QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT

PA 5323
Fall 2006

Instructor: Dr. Wendy L. Hassett

E-mail: wendy.hassett@utdallas.edu
Phone: 1-888-219-8789, (334) 737-1783, or (214) 912-5582
Course Description:

Public administrators at all levels are expected by both the public and elected officials to
continually improve organizational performance to meet increasing economic and productivity-related
demands. The attempt to improve the quality of services and the productivity of organizations has
become an important sub-field of public administration that penetrates a variety of levels and
specializations. This fact has resulted in the emergence of The Section on Public Performance and
Management of the American Society for Public Administration, the National Center for Public
Productivity at Rutgers University, and Public Performance & Management Review, the academic
journal dedicated to issues related to public productivity.

This applied class will provide students with a variety of tools, techniques, and principles aimed
at improving the quality and productivity of government services. While the focus of this class will be
on the public sector, course topics are also applicable to non-profit and business organizations. The
topics presented in this course are essential knowledge for contemporary managers and will be
presented in the context of real-world application. The goal for this class is to provide students with
an understanding of current and practical management tools that lead to improving quality and
productivity in public sector organizations.

Student Learning Objectives:

· To gain an enhanced understanding of skills and techniques related to public productivity.
· To recognize the various theories that managers/leaders can use to inform public sector decision-
making concerning the improvement of organizational quality and productivity.

Required Readings:

Mark Popovich (ed.) 1998. Creating High Performance Government Organizations. San Francisco:
Jossey Bass. ISBN: 0-7879-4102-6
George Beam 2001. Quality Public Management: What it is and How it Can Be Improved and
Advanced. Chicago: Burnham Inc. ISBN: 0-8304-1569-6
Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith 2003. The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-
Performance Organization. ISBN: 0-0605-2200-3 [Note: This text is available at the McDermott
Library on 2 hour reserve and is also available through the Library as an ebook.]
Various journal articles cited in this syllabus are accessible electronically.
Electronic Reserve direct URL is http://utdallas.docutek.com/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=119 and
the password is qualpro.

Assistance with Research - UTD Library Contact:

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Carol Oshel, Reference/Distance Librarian; carol.oshel@utdallas.edu; 972-883-2627.

Course Assignments:
Portfolio- Each student should build his/her portfolio in conjunction with the weekly class
assignments and readings. The portfolio will have a three-fold purpose: (1.) upon completion, it
can serve as a reference for future research; (2.) it can serve as a handy source of information
covered in this course as you move into various roles in the public sector; and (3.) during the
course, it will assist you in thinking through and assimilating the readings as a precursor to your
Threaded Discussion postings explained in the next section. Each week, each student should make
the following postings to his/her portfolio:

1.) Reading Summaries: Each component of the weekly reading assignment should be
cited and summarized. (It is not necessary to summarize each paragraph of the
reading.) This summary should consist of just a few paragraphs and should include
a short description of the key points and the author’s major argument(s).

i. Each reading summary should begin with a full citation as used in the
“References” section of peer reviewed, academic journal articles.

ii. Do not combine summaries of readings by multiple authors into one

paragraph. Each reading component should be broken out separately.

2.) Concept Synthesis: After completion of all the readings assigned for the week,
each student should compose one or two paragraphs that examine applications,
costs, and/or benefits of the topic examined. DO NOT RE-SUMMARIZE THE
READINGS HERE. This brief composition should synthesize the major concepts
of all the week’s readings. How do the readings relate to each other? What new
insights have you gained through these readings? It is in this section where students
should show evidence that they really understood and "connected" the readings.
This brief section should demonstrate the high level of analysis typically expected in
graduate classes. Be sure to label this section of your portfolio clearly. This
section should be considered to be of the utmost significance.

3.) Additional Portfolio Assignment(s): Any additional portfolio assignments identified

during the semester should be included as an additional posting in your Portfolio,
clearly labeled, and submitted with your Portfolio (not as a separate submission
during the week it is assigned).

Portfolio grades will be based on a demonstration that each student has read and comprehends the
assigned readings. Proper referencing and academic form should be used. Students are
encouraged to supplement weekly portfolio entries with other relevant articles. The Portfolio will be
turned in two times over the course of the semester. Students are encouraged to keep up with their
portfolio assignments weekly so it does not become a burden right before it is due.

Threaded Discussions- Learning, like almost everything, is more enjoyable when it is a shared
experience. Threaded discussions and posts are a way to provide a way for us to share this
learning experience together.

The threaded discussions work this way: A discussion question is posted for each week that it is
due under the weekly icon. Each week a discussion is assigned, you are expected to participate in
the discussions that occur there. The active and consistent involvement of each student is
expected throughout the semester. Each student should make one “main” posting addressing
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the weekly question AND have at least one other posting demonstrating he/she is engaged
in the discussion as it occurs. I will post some final comments and thoughts at the end of the
week.

You can post your contributions as early as Monday morning and continue until midnight on Sunday.
If a posting is made within ten minutes after the deadline, there will be a one point deduction for
each minute after midnight. Postings made after 12:10 am will be given a grade of 0. It is crucial
that each student stays up to date on the readings in order to get his/her postings completed on
time. Each student is expected to participate in all of the threaded discussions. The first
threaded discussion posting during Week 1 is not graded.

When posting a response, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. For all discussion threads, students should be careful to respond to all aspects of the
original question(s). There are two formats we will use: threaded discussions and posts.

· For THREADED DISCUSSIONS, do not pretend you are in a vacuum. Acknowledge

and react to what others have already said. Students are encouraged to support or
take issue with points raised by other students.
· For POSTS, students are encouraged to read other posts, but should compose an
answer independent of what others have said. Do not rely on what others have said
for your answer. Do not repeat what others have said.
2. Similar to the discourse in seminar classes, I am looking for substantive contributions.
Participants are expected to have read the material in advance of their postings so they
can share insightful comments, criticism, and perspectives with the class. Some
students may find it useful to compose the posting in a Word document to facilitate
editing prior to making the actual posting via WebCT. Be sure to include in your
posting specific references to the assigned readings and lecture to demonstrate
your grasp of the concepts. In other words, you should demonstrate that you
have read and digested the assigned materials.

3. The quality of your contribution is more important than quantity. Two to four paragraphs
should be sufficient to get your point across. The posting should include a
descriptive and appropriate phrase in the “Subject” field. This will help to
organize the discussion.

4. You are expected to be involved in the discussion throughout the week. You should visit
the discussion several times during the week to keep up with the discussion taking place.
Making one post is not adequate to receive full credit. Each student should make one
“main” posting addressing the weekly question AND have at least one other posting
demonstrating they are engaged in the discussion as it occurs.
A helpful hint: If someone makes reference to your contribution or takes issue with
something you have stated in our threaded discussion, you will want to respond
before time has elapsed for the week. If you do not respond, it is obvious that you
are not checking back on the threaded discussion as it develops.
5. Since the threaded discussions are our class discussions, the same rules apply as in
class. In general, these include the following: become engaged in class discussion, be
honest, don’t posture, be respectful, and don’t ramble. In addition, each participant is
expected to employ all conventions of good English composition, including, but not limited
to capitalization, grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and referencing.
6. During discussions, there may be professional disagreement. Do not make discussions
personal. A fundamental premise underlying both academic freedom and public
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administration is respect for the individual. Disagree with respect – not with contempt.
7. Do not get in a habit of waiting until the end of the discussion to make your posting. Each
student will be expected to make some “early in the week” postings. Grades will be
reflective of when the posts are made.

Grading Policy for Threaded Discussions: In grading the threaded discussion contribution
posted by each student, I will look for three (3) things:

1. How well you respond to the specific discussion question

2. How well you integrate the weekly readings/lecture into your answer
3. How well you respond/react to what others say (for threaded discussions only)

· Input that addresses all three items described above well will receive an evaluation of 90 or
higher (A).
· Input that addresses all items marginally or addresses only two of the three items will
receive an evaluation between 80 and 89 (B).
· Input that addresses the items inadequately or addresses only one of the items will receive
an evaluation of 79 or below (C/D/F).

Organizational Analysis Presentation- The purpose of this assignment is to provide each student
with a real-life laboratory to study the concepts discussed in the course. Early in the semester, you
will need to identify an organization to study. The organization can be a sub-group (such as a
department of division) of a larger organization. A public organization is strongly encouraged.
Once the organization is approved, many students initiate contact with a organizational
representative to learn how the organization is structured and how it operates formally and
informally.
For this assignment, each student will play the role of a consultant that has been hired by the
organization. In this role, you have been engaged to facilitate improvement of the organization’s
overall quality and productivity. As part of your contract, you are to identify five (5) areas that need
to be addressed within the organization. Each of the five (5) areas should be drawn directly
from the weekly topics in this Syllabus (for example, Core Values, Mission Statements, and
Vision Statements; Organizational Culture; Organizational Assessments; High Performance
Employees and The Synergy of Teams; Organizational Structure and Contracting Out; etc.)

. Each area should be described in-depth and in such a way that you convince the organizational
representatives that these are, in fact, the key areas in which action should be taken. It may be
helpful to address how your chosen organization currently addresses or neglects each topic.
Within each area, you are to provide at least two (2) specific suggestions for action.
Your deliverable to the client is a professional PowerPoint presentation.
A Word about Clip art…Cartoon-like clip art is not acceptable for this presentation. Instead,
digital photos of the organization or general purpose digital photographs should be used
to add visual interest.

A Word about Citations…While not typical in these kinds of presentations, citations must be used
and printed in a very small font at the bottom of each slide. For the purposes of our class,
citations of interviews, organizational reports or data, popular and academic literature including
course readings, as well as internal documents, should be used. In addition to other sources, a
minimum of ten (10) peer-reviewed, academic journal articles that are NOT a part of our
course readings must be cited.
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A Word about the Slides…PowerPoint presentations should be designed with a colored
background using a sans serif font to facilitate reading by the audience. (Arial is one example of
a sans serif font.)

Outline: The following outline should be used for the Presentation. Each sub-section should be
clearly identified.
1. History: Begin with a brief history and overview of the organization.

2. Topical Areas: The five (5) topical areas should be selected from the weekly topics as
identified in this syllabus and discussed in-depth in the presentation. This section should
begin with a slide identifying the five (5) selected areas. Then, each chosen topic
should be discussed. Any information gained from interviews used should be properly cited.
3. Suggestions: At least two (2) suggestions on actions the organization should take to
improve organizational quality and performance should be included in each of the five (5)
topical areas addressed above. Each suggestion should be supported by the course
readings and outside sources evidenced by citations. (See above “A Word about Citations.”)
Describe the expected organizational impact you would predict for each suggestion
you make and the basis/rationale for those expectations. Specific examples are helpful
to illustrate how the suggestion “in action” could achieve better organizational productivity or
quality. (Hint: expectations should be based on literature studied in this class and others.)
The following sections should be included as the final slides in the presentation.

4. Lessons Learned: Discuss at least two (2) lessons you learned from this exercise.

5. Personal Insight: How did this project enhance your understanding of public productivity?
6. References: A comprehensive list of all the sources used in the presentation should be
included that are presented and organized into the categories described below. (See “A
Word about Citations” above.)
a. sources that are a part of the course readings
b. peer-reviewed, academic sources that are not included in the course readings
c. individuals interviewed and the date of the interview

Organizational Analysis Grade: Each presentation will be graded based upon the following
criteria:

· Depth – content and level of scholarship. Does the presentation present a detailed analysis of
the organization and practical recommendations that are rooted in the course readings?

· Precision and organization from the perspective of the audience - accuracy, logic,
provision of detail, logical ordering of topics and grammar. Does the audience understand
what you are talking about? Does the audience have a clear understanding of each of the
take-home points from your presentation? What will they remember most? Least?

· Personal thoughts – Does the presentation include insightful, original comments that
represent a unique, yet informed, perspective?

· Creativity -- the extent to which your presentation effectively conveys the information you
have prepared while capturing the interest of the audience and maintaining a professional
image.
Grading Policy: The following are the components of the course grade:
Organizational Analysis 25%
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Two (2) Portfolio submissions (10 points each) 20%
Five (5) Threaded Discussions (4 points each) 20%
A Plan for Improvement Essay 15%
100 Days Situational Analysis Essay 20%
100%*
A final course grade will be assigned based on the following scale:
90-100 points = A; 80-89 points = B; 70-79 points = C; 60 or below = F.
* One of the unique features of on-line courses taught through WebCT is that the instructor is able to see how
often individual students log in, what they access/download/view, how often they are on the course site, etc. It
is expected that students will keep up with viewing the lectures each week throughout the semester and will
access the additional readings available on the course website. At random points during the semester, an
“audit” will be conducted to assess the status of students in the class to ensure that everyone is up-to-date.
An audit will also be conducted prior to posting final course grades. The instructor retains the right to adjust
the final course grade for failure to access required course readings and/or lectures.

Course Policies

§ Late Work
Threaded discussion postings should be made during the week they are due. If a posting is
made within ten minutes after the deadline, there will be a one point deduction for each minute
after midnight. Postings made after 12:10 am will be given a grade of 0. ALL OTHER LATE
ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A DEDUCTION OF TEN PERCENTAGE POINTS FOR EACH
WEEK OR PORTION THEREOF FOLLOWING THE DUE DATE. Exceptions may include a
mutually agreed arrangement made in advance or bona fide emergencies (be prepared to
supply documentation). Problems with your personal computer (such as computer “crashes”)
do not count as an emergency. Review the schedule in this syllabus. If there are conflicts,
please discuss them with me ASAP. And, please let me know is something significant happens
to you during the semester that could interfere with your submitting class assignments on time
(death in family, loss of job, etc.)

§ WebCT and Computing Assistance

For help with your computer-related questions, call the Help Desk at x2911 or 972-883-2911, or
email them at assist@utdallas.edu. You can also use the live web support at
http://webhelp.utdallas.edu/ to get answers to your questions online during their hours of
operation.

§ Instructor Availability
You can contact me in a number of ways:
§ E-mail is likely our best method for communication. Please use WebCT to
contact me. I will generally respond to e-mail within three working days.
§ I typically visit campus at least once each semester. I will notify you when my
trips to campus are planned. Please let me know if you would like me to
schedule a meeting with you during my visit.
§ You can also call me at the phone numbers on the first page of this syllabus.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations
for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern
student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained
in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic
year.
Page 7

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3,
and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He
or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university
regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards
of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal
penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because
the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the
student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual
honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following
acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of
academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see
general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the
web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a
UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses.
These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures
must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any
class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to
ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to participate in the
class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of
Page 8
the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of
academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the
matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance
originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary
responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level,
the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s
School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the
student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or
Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The
decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will
be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the
semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade
must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the
required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of “F.”

Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal
to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student
Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday,
8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary
to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for
students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example,
a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes
enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities.
The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to
verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

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The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the
travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt
from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated. The student is
encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam
or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length
of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes
any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has
been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the
student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his
or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent
of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive
officer or designee.

Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding
these rules and regulations may be found at the website address given below. Additional
information is available from the office of the school dean. ( http://www.utdallas.edu/Business
Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.
Page 10
Schedule, Calendar, and Assignments
The weeks on this syllabus run from Monday morning through midnight the following
Sunday. All assignments are due during the week, with submission no later than midnight
on Sunday, Central Time.
Course Schedule
Week TOPIC
1 Introduction Reminder …these should be completed no later than August 27.

POST: Post to the Threaded Discussion for Week 1 a brief professional

biography (approximately 50 words) to introduce yourself to the class. The first
threaded discussion posting during Week 1 does not count as one of your graded postings.

Assignment: Test your e-mail linkage to me by sending me a test message

through WebCT. Begin the Week 2 readings this week and search for an
organization to select for your Organizational Analysis project. Organizational
choices are due during Week 2.

2 Elements of the Productivity and Quality Paradigms

Beam, Chs. 1-2

Popovich, Chs. 1-2

Patricia Wallace Ingraham 2005. “Performance: Promises to Keep and

Miles to Go.” Public Administration Review 65(4): 390-395.

Organizational Analysis Assignment: Send an e-mail to Dr. Hassett (via

WebCT) identifying your chosen organization for analysis. Include in the e-
mail (1) any organizational websites; and (2) two or three paragraphs
describing the reason(s) why you think your organization will be a useful one
for analysis.

Threaded discussion: Share with the class a personal example of an

experience you have had at a public agency that illustrates one point from the
readings this week. [Valuable Hint: Before you make this first posting, be sure to review
the description of Threaded Discussions in this Syllabus as well as the section discussing
Grading of the Threaded Discussions.]

3 Core Values, Mission Statements, and Vision Statements: Setting the Stage
for High Performance

Popovich, Chs. 4-5

Alan Ehrenhalt 2002. “In Search of a World-Class Mission Statement” pp.

47-48. In Governing: Issues and Applications from the Front Lines of
Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.) Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Christopher C. Morphew and Hartley, Matthew 2006. “Mission Statements: A

Thematic Analysis of Rhetoric Across Institutional Type.” The Journal of
Higher Education 77(3): 469.

Assignment for Portfolio: Be sure to address each part of this assignment for
full credit. (1) Find vision and mission statements from three public sector
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organizations and document those in your portfolio. (There must be both a
vision and mission from each organization you choose.) (2) Analyze those
statements in terms of our readings. Do you believe these organizations are
high performing organizations? Why or why not? (3) Document the vision and
mission of the organization you chose to study this semester. (4) Analyze
those statements in terms of our readings. What do these statements reveal
about your chosen organization?

Threaded discussion: Discuss one assertion made by one of this week’s

authors regarding vision and mission statements. (Be sure to cite the
readings properly.) Include in your contribution examples from the
organizational vision and mission statements you have researched for this
week’s Portfolio Assignment.

4 Productivity and Accountability through Organizational Goals and

Performance Measures

Popovich, Ch. 7
Beam, Ch. 3

Barbara S. Romzek 1998. “Where the Buck Stops: Accountability in

Reformed Public Organizations.” In Patricia W. Ingraham, James R.
Thompson, and Ronald P. Sanders, eds. Transforming Government, 193-
219. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Kaifeng Yang and Marc Holzer 2006. “The Performance-Trust Link:

Implications for Performance Measurement.” Public Administration Review
66(1): 114-126.

Assignment for Portfolio: Document how you see the readings for this
week relating to the readings from last week addressing an organization’s
values, mission, and vision.

No Threaded Discussion this week – use this time wisely

5 Citizen Satisfaction: Measuring Quality

George D. Wagenheim and John H. Reurink 1991. “Customer Service in

Public Administration.” Public Administration Review 51(3): 263-270.

Kaifeng Yang & Kathe Callahan 2005. “Assessing Citizen Involvement

Efforts by Local Governments.” Public Performance & Management Review
29(1): 191-216.

Wendy L. Hassett and Douglas J. Watson 2003. “Citizen Surveys: A

Component of the Budgetary Process.” Journal of Public Budgeting,
Accounting & Financial Management 15(4): 525-541.

No Threaded Discussion this week – use this time wisely

6 FIRST PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION DUE (Covering Weeks 1-5)

Submit your Portfolio via the mail module on our WebCT course website.
7 Organizational Culture and High Performance in Core Public Administration
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Functions

Popovich, Chs. 8-11

Beam Chs. 4-5

Gerald J. Miller and Donijo Robbins 2004. In Marc Holzer and Seok-Hwan
Lee, eds. Public Productivity Handbook, 377-403. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Cortez Lawrence 1997. “Doing More with Less in Public Safety.” In Douglas
J. Watson, ed. Innovative Governments: Creative Approaches to Local
Problems, 33-47. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Discussion POST: Describe an example from your personal work

experience or from a magazine or journal article that shows how an
organization’s culture impacts performance. Be sure to use a PUBLIC
sector organization in your example. If you use an article, be sure to cite the
article properly. We will be learning from each other this week. Please
do not respond to the postings of others.

8 Organizational Assessments: Analyzing and Improving Processes

Popovich, Ch. 6

Douglas J. Watson, Wendy L. Hassett, Jerry Davis, and Robert E. Thomas

2002. “Use of Industrial Engineering in Measuring Police Manpower: A Small
City Case Study.” Public Performance & Management Review 26(2): 132-147.

Steven A. Reeves 1997. “Organizing Against Losses.” In Douglas J.

Watson, ed. Innovative Governments: Creative Approaches to Local
Problems, 49-60. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Optional: On our course WebCT homepage: Streamlining Government in

Pittsburgh, PA
No Threaded Discussion this week – use this time wisely

9 A Plan for Improvement Memo Due

A Plan for Improvement Memo – This assignment is on our course

homepage under Week 9. Your memo should (1) have clear and strong
linkages to the topics we have studied so far this semester; (2) be well
organized by using formatting techniques such as bold text, numbering, and
bullets; (3) be submitted in a MEMO format; and (4) consist of 1000 – 1500
words. Be sure to properly reference this week’s readings and earlier
readings as appropriate. Submit your memo directly to Dr. Hassett via
WebCT mail.
Page 13
10 High Performance Employees and The Synergy of Teams

Katzenbach and Smith, The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-

Performance Organization.

Beam, Ch. 6, pp. 152-159

Beam, Ch. 7

Seung-Bum Yang and Mary E. Guy 2004. “Self-Managed Work Teams:

Who Uses them? What Makes them Successful?” Public Performance &
Management Review 27(3): 60-79.

Ruth Wageman 1997. “Critical Success Factors for Creating Superb Self-
Managing Teams.” Organizational Dynamics (Summer): 49-61.

CHECK THIS: Mealiea, Laird, and Ramon Baltaza 2005. "A Strategic Guide
for Building Effective Teams." Public Personnel Management 34: 141-160

Threaded discussion: In your view, how does the Katzenbach and Smith
book speak to the other readings this week?

11 Motivation and Reward Systems (part 1)

Review Beam, Ch. 4

Review Popovich Ch. 10

James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner 2002. “ Recognize Contributions

Linking Rewards with Performance.” The Leadership Challenge. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass: 315-349.

Soonhee Kim 2002. “Participative Management and Job Satisfaction:

Lessons for Management Leadership.” Public Administration Review 62(2):
231-241.

Gary Dessler 1999. “How to Earn Your Employees’ Commitment.”

Academy of Management Executive. 13(2): 58-67.

No Threaded Discussion this week – use this time wisely

12 Motivation and Reward Systems (part 2)

No Lecture This Week

Assignment for Portfolio: A colleague has come to you for advice. She is
a department head and has two teams working in different divisions in her
department. One team (Team A) has a great deal of responsibility and is
highly productive. As a result, morale is high among the team members.
Team A has high visibility throughout the organization and with the elected
officials.
The other team (Team B) has historically had minimal visibility, but has had a
long history of high performance. About a year ago, however, the quality of
work and productivity of Team B began to decline. At present, the Team
Page 14
accomplishes very little with no signs of improvement. Turnover has been on
the rise and arguments and quarrelling are common. Internal and external
complaints about the quality of the work of Team B are at an all-time high.
Morale is quite low among team members.
Your colleague commented that one unfortunate outcome of the excellent
work of Team A is that the mediocre work of Team B probably appears
worse than it actually is.
What are three important lessons from the motivation and reward system
readings and lecture can you suggest to your colleague? Be sure to explain
why you chose each and reference the readings thoroughly.

No Threaded Discussion this week – use this time wisely

13 Organizational Structure and Contracting Out as a Productivity Strategy

Beam, Ch. 6 - pp. 131-152 and Ch. 8 - pp. 200-202

Review Popovich Ch. 11

Trevor L. Brown and Matthew Potoski 2005. “Transaction costs and

Contracting: The Practitioner Perspective.” Public Performance &
Management Review 28(3): 326-51.

Douglas J. Watson and Wendy L. Hassett 2002. “Capital-Intensive

Privatization: Returning to Public Ownership.” Public Works Management &
Policy 7(2): 115-123.

Trevor L. Brown and Matthew Potoski 2003. “Contract-Management

Capacity in Municipal and County Governments.” Public Administration
Review 63(2): 153-164.

Threaded discussion: What two lessons from this week’s readings you will
place in your personal “management toolbox”? Be sure to explain why you
chose each lesson and reference this week’s readings.
14 Organizational Change and Change Management Strategies

Popovich, Ch. 3 & review “Identifying Forces of Change” (pp. 14-16)

B. Guy Peters 1998. “Tailoring Change Strategies: Alternative Approaches

to Reform.” In Patricia W. Ingraham, James R. Thompson, and Ronald P.
Sanders, eds. Transforming Government, 173-189. San Francisco: Jossey
Bass.

George Caravalho 2004. “Your First Year on the Job: Conceptualizing New
Directions.” Public Management 86(4): 8-11.

David G. Frederickson and James L. Perry 1998. “Overcoming Employee

Resistance to Change.” In Patricia W. Ingraham, James R. Thompson, and
Ronald P. Sanders, eds. Transforming Government, 125-146. San
Francisco: Jossey Bass.

ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS DUE

Page 15
Submit this deliverable via WebCT mail. Refer to the description of this
assignment in this Syllabus for other submission details. If you have difficulty
downloading your presentation via WebCT, contact the Help Desk. Some
files may require that you zip them before they are sent. If the Help Desk
cannot resolve the issues, send the file directly to me at
wendy.hassett@utdallas.edu . This mode of delivery should be a last resort.
Due to the possibilities of difficulty in sending your file, DO NOT WAIT UNTIL
THE LAST MINUTE TO ATTEMPT TO SEND THIS DELIVERABLE. Early
submissions are welcome.

-- Happy Thanksgiving! --

15 Conclusion and Final Deliverables Due

Beam Chs. 8 & 9

FINAL PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION DUE (Covering Weeks 7-15)

Submit your Portfolio via the mail module on our WebCT course website.
(Submit only this section, not the entire portfolio.)

100 Days Situational Analysis Essay Due: Based on the lectures, course
readings, and your organizational analysis, if you were appointed manager of
public agency, how would you approach your first 100 days in office
(approximately 3 months) to encourage higher organizational performance
across all departmen t s ? Be sure to reference this week’s readings and
heavily reference earlier readings as appropriate. This essay should have
clear and strong linkages to the topics we have studied this semester and
consist of 1000 – 1200 words. Use formatting to emphasize the main
points. Submit your memo/essay directly to Dr. Hassett via WebCT mail.