James M. Rogers, Associate Professor 459 Gladfelter Hall http://courses.temple.edu/jrogers jrogers@temple.edu |
Office Hours: Monday, 1:30 p.m. -- 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. -- 11:30 a.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. |
Politics, Organization, & Bureaucracy
PS 520 -Fall 2003
This course explores the politics of bureaucracy in both its internal and external manifestations. Internally, we consider how power, conflict, and other political factors shape the ongoing interaction among bureaucrats and the outcomes of these processes. Externally, we analyze the struggle among various actors and organizations to obtain resources, to maintain or expand their domain of operation, and to meet assorted goals and objectives. In both cases it appears that bureaucracy is a potent political actor, i.e., one that “allocates value for society,” determines winners and losers, and helps shape the world around us. Just how potent a political force in relation to other political players, in various circumstances, and with what limitations are questions that will dominate our attention throughout the semester.
The conception of bureaucracy that we use, hypothetically at least, encompasses most modern, large, complex organizations in the areas of both government and business. While there are important differences across organizations in these two sectors, many of them share to a substantial degree important organizational features such as hierarchy, division of labor and depersonalized systems of command and control. Both types of organization also engage in political action. The question that we shall address then becomes are the differences more important than the similarities to the politics of organization or vice versa?
Despite our emphasis on the literature in political science, we examine contributions of relevance to the politics of organization from assorted other disciplines including sociology, psychology, economics, and business administration. We consider classical and neoclassical organization theory, human relations theory, decision making, and institutional and new public management approaches to organization. In addition, we explore at length the relation of bureaucracies to their political and economic environment. All the while we shall seek theoretical explanation of bureaucratic power and its consequences.
Class time will for the most part be devoted to informal discussion of issues or questions that emanate from the reading assignments and related matters. For this to work well everyone must complete readings as assigned and come to class with issues for discussion and questions in mind.
There are several written assignments for the course. The first assignment is three short critiques (4 pages or so) of the readings for a given week assigned on a rotating basis. Second, students are to submit a brief (1-2 page) research proposal for approval and write a substantial research paper (20 +/- pages). Paper topics are at the discretion of the student provided that they fit comfortably within the focus of the course. Various research and analytic objectives are acceptable; students should look to further their own interests and needs.
Grades for the course are based and weighted as follows:
Class Participation Critiques (3 @ 15% each) Research Proposal & Paper |
15% 45% 40% |
Assigned readings for the course consist of the books listed below and the supplemental items marked with an “*” on the course outline. The books should be available at the Temple University Bookstore. Be advised that sometime after midterm the bookstore returns all books not yet purchased to the publisher. Supplemental readings will be duplicated and distributed by Replica Copy, Inc.
Perrow, Charles. Complex Organization: A Critical Essay, 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, 1986.
Shafritz, Jay M. and Ott, J. Steven. Classics of Organization Theory, 5th ed. Harcourt, 2001.
Weber, Max M. From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology. trans. Gerth, Hans H., and Mills, C. Wright. Oxford University Press, 1958.
Simon, Herbert A. Administrative Behavior: A Study of Decision-Making Processes in Administrative Organizations, 4th ed. The Free Press, 1997.
Selznick, Philip. Leadership and Administration: A Sociological Interpretation. University of California Press, 1984.
North, Douglass C. Institutions, Institutional Change, and Economic Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
Lane, Jan-Erik. New Public Management. London: Routledge, 2000.
Course Outline & Assignments
1. September 8: Introduction to the Course.
2. September 15: Organization, Public Administration, and Bureaucracy.
a. *James Q. Wilson, “The Rise of the Bureaucratic State,” The Public Interest (Fall, 1975): 77-103.
b. Charles Perrow, “Why Bureaucracy?” Complex Organizations, chapter 1.
c. Max M. Weber, From Max Weber, pp. 45-55, 196-244.
3. September 22: Classical and Neoclassical Organization Theory.
a. Charles Perrow, “Managerial Ideologies and the Origis of the Human Relations Movement.” Complex Organization, chapter 2.
b. Jay M. Shafritz and Steven J. Ott, “Classical Organization Theory,” Classics of Organization Theory, pp. 27-34.
c. Henri Fayol, “General Principles of Management,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 5.
d. Frederick Winslow Taylor, “The Principles of Scientific Management,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 6.
e. Luther Gulick, “Notes on the Theory of Organization,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 8.
f. Jay M. Shafritz and Steven J. Ott, “Neoclassical Organization Theory,” Classics of Organization Theory, pp. 88-92.
g. Chester I. Barnard, “Th Economy of Incentives,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 9.
h. Herbert A. Simon, “The Proverbs of Administration,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 11.
i. Philip Selznick, “Foundations of the Theory of Organization,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 12.
4. September 29: Human Relations Theory.
a. Charles Perrow, “The Human Relations Model.” Complex Organization, chapter 3.
b. Jay M. Shafritz and Steven J. Ott, “Human Resource Theory, or the Organizational Behavior Perspective,” Classics of Organization Theory, pp. 145-151.
c. Mary Parker Follett, “The Giving of Orders,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 14.
d. A. H. Maslow, “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 16.
e. Douglas Murray McGregor, “The Human Side of Enterprise,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 17.
f. Irving L. Janis, “Groupthink: The Desperate Drive for Consensus at Any Cost,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 16.
g. Taylor H. Cox, Jr., “Intergroup Conflict,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 18.
h. Bart Victor and Carroll Stephens, “The Dark Side of the New Organizational Forms,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 19.
5. October 6: Decision Making and Administrative Organization.
a. Charles Perrow, “The Neo-Weberian Model: Decision Making, Conflict, and Technology.” Complex Organization, chapter 4.
b. Herebert A. Simon, Administrative Behavior, chapters 1-6.
6. October 13: Decision-Making Processes.
a. Herbert A. Simon, Administrative Behavior, chapters 7-11.
b. Richard M. Cyert and James G. March, “A Behavioral Theory of Organizational Objectives,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 13.
7. October 20: Institutionalization.
a. Charles Perrow, “The Institutional School.” Complex Organization, chapter 5.
b. Philip Selznick, Leadership and Administration, entire.
8. October 27: Organizational Environments and Systems Theory.
a. Charles Perrow, “The Environment.” Complex Organization, chapter 6.
b. Jay M. Shafritz and Steven J. Ott, “Systems Theory and Organizational Economics,” Classics of Organization Theory, pp. 242-247.
c. William G. Scott, “Organization Theory: An Overview and Appraisal,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 25.
d. Daniel Katz and Robert L. Kahn, “Organizations and the System Concept,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 26.
e. James D. Thompson, Organizations in Action,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 27.
9. November 3: Environmental Control of Organizations: Resources, Networks, & Politics.
a. *Jeffrey Pfeffer and Gerald R. Salancik, The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective, Harper & Row, 1978, chapters 1-3.
b. *J. Kenneth Benson, “The Interorganizational Network as a Political Economy,” Administrative Science Quarterly 20 (June, 1975): 229-249.
c. *Terry M. Moe, “The Politics of Bureaucratic Structure,” in Can the Government Govern?, pp. 267-329, edited by John E. Chubb and Paul E. Peterson. Washington, D.C.: Brookings, 1989
d. *George A. Kraus, “The Institutional Dynamics of Policy Administration: Bureaucratic Influence over Securities Regulation,” American Journal of Political Science 40 (November 1996): 1083-1121.
10. November 10: Economic Theories and Institutional Change.
a. Charles Perrow, “Economic Theories of Organization.” Complex Organization, chapter 7.
b. Douglass C. North. Institutions, Institutional Change, and Economic Performance, entire.
11. November 17: Power and Administration.
a. Charles Perrow, “Power in Organizational Analysis.” Complex Organization, chapter 8.
b. *Norton E. Long, “Power and Administration,” Public Administration Review 4 (1949): 257-64.
c. *James G. March, “The Business Firm as a Political Coalition,” Journal of Politics 24 (November 1962): 662-678.
d. *Mark V. Nadel and Francis Rourke, “Bureaucracy” in Handbook of Political Science, Vol. 5, Governmental Institutions and Processes, pp. 373-440. Edited by Fred Greenstein and Nelson Polsby. Addison-Wesley, 1975.
12. November 24: Organizational Politics.
a. Jay M. Shafritz and Steven J. Ott, “Power and Politics Organization Theory,” Shafritz & Ott, pp. 298-303.
b. Jeffrey Pfeffer, “Understanding the Role of Power in Decision Making,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 31.
c. John R. P. French, Jr. and Bertram Raven, “The Bases of Social Power,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 32.
d. James G. March, “The Power of Power,” Shafritz and Ott, chapter 33.
e. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, “Power Failure in Management Circuits,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 34.
f. Henry Mintzberg, “The Power Game and the Players,” Shafritz & Ott, chapter 35.
13. December 1: Public Management: Past and Present.
a. Jan-Erik Lane, New Public Management, preface, introduction, and Parts I-II.
14. December 8: The New Public Management.
a. Jan-Erik Lane, New Public Management, Part III.