PSc 501 / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Study Guide
University of Montana MPA Program
Professor Jeffrey Greene
Terms and Concepts
Scientific Management
|
Federalism |
Theory X and Theory Y |
Scientific Method |
Max Weber
|
Frederick W. Taylor |
Bounded Rationality
|
Liberalism |
Public-Private Dichotomy
|
Bureaucracy |
Public Administration Review
|
Administration as Politics (The New PA) |
Politics-Administration Dichotomy
|
Separation of Powers |
Freedom-Equity Dichotomy |
The Public Interest |
Organizational Theory |
Herbert Simon |
POSDCORB
|
Mandates |
The Hawthorne Studies |
Science of Administration |
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
|
Span of Control |
Line versus Staff Functions
|
Zone of Indifference |
Efficiency |
Effectiveness |
Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) |
Responsiveness |
The Hawthorne Effect
|
Affirmative Action |
The Professional State
|
Theory Z
|
Public Choice Theory |
Incremental Budgeting |
Representative Bureaucracy
|
"The Science of Muddling Through"
|
Iron Triangles |
Privatization |
Personal Ethical Codes v. Organizational Codes of
Ethics |
Mary Parker Follett |
Theories of Motivation |
Reinventing Government |
Total Quality Management |
E-government |
Performance Budgeting |
Bureaucratic Discretion |
Organizational Ethical Codes |
|
| Policy-Administration Dichotomy | Chester Bernard |
| Peter Drucker | Dwight Waldo |
| Ethics | Leadership |
| Zero-based Budgeting | The Politics of Budgeting |
| Planning/Program-based Budget Systems | Agenda Setting |
| The Five Great Issues in Public Administration (Fry) |
Sample Essay Questions
It has been argued that the
“public interest” is to the bureaucracy what “due process” is to the
judiciary. What is the “public
interest?"
How should the “public
interest” be defined? How should public
mangers deal with this concept?
Some observers argue that it is impossible to teach individuals who are preparing for public service careers to be moral and ethical. In other words, family background, religion, personal attitudes, and upbringing have more to do with a person’s ethical orientation than formal education. Do you agree? Or, are there ways PA education can encourage ethical behavior in persons training for government careers. How should ethics be addressed in PA training?
The politics-administration dichotomy remains prominent in the discipline and practice of public administration. This is often linked to the ongoing struggle between accountability and expertise in public bureaucracies. Some argue that government employees are insulated from politics, protected by their expertise, and are accountable to no one. Write an essay evaluating this argument. You may wish to address some of the following. Are public employees too insulated from politics? To whom are they accountable? Does the idea of protected experts fit well within the framework of democratic theory? Should politics be removed from administration? Can politics be removed?
Public administration (PA) emerged as a discipline within the academic field of political science. Yet today it is considered to be a multi-disciplinary field and many public administration programs are either "free standing" or in schools of management or business administration. PA was always considered to be the "unwanted child" of political science. In your opinion, what is the proper academic home for public administration?
Describe what you believe organizations will look like in the future. In other words, what does the future hold in store for public and private organizations? (Think about the article by Warren Bennis as a starting point)
This study guide is intended to be a sample. The exam may include any of the material included in the course.
There is no longer an exam used in PSc 501.