THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT PEMBROKE
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT
MPM 500 LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
FALL, 2001
PROFESSOR DANIEL G. BARBEE
CLASS: DESIGNATED WEEKENDS: FRIDAYS/SATURDAYS
ROOM 104A B.A. BUILDING
OFFICE: 118 B.A. BUILDING
OFFICE TELEPHONE: (910) 521-6637 OR 521-6531
FAX: 910-521-6165
EMAIL: DANIEL.BARBEE@UNCP.EDU
MRS. AMELIA ELK: MPM SECRETARY: AMELIA.ELK@UNCP.EDU
OFFICE HOURS: BY APPOINTMENT
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course deals with the roles of public, non-profit, and many business managers and leaders in guiding organizations to meet the demands of changing domestic and global conditions. The course covers the evolution of modern public leadership and administrative strategies and employs relevant research literature, case/scenario analysis, and diagnostic activities. The base for the course is a survey of modern public administration using text, appropriate cases, and readings. This base is supplemented by outstanding professional material on leadership and strategic management. We also use cases dealing more specifically with traditional and emergent leadership and strategic management in public, non-profit, and selected business organizations.
Texts: Jay M. Shafritz and E. W. Russell, Introducing Public Administration, New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2d edition, 2000.
Mark H. Moore, Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in Government, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1st edition, 1997.
Additional readings and website material as assigned.
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
This course has several objectives and associated learning outcomes:
To facilitate your learning the various perspectives and theories of the role of public administrators (broadly defined) in the American political system.
To facilitate your learning the essential approaches associated with effective managerial and leadership performance in public organizations and others associated with the public interest.
To facilitate your improved managerial and leadership performance through study and practice in areas of critical thinking, case and scenario analysis, written and spoken activities, and the analysis of complex administrative and leadership problems.
Student outcomes include the following:
Be conversant with and knowledgeable of the major areas of administrative theory and perspectives that influence and can be influenced by managers and leaders.
Be able to employ, in principle, key models, approaches, and theories in public management and leadership literature.
Be able to employ critical thinking, scenario analysis, systematic research, group
processes, and verbal reporting and presentation to demonstrate knowledge of
perspectives, theories, models, and approaches and how such tools can be used in realistic
settings.
INFORMAL FORMATIVE EVALUATIONS RELATED TO THESE OBJECTIVES AND
OUTCOMES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE.
COURSE PHILOSOPHY
These are exciting, challenging, and increasingly disturbing times for professionals in the public
service, those who aspire to the public service, or to work in the public interest, and those whose
career paths are linked to public affairs and public policy processes and outcomes-- including
business and non-profit managers and leaders. The activities of public organizations in the
American political system make the news virtually every day. These organizations are not
always viewed in a constructive or positive manner. Factions quarrel over whether the public
bureaucracy must be reinvented so as to more closely resemble and work like business and the
private sector, or be reshaped to be more like the traditional model of bureaucracy. While the
debate continues, public organizations and others associated with public affairs outcomes
function increasingly as instruments of modern, active government, and democratic values. Even
as this occurs, public organizations are capable of enormous neglect and even harm to the extent
that some people call for the dismantling of public sector organizations and a return to former
ways of doing society's work. Such are the struggles of modern public administration as we
proceed through the 21st century.
This course is based on the philosophy that public organizations and public interest organizations are an integral part of an increasingly diverse, interdependent, technologically based, and remarkably fragile democracy and world. I believe that if life on this planet "improves" or sustains itself, it will require the active involvement of managers and leaders in public organizations. The real issue for me is whether/the extent to which those engaged in public organizations can uphold and shape democratic norms, ethical standards, and environmental values in the face of incredible pressure to do otherwise. Those in responsible positions in public organizations are capable of great good or much harm. In this course, we will examine and consider the works of outstanding scholars and practitioners as these issues are addressed, and we will use a basic approach to accomplish our tasks.
COURSE PLAN
This course combines lectures and discussions with case and scenario analysis, and research activities and developmental exams to connect and link traditional and contemporary learning processes. We will employ textbooks, cases, and other resources to achieve the scope and depth needed to accomplish course objectives and outcomes. Each student is responsible for becoming knowledgeable of the course materials and for being able to discuss and work with them in class. Each student also will be responsible for connecting to his/her own professional setting and for determining its meaning in the current political and administrative environment. The course is flexible, but it is intended to establish a learning rhythm and pace that combines traditional and contemporary learning approaches and technologies in ways that promote maximum gain and value-added for each student.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Email account. Each student is required to obtain or demonstrate that they have access to an email technology on a consistent, regular (daily) basis. We will discuss this further in class, including how email accounts can be obtained at our university.
Exams. Two exams will be given. These exams will address the major concepts and other material from texts, readings, lectures, and cases. Typically, exams will be developmental in nature, relying on scenarios, cases, and analytical or interpretive essays rather than on multiple choice or structured answers focused on concept definition and the like.
Case and Readings Analyses. For most of the major concepts and processes addressed in class, cases and/or scenarios will be used as application activities and for analytic purposes. For these materials, you will be assigned to explore the case/scenario within the context of the general theory, approach, process, or concepts addressed in the related reading/s. You also will be encouraged to maintain a formal journal coordinated with the case/reading assignments.
Course Paper. Applied research. Students will work in small groups or teams to prepare a workable conceptual framework that can be used to facilitate the subsequent individual exploration of an administrative leadership or strategic management issue, problem, opportunity, or theme in an approved topical area. Logically, this work extends the learning design for the class to incorporate your immersion in the literature dealing with the approved topic, and an effort to accomplish actual and in-principle application of course concepts and models to the topic or issue. Many options are open for these papers, and they will be discussed in class.
SUMMARY OF WEIGHTS FOR COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Email account: No weight assigned.
2. Exams: 2@ 20% each: 40
3. Case/Readings: 30
4. Applied Research Paper: 30
Total: 100%
COURSE GRADES
Course grades are assigned according to the following, consistent with the UNCP grading and grade assignment policy found in the University Catalog. Refer to the Catalog and to your Graduate Student Handbook for additional information concerning graduate grading policies. We will discuss graduate course grades and expectations in class.
A = 90- 100
B = 80- 89
C = 70- 79
F = 69 OR LESS
If at any time you feel that you may earn a grade of "C" or "F" you are advised to consult with me immediately. GRADES OF "C" OR "F" HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AT UNCP.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Dishonesty: My policy is the same as the policy stated in the Academic Policies section of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke's current catalog. This policy explicitly states an overview, a statement of principles, a series of violations for which penalties will be imposed, the penalties, and procedures for handling cases. Violation of this code is very serious, and I do take the code seriously.
STUDENT ACADEMIC HONOR CODE: STUDENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW AND OBSERVE THE UNCP ACADEMIC HONOR CODE.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance will be monitored each class meeting; however, no grade credit will be given for attendance and no specific penalty will be assessed for missing class. Given the format of the delivery of this course, even one absence is likely to result in the student's falling behind and not knowing about important information addressed in class. A single missed class represents a significant amount the class time for the course. Chronic absenteeism or tardiness adversely affects performance, grades, and demonstrates less than acceptable commitment to graduate education. PLEASE TAKE HEED OF THIS POLICY!
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
This publication is available in alternative formats upon requests. For more information please contact:
Mary Helen Walker, MA, NCC, NCLPC
Director, Disability Support Services
PO Box 1510
Pembroke, NC 28372
(910) 521-6270
mary.walker@uncp.edu
Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak with Disability Support Services and the instructor as early in the semester as possible (preferably within the first week of class). All discussions will remain confidential.
Sometimes note takers are requested for classes. Your professor will announce the need for a note taker. Contact Disability Support Services at (910) 521-6270 if you wish to be a note taker.
INSTRUCTOR ASSISTANCE
I am available generally by appointment, often prior to class, and at other times during an emergency or unavoidable situations. If you experience difficulty, or need to discuss class materials, careers, the MPM program, or other matters related to graduate school, I am always pleased to help you or simply be an attentive listener. Problems can only be resolved if you tell me about them. Tell me about them before they produce crises if at all possible.
Throughout the semester you will be receiving additional guidance material from me regarding
assignments in this course. This material is part of this syllabus.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Note: the following schedule of topics and assignments is for guidance and pacing. Adjustments
in it may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Additional readings will be assigned for
greater depth and perspective, and various other cases, scenarios and related materials also will
be assigned.
Mid-Semester Break October 11-12
Thanksgiving Holiday November 22-23
MEETING # TOPICS MATERIALS
Meeting #1 Course Introduction Handouts
Personal Data and Introductions Handouts
Lecture: Public Affairs Developments Visuals
Summary comments on Shafritz & Russell
Chapters 1-4 S/R, ch 1-4
Class/Group Activities, ch 1-4
Preliminary Paper Topics Discussed
And Submitted Student Handins
Interim Period #1
1. Preliminary Topics due in writing Format Guidance
2. Professor's response/peer response Email
3. Preliminary Outlines Exchanged Email
4. Professor's response/peer response
5. Read Shafritz &Russell, Chapters 5-9 Text
Meeting #2
Summary Comments on S/R Chapters
5-9 and related themes S/R, ch 5-9
Class discussion and activities related
to chapter 5-9 Handouts
Research Update Presentations Student Visuals
EXAM #1 DISCUSSED AND ASSIGNED
Interim Period #2
1. Research Updates Email
2. Professor' comments/peer comments Email
3. EXAM #1 SUBMITTED Email
4. Read Shafritz & Russell, Chapters 10-14 S/R, ch 10-14
Meeting #3
Summary comments on S/R, chapters
10-14 S/R, ch 10-14
Class discussion and activities related to
S/R, chapters 10-14 Handouts
Paper rough drafts presented & submitted Student visuals/handouts
Professor's/peer comments
Interim Period #3
1. EXAM #1 (GRADES AND COMMENTS) Email
2. Professor's/peer comments on Rough Drafts Email
3. Read CREATING PUBLIC VALUE Moore Text
Meeting #4
Summary comments on CPV and
Strategic Management (review S/R, ch 8) Visuals
Class discussion and activities related to
Strategic management and creating
public value Handouts
Paper Working Drafts discussed in groups
Comments
EXAM #2 DISCUSSED AND ASSIGNED
Interim Period #4
1. Working Drafts submitted Email
2. Professor's/peer comments Email
3. EXAM #2 SUBMITTED Email
4. Final case/scenario assigned Email
Meeting #5
Student paper finals submitted/presented Student visuals
Exam #2 returned with grades/comments
Group activity
Course summary and Wrapup Visuals
Social gathering