Public Policy and Administration

UNIT 1. Introduction and Overview <new>1. What's New About the New Public Management?: Administrative Change in the Human Services, Stephen Page, Public Administration Review, November/December 2005 The article examines the emergence of the New Public Management as reflected in the recent innovations in human services. The article also reviews the debate between the champions and the skeptics of this movement. <new>2. The State of Social Equity in American Public Administration, H. George Frederickson, National Civic Review, Winter 2005 Social Equity is one of the key core values in American public administration. This article reviews the evolution of social equity in the United States and provides examples of the widening social equity gap in U.S. public administration. <new>3. A New Approach to Regulatory Reform, Murray Weidenbaum, Society, January/February 2005 This article reviews the history of regulatory reform in the United States. It discusses the escalation of government regulations, past and recent government reform efforts, and specific recommendations necessary for future regulatory reform. <new>4. The Community of Inquiry: Classical Pragmatism and Public Administration, Patricia M. Shields, Administration & Society, November 2003 According to the author, classical pragmatism-the concept of community of inquiry and the recognition of participatory democracy-has much to offer in the understanding of American public administration. This article defines and discusses how all of these concepts relate to modern public administration theory and practice. UNIT 2. Government and Organizational Behavior Part A. Productivity and Performance <new>5. Performance Measurement: Test the Water Before You Dive In, Arie Halachmi, International Review of Administrative Sciences, 2005 According to conventional wisdom, performance measurement is a management concept that can help administrators and elected officials address the issues of productivity and accountability. According to the author, performance measures should be used with caution. This article explores many of the things that can go wrong when managers use performance measures and balanced scorecards without a full understanding of their limitations. <new>6. Evidence-Based Management, Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton, Harvard Business Review, January 2006 Evidence-Based Management is a concept that works for both public and private sector managers. It proceeds from the premise that using better, deeper logic and employing facts, to the best extent possible, permits leaders to do their jobs more effectively. This article explores how managers can use these techniques to improve organizational productivity and performance. <new>7. Managing High-Risk Outsourcing, Emanuele Padovani and David Young, Public Management, January/February 2006 Outsourcing is a strategy used by local governments in an effort to provide high-quality public services at low costs. This article explores some of the ways in which government organizations must manage their vendors to have a successful outcome. The success or failure of outsourcing is essentially a risk management operation, which identifies the key area that can be analyzed to help achieve success in this area. <new>8. "There Was No Plan"-A Louisiana Perspective, Evan M. Berman et al., PA Times, October 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought a new meaning to the concept of emergency planning. According to the authors, planning without implementation meant that "There Was No Plan." This article explores administrative failures of the planning effort and what the government needs to do in order to successfully respond to an emergency. Part B. Ethics and Values <new>9. Abu Ghraib: A Case of Moral and Administrative Failure, Saundra J. Reinke, Public Integrity, Spring 2006 The author argues that "Abu Ghraib" represents a case of moral and administrative failure at the highest level. Core ethical values were severely tested. Responsibility and accountability of the military were challenged. From the standpoint of public administration, this article explores the connection between administrative failure and individual behavior. <new>10. Twelve Obstacles to Ethical Decision Making: Rationalizations, Michael Josephson, Texas Town & City, September 2005 Michael Josephson, founder and president of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, identifies many of the key ethical rationalizations we use in making tough decisions. He argues that public managers need to explore their core ethical values when examining the fallacies of these rationalizations in order to avoid poor decisions. <new>11. Follow the Money, Rachel Smolkin, American Journalism Review, August/September 2004 This article reviews the issue of campaign financing and discusses how money is raised for political campaigns. The blurred line between big money, coveted access, and impropriety or its appearance is explored. Campaign-financed Web sites are also identified. UNIT 3. Human Resources Administration <new>12. Leadership in Your Midst: Tapping the Hidden Strengths of Minority Executives, Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Carolyn Buck Luce, and Cornel West, Harvard Business Review, November 2005 This article explores the area of diversity and leadership development. Minority professionals often hold leadership roles outside of work. According to the authors, employers need to recognize the accomplishments and cultural capital of minority managers and utilize them on the job. <new>13. Organization Culture as an Explanation for Employee Discipline Practices, Aimee L. Franklin and Javier F. Pagan, Review of Public Personnel Administration, March 2006 Poorly designed discipline systems cause problems in any organization. The authors focus on the problems of employee discipline in the public sector workplace and discuss how a better understanding of organizational culture can provide guidance for improving discipline procedures. <new>14. The History of the Certified Public Manager, Thomas H. Patterson and Kenneth K. Henning, Public Administration Quarterly, Fall 2004 The National Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program began almost 30 years ago in Georgia and has evolved into one of the most important public manager training and professional development programs in the United States. The authors trace the history of the CPM Program in the United States and discuss how the application of management principles contributed to the growth and development of the organization. <new>15. GovBenefits.gov: A Valuable E-Government Tool for Citizens, Patrick Pizzella, The Public Manager, Summer 2005 The author provides a user friendly review of the GovBenefits.gov Web site, which is a valuable interactive tool, managed by the U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with a network of federal and state agencies. This Web site lets people immediately determine their eligibility for a wide variety of available government benefit programs. <new>16. Governance and Risk Management: Challenges and Public Productivity, Arie Halachmi, The International Journal of Public Sector Management, 2005 The author explores the issue of public accountability for crisis management and how to improve productivity through the process of outsourcing traditional government functions. The article also explores the shift from governing to governance for risk management and the development of risk culture. UNIT 4. Finance and Budgeting <new>17. Our Nation's Financial Condition and Fiscal Outlook: Shaping the Future of the Federal Government, David M. Walker, The Public Manager, Spring 2005 David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, discusses our nation's financial condition and fiscal outlook. He also identifies the challenges of a long-term structural deficit, which will shape the future of the federal government. <new>18. Enron/Andersen: Crisis in U.S. Accounting and Lessons for Government, Richard E. Brown, Public Budgeting and Finance, Fall 2005 According to the author, the Enron/Andersen scandal is not an isolated case. This scandal exposed structural fl aws that may be present in government accounting and auditing systems. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 may not be enough to fix these flaws. Additional action may be necessary to prevent a future crisis. <new>19. Huge Rise Looms for Health Care in Local Budgets, Mary Williams Walsh and Milt Freudenheim, The New York Times, December 26, 2005 Health care is now one of the fastest growing components in local budgets. This article explores the reasons for the large increases and looks at how a new accounting rule could send the costs of health care for cities and states through the roof. UNIT 5. Technology and Information Systems <new>20. Privacy Concerns, Merrill Douglas, Government Technology, January 2006 How do you balance open government with the concern for privacy? The author reviews the fear that persons have for the safety of judges, police officers, and other officials with the public's right to access information that is on the Web and is readily available at the courthouse. <new>21. Strategic Applications of Technology: County-Level Case Study in the State of Georgia, Dale Phillips, The Public Manager, Summer 2005 The author discusses how the DeKalb County Juvenile Court is using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to obtain prompt and reliable access to information for appropriate judicial decision making. <new>22. E-Waste Epidemic, Sherry Watkins, Government Technology, January 2006 We are experiencing an epidemic of E-Waste of tremendous proportions. Computers, especially cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors, contain a number of elements that are harmful to people and the environment. The author proposes a number of ways including recycling by which e-waste can be cleaned up. <new>23. Find It Fast, Adam Stone, Government Technology, Spring 2006 Digital document management is moving forward at such a pace that many public sector organizations are looking to eventually digitize all documents throughout the organization. According to the author, the city of Garland, Texas, is an excellent example of the successful implementation of a digital document management program. <new>24. Moving Medicine Forward, Shane Peterson, Government Technology, April 2006 Electronic health records are one of the major keys to upgrading and improving our health care system. The author reviews many of the ways in which the health care system can be improved through high-tech methods including the development of a nationwide health information network that would link health records throughout the country. UNIT 6. Public Policy, Law, Community, and Environmental Planning Part A. Public Policy and the Law <new>25. The Best Care Anywhere, Phillip Longman, The Washington Monthly, January/February 2005 Veterans' hospitals have come a long way during the last 10 years. According to the author, the health care provided hit bottom in the mid-1990s and has since started a journey that has led to the establishment of a system that is now providing modern and convenient health care for veterans. <new>26. Senate's Failure to Agree on Immigration Plan Angers Workers and Employers Alike, Abby Goodnough and Jennifer Steinhauer, The New York Times, April 9, 2006 The attempts to solve the immigration issue through new national legislation have been characterized by a failure to satisfy any of the involved parties. The authors explore the problems with proposed legislation that has been presented to the U.S. Senate. They also review the positions of the various sides of the immigration battle. <new>27. Who's Advocating What Here?, Robert Meyers and Victoria Frigo, Public Management, March 2006 The Florida Supreme Court has concluded that in accordance with a Florida law that requires governmental advocacy, local governing bodies have not only the right but the duty to advocate on matters they believe are beneficial or detrimental to their constituents. The authors review the implications for local governments of this new law and try to provide some guidance on how public managers can cope with the law and the court mandate. Part B. Community and Environmental Planning <new>28. Smart Growth: Why We Discuss It More Than We Do It, Anthony Downs, Journal of the American Planning Association, Autumn 2005 This article reviews and analyzes the positive and negative features of smart growth and planning. The author pays special attention to the factors that inhibit the success of smart growth initiatives and discusses what policy makers need to do in order to have some success with the smart growth initiatives. <new>29. More and Better Local Planning, Richard K. Norton, Journal of the American Planning Association, Winter 2005 This article presents findings from an evaluation of state-mandated local planning in coastal North Carolina. According to the author, the planning efforts provide limited guidance for growth management, especially in terms of coastal area resource protection. <new>30. Rebuilding a Beautiful Mess, Clay Risen, The New Republic Online, September 19, 2005 How do you rebuild New Orleans after its destruction by Hurricane Katrina? The author cites the rebuilding efforts of other cities and identifies some of the planning principles that should be followed for a successful outcome. <new>31. On the Gulf: Too Little, Too Late, Craig Pittman, Planning, November 2005 Hurricane Katrina has resulted in the spending of tens of billions of dollars on disaster relief and billions more on repairing the infrastructure of the city of New Orleans. The author explores how prior planning could have made a big difference in limiting the amount of damage. The author explores what went wrong in prior planning and what can be done to avoid the mistakes made in the past. <new>32. Closing of Mine on Tribal Lands Fuels Dispute over Air, Water and Jobs, John M. Broder, The New York Times, January 1, 2006 How do you measure protection of the environment against jobs and economic development? The author reviews the positive and negative consequences of closing a coal mine on tribal Indian lands and discusses the need for environmental protection against a backdrop of job loss and a deteriorating economic situation for the local residents. <new>33. Getting to Yes, James B. Goodno, Planning, October 2005 Examples of housing policies that emphasize affordable housing are reviewed by the author. He also discusses some of the major constraints to achieving affordable housing in most U.S. communities. UNIT 7. International Public Policy and Administration <new>34. Urban Planning in China: Continuity and Change, Daniel Benjamin Abramson, Journal of the American Planning Association, Spring 2006 Professional planning in China is relatively new but has strong historical roots. According to the author, planning efforts in China will concentrate on a variety of topics such as environmental protection, urban design, economic development, and physical development. The author also reviews the planning history of China and predicts that politics and the bureaucracy will continue to exert significant influence over the Chinese planning process. <new>35. The Community Communication Network: New Technology for Public Engagement, Louis Bezich, Public Management, January/February 2006 The British have developed a new communications technology to help local officials get important information to constituents accurately and conveniently. The technology is known as the Community Communication Network (CCN). It consists of plasma video screens placed in a variety of public and private venues. This article reviews the advantages of building and locating these screens throughout a city. <new>36. Curbing Corruption in the Republic of South Africa, I.W. Ferreira and M.S. Bayat, The Public Manager, Summer 2005 The Republic of South Africa has enacted a variety of new measures in an effort to curb public sector corruption in that country. The author discusses methods such as ethics codes, whistle-blowing ordinances, and training initiatives that are making public officials more aware of the need for ethical conduct in their public dealings. 37. How the Dutch Do Housing, Jane Holtz Kay, Planning, February 2003 National planning, not just for housing but also for the conservation of water, land, infrastructure, and forests, is essential to Holland's existence and accounts for its progressive repu tation. According to the author, the Netherlands does have something to offer other countries in the way of excellent planning practices.