ORGANIZATION THEORY: PA/PSCI/POEC/SOC 6320: DOCTORAL

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SCHOOL OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND POLICY SCIENCES
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

SPRING 2008
WESTEC ROOM NUMBER 1.302
THURSDAYS 7:00 – 9:45 P.M.

Instructor: Stephanie P. Newbold, Ph.D.

Email: stephanie.newbold@utdallas.edu
Phone: 972.883.5341
Office: Westec 1.212
Office Hours: Before Class & By Appointment

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the theoretical and practical
underpinnings of organization theory and demonstrate how it relates to the broader fields
of public administration and public affairs. Public organizations differ from private and
nonprofit organizations because of their relationship to the state, its constitutional heritage,
democratic institutions, and citizenry. The separation of powers system of American
government has a profound impact on how public organizations serve the state and work to
advance its constitutional tradition. Public agencies are responsible to the executive,
legislative, and judicial branches of government – an observation that has led several
scholars within the Constitutional School of American public administration to argue that
U.S. public servants serve “three masters.” This environment can create tension within and
among public organizations, particularly in terms of balancing democratic values like
responsibility, responsiveness, and representativeness with economic values like economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness. Although a significant portion of the literature you will read
for this course could be applied easily to private and/or nonprofit organizations, we will
primarily focus on how it relates to public agencies.

Public organizations provide a wide range of essential services at all levels of government,
including, but not limited to: public education; health and human services; housing and
urban development; energy and public utilities; the environment; homeland security; water
treatment; and transportation. It is, therefore, essential for students of public
administration to understand how organizations function and are structured. More
specifically, a comprehensive understanding of the literature that comprises the study of
complex public organizations; organization behavior and change; and organization theory
provides us with a greater knowledge base to evaluate the successes and failures of
organizations. In addition, it enhances our understanding for finding ways to improve or
enhance organizations in implementing their mission(s) successfully; in executing policy
expectations that advance the goals of the organization; and in developing mechanisms that
assist managers understand the difficulties affecting behavioral dynamics at all levels of an
organization.

COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

By the end of this seminar, students will be able to:

· Develop a historical and institutional understanding for the major theories and themes
associated with the study of organizations.

· Analyze some of the major works within the field.

· Identify how various organization theories can be applied in practical terms.

· Recognize the distinguishing characteristics of public organizations.

· Improve writing quality and analytical thinking.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Rainey, Hal G. (2003, 3rd ed.). Understanding and Managing Public Organizations. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
(From this point on will be referred to as HGR).

Shafritz, Jay M., J. Steven Ott, and Yong Suk Jang. (2005, 6th ed.). Classics of
Organization Theory. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth.
(From this point on will be referred to as S&O).

Selected Journal Articles at the Professor’s Discretion.

Optional: Book Review Selections

COURSE R EQUIREMENTS & EXPECTATIONS

Examinations:
There will be two examinations for this course: a mid-term and a final. The mid-term will
cover material up to that point in the course; the final will cover all subsequent material.
Both exams will be take home essays, consisting of three questions each. Students will
have one week from the time both exams are distributed to complete them.

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Reaction Journal:
Students are required to keep a reaction journal based on the assigned reading for each
week. Journal entries should not consist of more than two pages, single-spaced per week.
Students should use this opportunity to prepare for class discussion by addressing what
they found interesting in the reading assignments; what they agreed with – what they
disagreed with; how ideas presented in certain readings conflict with others they have read;
and/or any questions that emerge as a result of the ideas presented in the readings. The
professor will collect the reaction journal at several points during the semester.

Book Reviews:
Doctoral students will be required to read six seminal works (listed below) relating to
organization theory and then write a ten-page minimum reaction paper to each. The
purpose of this exercise is to broaden your theoretical understanding of organization theory
and to introduce you to many of the central ideas affecting the continued development and
intellectual advancement of the field.

Barnard, Chester. (2005, 30th Anniversary Edition). The Functions of the

Executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Kaufman, Herbert. (2006, Special Reprint Edition). The Forest Ranger: A Study in
Administrative Behavior. Washington, D.C.: Resources for the Future.

Perrow, Charles. (1986, 3rd ed.). Complex Organizations: A Critical Essay. New
York: McGraw Hill.

Selznick, Philip. (1957). Leadership in Administration: A Sociological

Interpretation. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Simon, Herbert A. (1997, 4th ed., originally published 1945). Administrative

Behavior: A Study of Decision-Making in Administrative Organization.
New York: Free Press.

Thompson, James D. (2003, originally published, 1967). Organizations in Action:

Social Science Bases of Administrative Theory. New Brunswick, NJ:
Transaction Publishers.

Class Attendance & Participation:

Students are expected to attend class o n -time and to participate in discussions. If you
cannot attend class, please inform me as soon as possible. Excessive absences and
tardiness will affect your grade.

Writing Expectations:
All written work submitted for this course must be typed and double-spaced. Correct
English, grammar, spelling, and punctuation is expected. Papers that do not meet this

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expectation will be penalized; the worse the grammatical infraction(s) the more steep the
penalty. Graphs, charts, bullets, etc. should not be used for any of the assignments
submitted for this course. Students should write only in complete sentences. Please
remember that formal paragraphs consist of three or more complete sentences. All written
work should follow the Turabian format, should be submitted with a title page, and
paginated.

Late Work:
Students are expected to submit work on-time. Unless prior arrangements are made with
the instructor, work submitted after the due date will be penalized a half letter grade for
each day late. Emailed assignments will not be accepted unless the student has made prior
arrangements with the professor before the assignment is due.

Students with Disabilities:

Students classified as disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act should advise the
professor of their condition, no later than the second class, so appropriate accommodations
can be made.

Academic Integrity:
Students are expected to uphold the University honor code at all times.

General Disclaimer:
The professor can amend the course syllabus at any time. If necessary, the professor will
announce and discuss these changes in class.

GRADING

The evaluation for this course is based on the following percentages:

Mid-Term Exam 20%

Final Exam 20%
Book Reviews 40%
Reaction Journal 10%
Class Participation 10%

COURSE CALENDAR

Class I Course Introduction

January 10th

Class II Classical Foundations of Organization Theory

January 17th -S&O: Introduction & Chapters 2, 5, 6, 7, 8
-HGR: pp. 22-33

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Class III Neo-Classical Perspectives of Organization Theory
January 24th
-S&O: Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
-HGR: pp. 33-36

Class IV Human Resource Theory I

January 31st
-S&O: Chapters 14, 15
-HGR: pp. 32-33; 36-54
Chapter 11
-SIMON R EACTION D UE

**Barnard, Chester I. (1938). “Informal Organizations and

Their Relation to Formal Organizations.” From The
Functions of the Executive. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press. On Reserve in Library.

Class V Human Resource Theory II

February 7th -S&O: Chapters 16, 17, 18
-HGR: Chapters 9, 10, 12

Class VI Modern Structural Organization Theory & Distinctive

February 14th Characteristics of Public Organizations

-S&O: Chapters 20, 23, 24

-HGR: Chapters 3 & 4
-BARNARD REACTION D UE
-M ID-TERM EXAM D ISTRIBUTED

**Appleby, Paul. (1945, 1973). “Government is Different.”

From Big Democracy. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. On
Reserve in Library.

Class VII Organizational Culture I

February 21st
-S&O: Chapters 35, 36, 38
-HGR: Chapter 6
-M ID-TERM EXAM D UE AT S TART OF CLASS

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Class VIII Organizational Culture II
February 28th
-S&O: Chapters 42, 43, 44
-HGR: pp. 405-414; 417-423
-REACTION JOURNALS DUE

**Light, Paul C. (2006). “The Tides of Reform Revisited:

Patterns in Making Government Work, 1945-2002.”
Public Administration Review. 66:1, 6-19.

**Selden, Sally C. and Frank Selden. (2001). “Rethinking

Diversity in Public Organizations for the 21st
Century.” Administration and Society. 33:3, 303-29.

Class IX What the Past Can Still Teach Us About

March 6th Organizational Reform

**1937 Brownlow Report Retrospective, Stephanie Newbold and

David Rosenbloom, Editors. Public Administration Review (2007)
Vol 67, No. 6. pp. 1006-1058:

1. Newbold and Rosenbloom, Introduction

2. Stivers and Hummel, Personnel
3. Posner, Budgeting and Finance
4. Arnold, Regulation
5. Kaufman, Administrative Management
6. Newbold and Rosenbloom, Rule-Making and Proposed
Legislative Measures
7. Newbold and Rosenbloom, Conclusion

SELZNICK REACTION DUE

Class X No Class – Spring Break

March 13th

Class XI Power and Politics

March 20th
-S&O: Chapters 29, 31, 33, 34

**Lindbloom, Charles. (1959). “The Science of Muddling

Through.” Public Administration Review. 19:2, 79-88.

**Long, Norton. (1949). “Power and Administration.” Public

Administration Review. 9:4, 257-64.

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Class XII Organizational Leadership, Innovation, & Change I
March 27th
-S&O: Chapter 46
-KAUFMAN R EACTION D UE

**Denhardt, Robert B. and Janet Vinzant Denhardt. (2000).

“The New Public Service: Serving Rather than
Steering.” Public Administration Review, 60:6: 549-59.

**Mumford, Michael D. et al. (2000). “Leadership Skills For A

Changing World: Solving Complex Social Problems.”
Leadership Quarterly, 11:1: 11-35.

Class XIII Organizational Theory and Film

April 3rd A Man For All Seasons, Viewed in Class

5 Page Reaction Paper Due the Following Week,

April 10th

Class XIV Organizational Leadership, Innovation, & Change II:

April 10th

“Managing Complex Public Organizations in Times of Crises” –

An In Class Case Study of the Response to Hurricane Katrina

**van Heerden, Ivor Ll. (2007). “The Failure of the New Orleans Levee System
Following Hurricane Katrina and the Pathway Forward.” Public Administration
Review. Special Issue, December 67, 24-35.

**Derthick, Martha. (2007). “Where Federalism Didn’t Fail.” Public

Administration Review. Special Issue, December 67, 36-47.

**Stivers, Camilla. (2007). “So Poor and So Black”: Hurricane Katrina, Public
Administration, and the Issue of Race.” Public Administration Review. Special
Issue, December 67, 48-56.

**Lester, William and Daniel Krejci. (2007). “Business “Not” as Usual: The
National Incident Management System, Federalism, and Leadership.” Public
Administration Review. Special Issue, December 67, 84-93.

**Morris, John C., Elizabeth D. Morris, and Dale M. Jones. (2007). “Reaching
For the Philosopher’s Stone: Contingent Coordination and the Military’s Response
to Hurricane Katrina.” Public Administration Review. Special Issue, December 67,
94-106.

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 **Waugh Jr., William L. (2007). “EMAC, Katrina, and the Governors of
Louisiana and Mississippi.” Public Administration Review. Special Issue,
December 67, 107-113.

**Farazmand, Ali. (2007). “Learning from the Katrina Crisis: A Global and
International Perspective with Implications for Future Crisis Management.”
Public Administration Review. Special Issue, December 67, 149-159.

**Garnett, James L. and Alexander Kouzmin. (2007). “Communicating

Throughout Katrina: Competing and Complementary Conceptual Lenses on Crisis
Communication.” Public Administration Review. Special Issue, December 67,
171-188.

Class XV -Group Presentations for MA Students

April 17th -THOMPSON REACTION DUE

Class XVI -Group Presentations for MA Students

April 24th -PERROW R EACTION D UE
-REACTION JOURNALS DUE

Final Exam Distributed

Due Monday, May 5th at 5:00 p.m.