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1. The modules
Module one: Public Policy Analysis
Aims:
a) To apply their knowledge and skills effectively in the
context of changes and reforms in public services
b) To deal with complex implementation issues through making
sound judgments
c) To evaluate the impact of public policies in a wide variety
of situations
Contents:
a) Introduction to policy analysis
b) Policy process
c) Policy issues explored through case studies in policy areas
(such as education, health, environment, poverty, employment,
and social services)
d) Comparative studies of policy making and implementation
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminars, workshops
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended classes,
completed the assessment(s) and undertaken the recommended
amount of independent study, you should be able to:
a) understand and describe the key elements of the public
policy process and the actions and strategies of various stakeholders
b) demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills
in relation to public policy process and issues
c) earn through reflection on practices in your own workplace
and case studies
Assessment Methods:
Coursework 100%
Module two: Public Service Reform and Innovation
Aims:
a) To develop an understanding of the nature of public management
b) To explore the alternative models of public sector reforms
c) To enable appreciation of the innovation process and the
implementation of public service reforms
d) To evaluate the principles behind the reforms of public
management and service delivery
e) To provide an appreciation of the issues behind implementing
innovation.
Contents:
a) The transition from administration to public management
b) The factors influencing the changes in public service delivery
c) The importance of the reform agenda
d) New Public Management and convergence/ divergence - a comparative
view
e) Reinventing Government in America
f) Progressive Governance in Europe
g) Transformation in Eastern Europe
h) Reforms in South East Asia
i) A paradigm for public service management
j) Innovation theories and knowledge management
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminars, workshops
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended classes,
completed the assessment(s) and undertaken the recommended
amount of independent study, you should be able to:
a) Understand the context and processes of public management
reform
b) To have an appreciation of the innovation that has taken
place in public service management
c) Demonstrate through seminars and case study work knowledge
and understanding of the implementation of public management
innovation
d) Be able to evaluate the process and out comes of public
management reforms through the key assignment.
Assessment Methods:
a) A short 500 word seminar paper (20%)
b) A comparative case study report (20%)
c) A 2500 word report on a particular example of public management
innovation
(60%).
Module Three: Leadership and Strategic Management and
Management of Change
Aims:
a) To understand the concepts of leadership and strategic
management in the
public domain
b) To develop an appreciation of the relationships between
leaderships and
organizational learning and development and the change process
c) To learn some practical approaches and techniques used
in the management of the change process.
Contents
a) Leading and managing change
b) The strategic management process
f) The future scenario
g) The change process
h) Learning and change in organizations
i) Evidence based practice
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminars, role play exercises, case study analysis
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended classes,
completed the assessment(s) and undertaken the recommended
amount of independent study, you should be able to:
a) Be able to understand the relationships between leadership,
strategy,
strategic management and managing change
b) To demonstrate skills for dealing with change
c) Be able to apply models and concepts of change management
in a given
organizational situation
d) To identify the evidence base charting the outcomes of
the change process
e) To understand the use of such models as the balanced score
card
Assessment Methods:
100% Course work
Module four: Ethical Issues and Public Service Management
Aims:
To develop course members' understanding and awareness of
ethical issues in public service management practice by:
a) critically exploring and evaluating the areas of ethical
concern in public service management
b) analysing the role, responsibilities and orientations of
the individual manager within organisations and the range
of different approaches to ethical choices
c) Mapping and evaluating the range of organisational responses
to matters of ethics, legality and values in public sector
institutions and organisations
Contents:
a) Problems, dilemmas and issues concerning ethics, law and
values in the public sector.
b) Perceptions of ethical issues and the range of philosophical
approaches (including Chinese philosophies and values) available
for ethical analysis
c) Moral reasoning and moral action in management and organisations
d) Organisational policies and actions, including codes of
values and ethics, policies on whistle blowing and the Public
Interest Disclosure Act
e) Ethical leadership in organisations. Questions of commitment
and compliance
f) Inter-cultural managerial values and ethical issues in
international human resource management
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminar discussions, simulations and inventories,
Monksbane and Feverfew, Dilemma, Downsizing.
Learning Outcomes:
On completion of the module, course members should be able
to:
a) demonstrate an understanding of the increasing impact
of ethical issues on the practice of public sector management
b) draw appropriately a range of conceptual frameworks to
evaluate the impact of ethical issues on their own managerial
role and decision-making processes
c) demonstrate a critical awareness of the implications of
ethical issues for the public sector
d) Identify, propose and evaluate organisational policies,
procedures and actions that are intended to achieve ethical
leadership, and/or respond to an ethical problem or issue
e) make a strategic contribution, as a member of management,
to the planning, implementation and monitoring of the ethical
standing of an organisation
Assessment Methods:
100% course work
Module Title: People Resourcing and Development
Aims:
a) To consider the increasingly strategic nature of people
resourcing and development and the skills/competencies necessary
in order to contribute to organizational effectiveness
b) To examine the theory and practice of people resourcing
and development and to evaluate this in terms of application
and usefulness to the organisation
c) To consider the contextual factors affecting people resourcing
and development decisions
d) To explore the respective roles and responsibilities of
line management and the HR function in terms of the development
and application of people resourcing and development strategies,
policies, procedures and practices
Contents:
a) The 'fit' between people resourcing and development, the
external context and organizational strategies noting the
role and contribution of both line managers and the HR function
b) The variety of strategies and methods for people resourcing
and the differences between recruitment and selection, noting
the links between the two
c) Implications of the 'mix' of internal promotions and external
recruits and the choices available as alternatives to filling
vacancies
d) The nature of job descriptions and person specifications
and the use of these to create an appropriate advertisement
for the vacancy
e) An appreciation that recruitment is a two-way process,
dependent on attracting a 'pool' of candidates
f) The limitations and subjectivity of selection methods:
interviews, application forms and references
g) The relevance and application of individual learning and
development to HR practice and the contribution that this
makes to organisational practice including the 'systematic'
approach to employee development
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminars, workshops
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended classes,
completed the assessment(s) and undertaken the recommended
amount of independent study, you should be able to:
a) Evaluate existing people resourcing and development processes,
systems and procedures in your organisation and propose effective
improvements
b) Analyse the external context and organisational strategies
in order to identify factors that constrain and influence
people resourcing and development decisions
c) Demonstrate an understanding of recruitment and selection
activities and the choices available as alternatives to filling
vacancies
d) Critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of
different approaches to people resourcing and development
and explain the theoretical concepts
e) Identify the respective roles and responsibilities of line
management and the HR function in terms of people resourcing
and development and contribute to improving organisational
practice
Assessment Methods:
A class based activity to evaluate their organisation's approach
to the issues of people resourcing and development followed
by a management report of a maximum of 1500 words suggesting
ways to improve organisational practice.
Class based activity - 40%
Management report - 60%
Module Title: Performance Management
Aims:
a) develop an understanding of the strategic nature of performance
management and its relevance to organizational performance
b) examine the theory and practice of performance management
and the influence of the business environment
c) evaluate the different approaches to managing performance
management, their effectiveness in different work place contexts
and the tensions between development and evaluation in performance
systems
d) appreciate the principles and practice of aligning corporate
with individual and/or team objectives to achieve the desired
organisational outcomes though processes of individual performance
review, reward and development
e) explore the respective roles and responsibilities of line
management and the personnel and development function in the
development and application of performance management processes
Contents:
a) performance management as strategically integrated and
holistic process to improve organisational effectiveness
b) the processes of performance planning, monitoring, reviewing
performance and preparing personal development plans
c) performance planning and development agreements, setting
objectives, targets
d) performance standards and measures and identifying competence
requirements
e) the role of coaching, counselling and mentoring in performance
management
f) the skills of performance management: defining and agreeing
objectives
setting standards and measures, identifying competence/skill
requirements, conducting performance appraisal meetings, preparing,
agreeing and implementing personal development plans
g) issues of reliability and fairness in measurement and rating
processes
h) using performance management processes to promote organizational
and personal
development and support self-managed learning
i) linking performance management to employee reward, the
tension between performance management as a developmental
process and as a basis for pay decisions
j) approaches to managing under performance, capability procedures
and dealing with performance problems
k) gaining the commitment and ownership of line management
and employees to performance management systems: issues of
involvement, communication, design, pilot testing, training
and evaluation
l) the respective roles of line management and personnel and
development practitioners in the design, development and application
of performance management processes
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminars, workshops
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended the
taught elements, completed the assessment(s) and undertaken
the recommended amount of independent study, you should be
able to:
a) demonstrate an understanding of the strategic nature of
performance management its relevance to organizational performance
b) explain the principles that inform performance management
and the supporting theoretical concepts
c) evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different
approaches to performance management and understand the importance
of taking proper account of the internal context, the external
national and international context in their application
d) identify the performance systems used to align individual
or team objectives with corporate objectives and recognize
their limitations in practice
e) appreciate the links between performance management and
contingent pay schemes, the issues of consistency and fairness
that arise and the tension between performance management
as a developmental process and as means of allocating financial
rewards
f) recognise the respective roles and responsibilities of
line management and the personnel and development in the development
and application of performance management processes, in promoting
high performance working and the constraints that can arise
in practice
Assessment Methods:
100% coursework with 2,500 words.
Module Title: Information Systems and Financial Management
Aims:
This module aims to improve participants' understanding of
how approaches and developments in Information Systems (IS)
and Financial Management can affect their organisations and
critically examines their role in the strategic development
of public service organisations.
Contents:
a) Developments in Information Systems and Financial Management
and their uses in a public services context
b) Approaches towards Information Systems strategy formulation,
systems development/procurement and implementation in public
services. What can we learn from the failures literature of
Information System?
c) Analyzing proposals, practices and services in terms of
their 'value-for-money'.
d) Making public service choices in a resource constrained
world, including approaches such as market-based forms of
internal resource allocation and resource budgeting.
e) Balancing financial constraints with public policy choices
by drawing upon concepts such as the balanced scorecard and
the business excellence frameworks.
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, guest speakers, group discussions and learning set
meetings.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended classes,
completed the assessments and undertaken the recommended amount
of independent study, you should be able to:
a) describe and evaluate various approaches towards ICT planning,
development and implementation
b) debate approaches to squaring public policy choices within
financial constraints
c) critically evaluate the usability of financial management
approaches in a public service organization
d) develop and defend an IS strategy for a given organizational
context.
Assessment Methods:
Coursework 100%.
Module Title: Service Delivery Systems
Aims:
a) To foster an understanding of the 'service paradigm' and
customer focus, and
their centrality to effective service delivery
b) To introduce principle strategies and tactics associated
with high quality
service delivery.
c) To develop a systems perspective to service improvement
strategies.
d) To develop concepts and tools to support the creative resolution
of delivery
system trade-offs.
Contents:
Defining service quality
a) The nature and notion of service; the service context;
customer value
b) Service quality, satisfaction and dissatisfaction
c) Relative roles of service participants: front-line staff,
support staff, management and the public
Delivery system redesign
d) Analysing the value creation process.
e) Systematically reducing waste and variation in delivery
systems.
f) Identifying and resolving resource and policy constraints.
Range of Modes of Contact:
Lectures, seminars, simulation exercises, videos.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this module, assuming you have attended classes,
completed the assessment(s) and undertaken the recommended
amount of independent study, you should be able to:
a) Critically evaluate and apply principles, strategies and
tactics associated with effective service delivery
b) Demonstrate an appreciation of customer-centricity and
its importance to the delivery of high quality public services
c) Analyse and redesign delivery systems from a systems perspective.
d) Think strategically and use structured thinking processes
to challenge the assumptions underpinning perceived conflicts.
Assessment Methods:
Coursework 100% with 2,500 words.
Module Title: Research Methods and Project
Aims:
a) To plan, research and write up a project that improves
understanding of a significant managerial, business or organisational
matter, and which, if appropriate, provides recommendations
for action or findings upon which action can be determined.
b) The dissertation should enable students to;
· be focussed on a complex and important issue,
· undertake effective and competent primary research,
· integrate theory and practice,
· incorporate understanding taken from a critical review of
the appropriate literature, including material from professional
and organisational sources.
· base their dissertation on sound analysis and arguments
and,
be sensitive to the requirements of the different audiences
for the dissertation
Contents:
a) Choosing a topic and designing the project
· Identifying a topic
· Drafting research objectives
· Planning the research and the project; and the consideration
of any ethical issues that arise from the project
b) Analysing the literature and writing a critical literature
review
· Searching the literature
· Summarising and précising the literature
· Evaluating key concepts and theories
c) Developing conceptual frameworks
· Defining concepts
· Drafting conceptual frameworks
· Theorising the material
d) Collecting and analysing research material
· Choosing and designing research methods
· Conducting the research
· Analysing, sorting and classifying the material
· Conducting comparative research
f) Interpreting research material and drawing conclusions
· Honesty of argument and language
· Interpreting research material
· Drawing safe conclusions
g) Forming arguments and writing up the dissertation
· Arguing a thesis as well as writing a dissertation
· Structuring the dissertation
· Reflexive critique of the research project
· Style and presentation specifications.
Range of Modes of Contact:
Seminar/workshop
Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this module students will be able to;
a) define the objectives of a research project and plan a
valid and practicable project to meet the objectives.
b) carry out a critical literature review that provides a
structure and focus for the dissertation.
c) define concepts and structure them in ways that give a
useful theoretical shape to the dissertation.
d) design and apply appropriate research methods and analyse
the research material systematically.
e) frame, and argue for, a clear thesis in the documents,
make comparisons between Chinese and European public service
management as appropriate and draw safe conclusions.
f) write a clearly structured, adequately expressed and well-presented
dissertation
Assessment Methods:
There are three elements of assessment.
A written research proposal 10%
An oral presentation to mentors/sponsors in China, supported
by presentation slides and notes 10%
A research project (dissertation) 80%
The student's final mark for the module will be calculated
using the weightings given above. There is no requirement
for students to pass each element; it would be possible for
a fail mark on the first elements to be compensated by a higher
mark on the dissertation. The student's final mark for the
module will be calculated using the weightings given above.
There is no requirement for students to pass each element;
it would be possible for a fail mark on the first elements
to be compensated by a higher mark on the dissertation. If
a student has failed the first element, the written research
proposal, the dissertation marker will have taken account,
when marking the dissertation element, whether the student
has dealt with the causes of their low mark in the written
research proposal.
Type and weighting of methods within each element:
The research proposal(即开题报告) should be a maximum of 2500
words long. It should cover the following elements.
1). An identification and justification of the research topic.
2). A summary overview of the appropriate literature.
3). A methodological discussion of the research options.
4). A consideration of the research methods to be used.
5).An action plan for the conduct of the project.
6). A consideration of the ethical aspects of the research
design.
The dissertation should be between 12,000-15,000 words long,
the dissertation should,
1). Be focused on a complex and important issue.
2). Be based on primary research.
3).Integrate theory and practice.
4). Incorporate understanding taken from a critical review
of the appropriate literature.
5). Be based on sound analysis and arguments and,
6). Should be sensitive to the requirements of the different
audiences for the documents.
The focus on the project may be on ,
1). A part of an organization, or a comparison between parts
of an organization.
2). A single organization.
3). A comparison between two or more organizations.
4). A analysis of a sector within the public services.
5). A analysis of a managerial function or profession within
the public sector
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