ORGANIZATION THEORY: PA/PSCI/POEC/SOC 6320

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

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

SUMMER 2009
WESTEC ROOM NUMBER 1.302
TUESDAY & THURSDAY EVENINGS: 6:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.

Instructor: Stephanie Newbold, Ph.D.

Email: stephanie.newbold@utdallas.edu
Phone: 972.883.5341
Office: Westec Building 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.

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

• Recognize the distinguishing characteristics of public organizations.

• Improve writing quality, analytical thinking, and oral presentation skills.

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 and Book Chapters on Reserve at the University’s Library.

Optional – Book Review Selection.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS & EXPECTATIONS

Final Examination:
There will be one take-home, comprehensive examination for this course. The exam will
cover all of the material read, discussed, and examined throughout the term. It will consist
of approximately six questions, for which students are required to answer at least four.
The exam should range from 12 – 15 pages in length. The exam is due electronically or to
the professor’s office on or before Friday, July 3rd at 5:00 p.m.

Organizational Theory, Summer 2009, Newbold 2

Book Review and Presentation:
Students will be divided into seven groups, each of which will be responsible for reading a
classic work within the study and practice of organization theory. On the first class,
students will be introduced to their six options and they will subsequently rank their
selections in preferential order. The professor will assign students to groups on the second
class.

Each group will be required to make an oral presentation that highlights the intellectual
significance of the work they reviewed and why it remains important to the field of
organization theory. In addition, each student must submit a ten-page, minimum, analysis
of their individual reaction to the work. This part of the assignment will be due on or
before the day of the oral presentation.

Students may choose from the following options:

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.

Terry, Larry D. (2003, 2nd ed.). Leadership of Public Bureaucracies: The

Administrator as Conservator. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.

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

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

Organizational Theory, Summer 2009, Newbold 3

Film Critique, A Man for All Seasons
On class six, Thursday, June 11th, we will have “Movie Night” and watch the critically
acclaimed film, A Man for All Seasons, which won the 1966 Oscar for Best Picture. This
film represents almost every topic we will examine in this course and provides a brilliant
historical analysis of the complexities associated with right versus wrong; obedience to
God versus obedience to the state as a public servant; and why public organizations have
always been extraordinarily complicated and multi-dimensional in both theory and
practice. So, bring your popcorn, candy, and favorite soda!

You will be required to write a five-to-seven page reaction paper, underscoring the key
dynamics associated with the film and its relationship to organization theory and public
affairs. This assignment is due at the beginning of class seven, Tuesday, June 16th.

Class Attendance & Participation:

Students are expected to attend each class on-time and to participate in discussions,
especially since this is a five-week intensive seminar. If you cannot attend class, please
inform me as soon as possible. Excessive absences and tardiness will affect your grade
negatively.

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
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, avoiding
passive voice at all times. 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, the professor will not accept late work.

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.

Organizational Theory, Summer 2009, Newbold 4

GRADING

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

Final Examination 40%

Book Review 15%
Group Presentation 15%
Active Class Participation 15%
Film Critique, A Man for All Seasons 15%

COURSE CALENDAR

Class I Course Introduction

Tuesday, May 26th

Class II Classical Foundations of Organization Theory

Thursday, May 28th
-S&O: Introduction & Chapters 2, 5, 6, 7, 8
-HGR: pp. 22-33

-Newbold, S. (2008). “Teaching Organization Theory From

a Constitutional Perspective: A New Twist on an Old
Flame.” Journal of Public Affairs Education 14:3, 335-51.

-Book Review Groups Announced

Class III Neo-Classical Perspectives of Organization Theory

Tuesday, June 2nd
-S&O: Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
-HGR: pp. 33-36

**Selznick, Philip. (1996). “Institutionalism ‘Old’ and

‘New.’” Administrative Science Quarterly. 41:2 (40th
Anniversary Issue), 270-77.

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Class IV Human Resource Theory
Thursday, June 4th
-S&O: Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
-HGR: pp. 32-33; 36-54; Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12

**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 Modern Structural Organization Theory & Distinctive

Tuesday, June 9th Characteristics of Public Organizations

-S&O: Chapters 20, 23, 24

-HGR: Chapters 3 & 4

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

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

Class VI MOVIE NIGHT:

Thursday, June 11th
A Man For All Seasons

Class VII Organizational Culture

Tuesday, June 16th
-S&O: Chapters 35, 36, 38, 42, 43, 44
-HGR: Chapter 6 & pp. 405-414; 417-423

**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.

**Film Critique Due at the Beginning of Class**

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Class VIII Power and Politics
Thursday, June 18th
-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.

Class IX Organizational Leadership, Innovation, & Change

Tuesday, June 23rd

“Managing Complex Public Organizations in Times of Crises:”

An In Class Case Study of the Political, Administrative, and Public Responses
to Hurricane Katrina & Its Aftermath

**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.

**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.

Organizational Theory, Summer 2009, Newbold 7

 **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 X -Group Presentations

Thursday, June 25th -Individual Reaction Papers Due

Final Exam Distributed

Due on or before Friday, July 3rd at 5:00 p.m.,
electronically or delivered directly to the professor’s
office.

PLEASE NOTE: Unless an extreme emergency

arises, late exams will not be accepted.

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