1 Urban Management PUBL 6350, Section 25856, Room TBA, P. G. Hoffman University of Houston Masters of Public Administration Program Summer 2010 Instructor: James Thurmond. Ph.D. [email protected], 713-743-3930 (713-870-4747) Rm. 312, Phillip G. Hoffman Hall Introduction Even though a public organization has a longer life than most private organizations (from a human lifespan perspective, it is forever!), it is similar in several ways to private organizations that produce services or products. In order for its elected officials and top managers to survive politically, the public organization must produce efficiently and effectively. This requires adherence to similar management criteria and techniques used by private organizations. The big difference, however, is that a public organization must consider democratic values such as equity, inclusiveness, individual rights, and representation in its decisionmaking process. Simply put, the public organization has many more constraints than a private organization. This course will focus on effectively and efficiently managing an urban governmental organization within its constraints and within inter-organizational arrangements. The course will include a combination of practice and theory in case studies, readings, class discussions, and class papers. In the end, you should be better prepared to manage an urban governmental organization. Learning Outcomes 1. Review workings of public administration as related to management, the organizational framework, administration and policymaking, internal and external management, administrative and democratic theory, and civic infrastructure. 2. Link the content of the course, both theory and practice, with your own experiences so that you understand the applicability of the coursework. 3. Improve your understanding of urban management. 4. Prepare you for urban management. Requirements for the Course 1. Read the assignments and carefully prepare for each class. 2. Regularly participate in seminar discussions based upon the readings and your experience. 3. Turn in graduate-level quality papers on time. Papers will be submitted using Turnitin on Blackboard. Late papers will be dropped one letter grade. a. One paper (5 pages) b. Case study presentation (Prepare a one page recommendation in memo form for your 10 minute class presentation. Treat the class as the governing body of your public or non-profit organization – i.e., sell your recommendation to the class. Twenty additional minutes will be allowed for Q&A and discussion of your case.)2 c. One exam – take home paper at the end of semester. (You may take an incomplete in the course and turn in the final on July 31 if you wish.) 4. Refer to Writing Public Policy (Smith, Catherine 2010) for guidance on paper formats. See specifically Chapter 7 - Briefing Memo or Opinion Statement: Inform Policy Makers, 126- 136, and Appendix B - Clear Writing, 183-187. Also, double space and use 1” margins. Grading Class participation 10% Case study 30% First paper 30% Final paper 30% Statement on Academic Dishonesty Presenting the words or works of others as your own is plagiarism, is dishonest, and is a violation of the University Policy on Academic Honesty. Please review this policy at http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade2.html#honesty . A student found in violation of academic dishonesty may be subject to a failing grade, suspension, or dismissal from the university. Required Textbook • Morgan, David, Robert England, and John P. Pelissero. (2007) Managing Urban America, 6th edition, CQ Press: Washington D.C. • Balanoff, Howard R and Warren Master (Ed.). (2010) Strategic Public Management – Best Practices from Government and Nonprofit Organizations, Vienna, VA: Management Concepts. • Newell, Charldean (Ed.). (2008) Managing Local Government – Cases in Effectiveness, Washington D.C.: ICMA Press. Outline and Assignments Class 1 (June 1): Introduction and Overview of the Course – Theories, Practice, Public Service Motivation (PSM), managerial skills, and management vs. administration • Morgan et al. (2007). Chapter 8. The Management Process: Theory and Practice, 223-232. In Managing Urban America. • Lynn, Laurence E., Jr. (1993) Theory in Public Management. In Public Management, Bozeman, Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 13-15. • Jennings, Jr., Edward T. (2006 October) Skills of the transformed public administrator. PA Times. • Guillot, W. Michael. (2008) Critical Thinking. In Concepts for Air Force Leadership AU-24. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air University Press, 271-278. • Piskulich, Michelle and David Swindell. 2007. Skills Most Valued in Managerial Employees. PA Times, Education Supplement, October, 3-4. • Everyday Ethics (2008) TCMA. • Allison, Graham (1979) Public and Private Management: Are They Fundamentally Alike in All Unimportant Respects? Setting Public Management Research Agendas: Integrating the Sponsor, Producer, and User. Public Management Research Conference. Brookings Institution (pp. 385-391 and Section 5 pp. 396-398).3 • Drucker, Peter. (1959) The Practice of Management (pp. 341-343). • Case Study: Styka, et al. (2008) Ethics and Internal Hiring. In Managing Local Government – Cases in Effectiveness. 105-109. Class 2 (June 2): What is public management? What does a manager do? • Morgan et al. (2007). Better Management is not enough, 23-26; What do they do? 100-101; The Job of the Urban Manager, 321-322; and Managing Politics, 326-330. In Managing Urban America. • Mintzberg, Henry (1973). Managerial Work. In The Nature of Managerial Work. • Meuleman, Louis. 2008. Public Management and the Metagovernance of Hierarchies, Networks and Markets – The Feasibility of Designing and Managing Governance Style Combinations. Physica-Verlag Heidelberg: Leipzig. 1-4. • Newell, Charldean and David N. Ammons (1987). Role Emphases of City Managers and Other Municipal Executives. Public Administration Review, pp. 246 and Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. • Morgan, Douglas, et al. (1996) What middle managers do in local governments: stewardship of the public trust and the limits of reinventing government. Public Administration Review. 56, 4, 359-366. • Shalala, Donna E. (1998). Are large public organizations manageable? Public Administration Review. 58, 4, 284-289. • Bingham, Lisa Blomgren, et al. (2008) Frameshifting – Lateral Thinking for