Course Description
All public policies and public programs require the use of human resources (i.e. people) for their implementation. This course is designed to introduce students to theories, case studies, and models that are helpful for understanding human and organizational behavior for the betterment of both the delivery of government promises and the morale of civil servants. You will also be challenged to think about the “How?” For example, how can government agencies effectively facilitate citizen participation, how should government agencies measure success, and how can we avoid traps in decision-making? Students will be challenged to think about the “Why?” questions. For example, why do you think “X” would motivate or satisfy an employee? Why do you think that government/non-government entities could perform “X” job more successfully? Why do some employees act dishonestly?
After successfully completing this course, students will be better equipped to:
1. Identify and explain their own management style
2. Describe the challenges and opportunities associated with managing within the public sector
3. Predict how different internal personnel and external stakeholders might react to management decisions
4. Evaluate organizational performance
5. Identify the root causes of organizational problems