are seminal works in the field—that is, they influence the way in which people study and comprehend public administration. Others provide commentary on current topics. Additionally, we shall examine a succession of case studies and some films. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Students will need to fulfill the following requirements:

1. Complete all reading assignments. Come to class with questions/comments to ask of the instructor and fellow students. Class sessions will not summarize the reading but rather will provide the larger systemic context, integrate the materials and explore the implications of the readings. Expect to be called on and ask to talk about the readings.

2. Participate in class discussion. This means actively engaging in discussions of the reading and the cases. In particular, any class with a case study assigned will focus on student debate of the case. Read cases and be prepared to talk about them even if you do not complete a case memo. Feel free to bring up a discussion of public management in the news. To participate, you will need to be in class, so please do not schedule any events during class time, and let me know in advance if you cannot attend.

3. Complete graded requirements on time. Case memos must be submitted by the beginning of the class on the day the case is assigned in the syllabus. Upload cases to the appropriate canvas folder.

GRADING The overall course grade will be based on the following items:

1. Case studies (40% of the final grade): 4 × 10%: a number of cases are available throughout the semester – you are required to complete four case studies; you may complete up to five, and your best four count. Upload your cases to Canvas.

2. Practitioner Perspective project (40% of the final grade). 3. Supplemental readings (10% of the final grade) 4. Class attendance and participation (10% of the final grade)

The following table indicates letter grades corresponding to different levels of performance (percentage equivalent shown).

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LETTER GRADE PERCENTAGE EQUIVALENTS A 94%-100% A- 90% to 93.999% B+ 87% to 89.999% B 83% to 86.999% B- 80% to 82.999% C 70% to 79.999% F 0% to 69.999%

Note: there is no rounding of grades. This course will follow the Advanced Academic Programs Grading Policies and Probation and Dismissal Policy. Case Studies – 40% There will be a number of case memos available throughout the class. The goal of the case studies is to improve your ability to think about a complex scenario, and write a short and concise analysis of this situation – no more than 1 page, single spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1 inch margins. Memos should be uploaded to Canvas, and no hand-written work will be accepted. The memos should display a critical analysis of the main issues of the case, not a summary. You can assume that I know the basic details of the case. A typical teaching case tells a story (that is, something happened, then something else happened, then something else happened, and so on) about a problem or issue facing a public manager. A good way to get to the heart of a case is to try and summarize the story in case in one sentence. You may be asked for such summaries during case discussions. A quality of a good teaching case is that there is no obvious right answer. Rather, there are many possible answers (decisions, solutions), each of which has advantages and disadvantages and about which reasonable people may disagree. You will be asked to make a good argument for the approach you are recommending, supporting your answer with evidence from the case and theoretical insights from the readings. Good arguments usually require a close and insightful reading of the case. Case discussions in class will generally focus on the actions or problems of public managers in the case as they are caused or influenced by contextual (structural or institutional) factors. You may be asked, “What would you do and why?” Grading the Cases My way of scoring the memos is that everyone starts with a maximum score, and I mark down where I observe a serious problem. The overall criterion is whether you make a strong and clear argument. A strong argument requires the use of evidence where possible, including theory and evidence from course readings, logical claims that are persuasively presented, an ability to meet counter-claims. More specifically, here are the major items I look for:

• Does it cover the major points? Or is there some major aspect of the case you overlooked? In practice, this means that you should deal with the central issue of the case, and when making a recommendation, demonstrate awareness of arguments against your point of view.

• Is there a significant flaw in the logic of your argument? If I think the flaw is so bad as to lead you to offer bad advice, the penalty is doubled.

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• If you present the right conclusions, but do not support them with the level of analysis or detail to be really persuasive.

Any of the above failings will usually see you lose a point or more on a memo. Style, and basic errors will be included as considerations if you are on the borderline between a grade, unless they actually weaken your ability to deliver a coherent memo, in which case they will be counted for more. If you failed to fundamentally understand or answer the assignment question you are looking at a possible fail. In drawing on materials to use you should look for support from the readings assigned for that topic, and other readings in the course. If you wish to look on the web for additional resources and arguments, by all means do so, but always cite any external source for quotation, fact, idea, etc. Supplemental readings In almost every class there will be at least one supplemental reading that is suggested, but not required. To facilitate discussion and learning, one or two students will be assigned to summarize and present that supplemental reading. You should plan to work on this project for a couple of weeks before the scheduled presentation. The presentation should be between 10-15 minutes, and anticipate another 5 minutes for questions and discussion. If you go over your allotted time, you will be cut off. In presenting the reading, identify what you think the core point(s) is, and how you think it relates to the topic of the class, and how it might be presented. This sort of discussion will move you beyond a straightforward summary of the topic. As a general matter, focus on the overall content and conclusions within the articles instead of the critiquing the specific methodologies employed. Assume your classmates will not have read the supplementary readings; thus, it is your job to provide the key management concepts from these readings. You have the option of using PowerPoint, but think seriously about whether it is the best medium to convey your essential point. You should also create a one to two-page summary each of the supplementary readings, which you and your classmates will use as a reference. Consistent with the electronic nature of distribution, please email to me at least 24 hours before class, and I will post on Canvas. Make sure to include the full reference for the article on the memo. One tip on writing style for the summary: resist the temptation to rely on bullet points as a means of summary. It’s a lazy approach that leads to a type of shorthand writing that can be opaque. As with all of your written work, utilize fully developed sentences that form coherent paragraphs. In your presentation, ensure that you relate the reading to the topic of the day. (If you are having trouble finding these connections, come and talk to me). To stimulate discussion you may, for instance, use a set of discussion questions, group work, or a class activity that complements the readings. Be energetic and to be engaged with the materials. Creativity is encouraged. Practitioner Perspective project and presentation – 40% Practitioner Perspective memo: 30% of the final grade. Practitioner Perspective presentation: 10% of the final grade.

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In this project, you will learn about a specific manager of a public, nonprofit, or for-profit organization by interviewing them or reading a book they have written. Your main objective is to make observations about how the manager you study practically handles some of the organizational issues that are covered in the course syllabus. More details on this assignment will be provided in a separate handout. Participation – 10% Every student benefits from the viewpoints of other students. For this reason, your presence is expected in all course units. I reward those who make a strong contribution to the quality of the learning environment in the course. Your participation must reflect your careful reading and consideration of all materials in the syllabus for each unit and your ability to analyze the material and to link it to a broader discussion beyond just the immediate subject. By participation,


I am not simply referring to attendance and presence. It is also not only active involvement in discussions but also careful and active listening to, consideration of, and respect for the opinions of all peers. I am referring to you making a good argument for the answer that you believe is the best one. I want to underscore that there is no obvious right answer to any of the questions we are dealing with. Rather, there are many possible answers, each of which has advantages and disadvantages about which reasonable people may disagree. You need to articulate your own assessment of reading materials, but also to step out of your own perspective and consider opposing views.

I realize that we all have different characters or personalities; some of us are shy or uncomfortable speaking in public while others are not. Participation is not evaluated by how long you speak or contribute (quantity) but by what you contribute (quality). The unit’s structure will allow different opportunities to engage in general discussion or the small group exercise. Late Submission Policy All assignments must be submitted on time. Turning in assignments past the deadline comes with a 5 percentage point penalty for each day (partial or whole) past the deadline. E.g., an A practitioner perspective memo submitted 10 hours after the deadline will be worth 25, rather than 30 percentage points of your final grade. Case memos submitted after class starts will not be accepted. Exceptions will be based on serious health and family emergencies. Please inform the instructor of these issues as soon as they occur if you think they are likely to affect your ability to complete any part of your course work. If a student cannot submit an assignment on time, they must make arrangements with me for an extension. Keep in mind that extensions are at the instructor’s discretion and not automatically given. Late assignments must be discussed IN ADVANCE of due dates (not few hours before). Medical and family emergencies are exempt from penalties, of course; emergencies caused by poor planning are not. For presentations, please note that if you fail to present at the specified time, you will lose all the points associated with that presentation. However, if this occurs due to serious

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health or a family emergency, you will have the option of presenting to the instructor on an individual basis later. INSTRUCTOR’S ASSISTANCE While it is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments and reading materials, the instructor will be happy to assist you. If you feel that you do not understand a specific concept, if you need assistance or have any concerns about your performance, course content or other matters, please contact the instructor immediately. If you do not ask questions, the instructor will assume that you understand the material and that you are benefitting from the teaching tools and methodology used in this course. Do not postpone sharing your concerns until the last day: inform me of any problems as soon as they occur. CANVAS A Canvas web site has been created for this course. Our course syllabus, case studies, Power Point slides are/will be posted there. I will use CANVAS as a tool to send out mass emails and pose announcements. Therefore, you need to check it regularly, or, make arrangements to forward your emails to the email account of your choice.

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COURSE OUTLINE

Note: You are required to complete all readings and assignments on time. I reserve the right to make slight modifications in the course outline. Students will be given advance notices in case of any changes in the schedule. Date Topic Course

Objectives Assignment

1 5/22

Course Introduction & Syllabus Overview. Introduction to Different Levels of Government.

1,6 Read advice on how to write a good memo on Canvas.

2 5/24 What is public administration? Managing the bureaucracy: bureaucracy and organization Theory.

1,2,4,6 Case memo 1 due by 5/31 at the start of class

3 5/29

Memorial Day. No Class.

4 5/31

Accountability and blame Performance measurement

1-6 Case memo 2 due by 6/5 at the start of class

5 6/5

Managing and motivating public employees Understanding the decision-making process

1,2,3,5,6 None

6 6/7

Organizational culture Ethics

1-6 Case memo 3 due by 6/12 at the start of class

7 6/12

Hiring, emotions Keeping/losing employees

2,3,5,6 None

8 6/14

Power Administrative Reforms & Organizational Change

1,2,3,5,6 Case memo 4 due by 6/21 at the start of class

9 6/19

Juneteenth. No Class.

10 6/21

Collaboration, Privatization, and Contracts 1-6 Case memo 5 due by 6/26 at the start of class

11 6/26

Peers, social environments Leadership

2-6 None

12 6/28

Final Paper Presentation 1-6 Final paper due on Canvas

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5/22: Course Introduction & Syllabus Overview. Introduction to Different Levels of Government.

Before Class: Watch John Oliver on Special Districts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3saU5racsGE Required Readings: • Kettl, Donald F. 2000. “The Transformation of Governance: Globalization,

Devolution, and the Role of Government.” Public Administration Review. 60: 488- 497.

In Class: Assign supplemental readings Additional reading: You will be asked to write a good number of memos through the course of the semester. Some helpful advice about how to structure an argument and write a memo can be found on Canvas.

5/24: What is public administration? Managing the bureaucracy: bureaucracy and organization Theory.

Required Readings: • Kaufman, Herbert. 2001. “Major Players: Bureaucracies in American Government”

Public Administration Review 61:1:18-42. • Herd, Pamela, and Donald Moynihan. 2018. “Administrative Burden: Policymaking

by Other Means.” Introduction and Chapter 1 (available on Electronic Reserves through Canvas).

• Mintzberg H. (2016). Organizations around Public, Private, Plural. http://www.mintzberg.org/blog/three-sectors 


Case: Iraqi Translator Visas

Supplemental Readings

• Heinrich, Carolyn J. 2018. Presidential address: “A thousand petty fortresses”: Administrative burden in US immigration policies and its consequences. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 37(2): 211-239. Extra: Weeds podcast: Policymaking by other means Video: Death by a Thousand Papercuts: Curbing Immigration with Administrative Burdens

5/29: Memorial Day. No class.

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5/31: Accountability and Blame. Performance measurement. Before Class:

• Watch the space shuttle Challenger disaster retro report by New York Times https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- O_DMyHdq_M&list=PL9ojKxTA9z1SVtjEu3r6USKhdSkd-cm1X&index=14

• Watch John Oliver on standardized testing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6lyURyVz7k

Required Readings:

• Behn, R. (2003). Why Measure Performance? Different Purposes Require Different Measures. Public Administration Review, 63(5), 586–606.

• Fong, Kelly. 2020. Getting Eyes in the Home: Child Protective Services Investigations and State Surveillance of Family Life. American Sociological Review 85(4): 610-638.

• A reporter’s homage to government auditors — unsung heroes of transparency https://www.rollcall.com/news/government-workers-transparency

• Heinrich, Carolyn J. 2010. Third-Party Governance under No Child Left Behind: Accountability and Performance Management Challenges, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 20(suppl 1): i59-i80.

Case: The Death of Marchella Pierce

Supplemental Reading:

• Olsen, A.L., 2017. Responding to problems: actions are rewarded, regardless of the outcome. Public Management Review, 19(9), pp.1352-1364.

• Thomas Dee and James Wyckoff. 2015. Incentives, Selection, and Teacher Performance: Evidence from IMPACT. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 34(2): 267–297.

• Bohte, J., & Meier, K. (2000). Goal Displacement: Assessing the Motivation for Organizational Cheating. Public Administration Review, 60(2), 173–182.

6/5: Managing and motivating public employees. Understanding the decision-making process.

Required Readings:

• Christensen, Robert K., Laurie Paarlberg, and James L. Perry. 2017. Public service motivation research: Lessons for practice. Public Administration Review 77(4): 529-542.

• Pay for Performance (case studies and exercises are optional) (Available on Canvas)

In Class: Watch “The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

Supplemental readings:

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• Linos, Elizabeth. 2017. More than public service: A field experiment on job advertisements and diversity in the police. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 28(1): 67-85.

• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American psychologist, 55(1), 68.

6/7: Rule of Law and Ethics. Organizational culture

Before Class: Watch John Oliver on Civil Forfeiture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEpZWGgJks

Required Readings:

• Belle, Nicola and Paola Cantarelli. 2017. What Causes Unethical Behavior: A Meta-Analysis to Set an Agenda for Public Administration Research. Public Administration Review 77(3): 327-329

• O’ Leary, Rosemary. 2010. Guerrilla Employees: Should Managers Nurture, Tolerate or Terminate Them? Public Administration Review. 70(1): 8-19.

• American Society for Public Administration Code of Ethics. http://www.main.org/aspa/code.htm

• Leading Change: Military Leadership in Civilian Organizations https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA561960.pdf

• Pentagon harbors culture of revenge against whistleblowers https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/pentagon-whistleblowers-often-face- retaliation-that-goes-unpunished

Case: Civil Forfeiture 6/12: Hiring, emotions. Keeping/losing employees

Required Readings • Promote Job Satisfaction through Mental Challenge (case studies and exercises are

optional) (available on Canvas). • Control Voluntary Turnover by Understanding its Causes (case studies and

exercises are optional) • Lee, S., & Sanders, R. M. (2013). Fridays are furlough days: The impact of

furlough policy and strategies for human resource management during a severe economic recession. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 33(3), 299-311.

6/14: Power. Administrative Reforms and Organizational Change.

Required Readings:

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• Sergio Fernandez and Hal G. Rainey. 2006. Managing Successful Organizational Change in the Public Sector. Public Administration Review. 66(2): 168-176.

• Backer, T. E. (1997). Managing the human side of change in VA's transformation. Journal of Healthcare Management, 42(3), 433.

• Shalala Donna. 1998. “Are Large Public Organizations Manageable?” Public Administration Review 58(4): 284-289.

• William Ouchi. (2005). Making Public Schools Work: Management Reform as Key. Academy of Management Journal, 48(6): 929-934.

Case: Burn it Down. Supplemental Readings:

• Gilad, Sharon and Momi Dahan. 2020. Representative Bureaucracy and Impartial Policing. Public Administration.

• Blank, Rebecca. 2016. Implementing Change in Big Public Institutions. Public Administration Review. 76(2):217-218

6/19: Juneteenth. No Class 6/21: Collaboration, Privatization, & Contracts

Before Class: Watch “Prisons for Profit: 18 Months in the Life of the Nation's First Prison Sold for Profit” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQcZzS7eqfY&t=303s

Required Readings:

• Carolyn Heinrich and Youseok Choi. 2007. Privatization and Performance Based Contracting in Public Welfare Programs. American Review of Public Administration. 37(4): 409-435.

• Brown, Trevor L., Matthew Potoski and David Van Slyke. 2006. Managing Public Service Contracts: Aligning Values, Institutions and Markets. Public Administration Review 66(3): 323-331.

Case: Get Out of Jail, Inc.

Supplemental Readings:

• Goodsell, C. T. (2007). Six normative principles for the contracting-out debate. Administration & Society, 38(6), 669-688.

• Amirkhanyan, A., Kim, H., & Lambright, K. (2008). Does the public sector outperform the nonprofit and for-profit sectors? Evidence from a national panel study on nursing home quality and access. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 27(2), 326–353.

• Balogh, Brian H. Keep Your Government Hands off My Medicare: A Prescription that Progressives Should Fill. The Forum 7(4): Article 3.

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6/26: Peers, social environments. Leadership

Before Class: Listen to the “Prologue” [or first ~14 minutes…but not Acts 1-3] of This American Life episode. These first 14 minutes of the show deal with research regarding group dynamics. The full show aired on 12/19/08, and is called “Ruining it for the Rest of Us.” You should be able to stream the audio for free: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/370/ruining-it-for- the-rest- of-us

Required Readings:

• Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/opinion/sunday/sheryl-sandberg-and-adam- grant-on-women-doing-office-housework.html

o If you get stuck behind the paywall, this is also available digitally through the library here: https://wrlc- amu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_AMU/134t8r/BM_eNpj YeA0MDYz0jUxNjbkZJD1TUxJzFVw1nPV89fTUXBPLVHwTVVIVHD OT0tLTeVhYE1LzClO5YXS3Axybq4hzh66BUX5haWpxSXxGXkF8UYG 5iaWJhZmZibGBBUAANYNIdA

• How to Manage a Toxic Employee https://hbr.org/2016/10/how-to-manage-a-toxic- employee

Supplemental Readings: • Antonakis, John, Marika Fenley, and Sue Liechti. 2012. Learning charisma.

Transform yourself into the person others want to follow. Harvard Business Review 90(6): 127-30.

• Dvir, T., Eden, D., Avolio, B. J., & Shamir, B. (2002). Impact of transformational leadership on follower development and performance: A field experiment. Academy of management journal, 45(4), 735-744.

6/28: Final Project Presentation WRITING STYLE All assignments must be typed in Word, on a letter size paper with one-inch margins, and using “Times New Roman” 12 pt font size. Style, clarity and analysis count. Express your own point of view on the subject, suggest new strategies, and defend your position using logical arguments. The f

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