Unit information: Public Management in 2020/21

Unit name	Public Management
Unit code	EFIM20019
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Gianluca Veronesi
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Management - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The unit aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the management, organisation and delivery of public services, paying particular attention to: the extent to which management in the public sector is similar or different to other sectors; the extent to which management tools and techniques developed for business can be used in managing public services; and the impact of recent reforms in the organisation and delivery of public services. The unit addresses the key features of public management and performance; governance and accountability; leadership and organisational culture. It will consider the origins of key concepts and theoretical perspectives, and the extent to which they translate to the public sector in the context of the economic, political and managerial reform agendas since the 1980s.

The unit aims to:

• introduce students to theories, concepts and practical applications of public management;
• develop students’ learning skills, particularly their ability to analyse and critically appraise public management theories and ideas; and
• enable students to recognise different theories of public management and appreciate the implications that each has had in different contexts.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• Have knowledge and understanding of the theories and practice of public management
• Be able to critically analyse a range of theories in different contexts - Understand the inter-relationships between public management and public service reform - Be able to analyse case studies and case examples to illuminate key issues in the theory and practice of public management

Teaching Information

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions including lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other online learning opportunities.

Assessment Information

Summative: Timed open book assessment. Formative: Timed mock open book assessment

Reading and References

Key text-books:

• Bovaird, T and Loffler, E (2014) Public management and governance, 3rd edition, London: Routledge
• Eliassen, K and Sitter, N (2008) Understanding public management, London: Sage
• Flynn, N. (2007) Public sector management. London: Sage 5th edition
• O’Toole Jr, L and Meier, K (2011) Public management: organizations, governance and performance, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
• Pollitt, C and Bouckaert, G (2011) Public management reform: a comparative analysis, 3rd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press