Dr. Carolyn M. Shrewsbury
Minnesota State University, Mankato
109 Morris Hall
Mankato, MN 56002-8400
Office: MH 204C 507-389-6939 FAX: 507-389-6377
cbury@mnsu.edu or mail to: Dr. Carolyn M. Shrewsbury
web site: http://krypton.mankato.msus.edu/~cbury/web/Welcome.html

Course Purpose: Organization theory helps the public administrator solve everyday problems. In this course we explore the many varieties of theories about public organizations; consider the relationship between theory and practice as we develop a critical discourse and move toward the development of a coherent, integrated theory of public organizations. As a part of our aproach we will look at three books that will help us examine the richness of organization theory from very different perspectives. Our journey also requires we reflect upon braoder political sience perspectives regarding governance in democratic socieities.

Objectives: By the end of the semester, the student should be able to:

• Place activities and events in public organizational settings into one or more theoretical perspectives.
• Identify the perspectives of several (at least ten) important thinkers about public organizations.
• Compare and contrast the traditional and the emerging paradigms in public organizational theory.
• Understand the uses of metaphor in thinking about organization theory and be able to apply several specific metaphors to case studies of organizations demonstrating different ways to understand and explain and solve problems about the case.
• Compare and contrast different theoretical approaches or models to organizational theory .
• Communicate in oral and written form the ambiguities and complexities of modern organizations, but also communicate in analytical clarity simplifications that help us understand aspects of organizations and the human interactions within them.
• Place reform efforts in public organizations into theoretical perspective.
• Find in the library and on the internet information and materials that help you understand more about organizations.
• Articulate issues to consider when envisioning public organizations ten years in the future.
• Reflect on key issues regarding the intersection of public adminsitrations and organization theory on the practice of democracy and democratic goverance.
• One or more objectives you identify for yourself.

Texts:
Gareth Morgan Images of Organizations Second Edition
George Frederickson & Kevin Smith. The Public Administration Theory Primer
Donald Kettl The Transformation of Goverance Public Administration for Twenty-first Century America
cases and other materials as noted

Other Resources:We will useUcompass Educator as our course management program. Access Ucompass at https://ucompass.mnsu.edu . Check this site before every class session. You will find additional assignments, additional materials, the course discussion board, exams, e-mail and other items here. A caution: unless you plan to ckeck this site daily, set a forward on your Ucompass e-mail (the default is to your MavMail.If you don't use MavMail put a forward on it.) This is also where you will post your assignments and materials to be shared with other students. be sure to unlock your student folder so others can read your materials.

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Be sure to read in the organization theory periodical literature.

Requirements:

1. Students will be expected to have read, thought about, and prepared the assigned materials. You will be expected to discuss - to ask questions as well as to answer them. It is your responsibility to demonstrate your preparation each class meeting. For some weeks you may be be asked to do a short writing assignment based on the reading or to take a short quiz. Check Ucompass for additions to the syllabus..

The more widely read you are the more effectively you will be able to incorporate theoretical perspectives into your everyday practice and to use your practice to develop theoretical perspectives. We'll use several devices to extend your reading knowledge by sharing materials.

2. Panels: You will be assigned to a group. Each group will be responsible for the class discussion for a chapter in Morgan. in Frederickson & Smith and in Kettl.. Complete details of this are in the Ucompass assignments folder.

3. Book and article reviews. You will be responsbile for one article review. Details are in the assignments folder in Ucompass. Students wishing an "A" for the course will also be responsible for one book review.

4. Final exam. This will have 2 parts - one an oral exam in class and 2 a short (that is, 10 pages or fewer) written exam.

Notes: Anyone needing special accommodations should visit with me early in the semester. If you are a student with a documented disability, please see me as early in the semester as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations, and/or contact the Disability Services Office at 507-389-2825 (V) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY).

As in all graduate only level classes, this class assumes that we are all professionals and have responsibilities for a successful learning opportunity for all of us.

Schedule: Readings must be completed before class. be sure to read the bibliographic essay at the end of Morgan as a part of each chapter's assignment..

January 14 Introductions
to each other
to the course
to organization theory.and to theories about public organizations

January 21 Morgan - through Ch. 3. The idea of metaphor, machines and organisms.

With Morgan we will work together on chapters 1-1-5. Groups will then be responsible for presenting chapters 6-9 (Depending on class size we may all do ch. 8.) Ucompass contains more detail on group responsibilities.

January 28 Morgan - Chs 4,5 Brains and culture

February 4 Morgan Chs 6, 7 Political sustems and unconscious

February 11 Morgan to the end Flux and Transformation, Domination

February 18 catch-up day

February 25 we will bw qorking on Frederickson and Smith through March 24. In general, after collectively looking at Ch 1, individuals will be responsible for directing us in chapters 2-9. Everyone, however, will be expected to read each of these chapters. Presenters will wrestle with them more carefully. Details available on Ucompass. Our exact schedule fir this is tbd.

March 3 Frederickson & Smith

Spring vacation March 8-12

March 17 rederickson & Smith

March 24 rederickson & Smith

March 31 we will be working with Kettl for the next 4 weeks. Details to follow.

April 7 Kettl

April 14 Midwest Political Science Association Conference no class

April 21 Kettl

April 28 Book presentations

May 5 FInal exam

Last revised : 1/05/04

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