Case Scenario:
One of the most important aspects in the study of public administration is to develop an understanding of how the field has evolved and what underlying theoretical foundations provide the direction for your work as a public administrator. Your project for this course will allow you to demonstrate this understanding by writing an 8–10 page paper identifying, organizing, and analyzing the theories, theorists, and seminal concepts in the field.
It is important that you identify and show the relationships that exist between individuals and ideas. Your project should point out the classifications and connections you have identified in your review of public administration literature, and demonstrate the significance and ramifications of these connections. Your analysis will provide evidence of your understanding of how the theories in one area—such as leadership or bureaucracy—influence other areas—such as the politics-administration dichotomy or organizational behavior.
Project Objectives:
To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to:
1. Include a broad and diverse range of material from the literature in the field of public administration.
2. Analyze the significant theories that inform the practices of public administration.
3. Analyze the individual, organizational, and societal factors that drive equitable delivery of services to the public.
4. Reflect multicultural and diversity sensitivity by including material that addresses services offered to individuals and populations.
5. Demonstrate academic and professional communication skills by writing clearly and without spelling, grammatical, and syntax errors, and adhering to APA format.
Project Requirements:
To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements.
1. Analyze both theoretical and historical constructs within the public administration (PA) field, correlating historical constructs with conceptual frameworks.
2. Explore a broad and diverse range of material from the literature in the field of public administration that includes key foundational documents.
3. Show the relationship between theories, theorists, and concepts, including a timeline of when each was first introduced in the field, and their continuing influence.
4. Show relationships between areas of theories, such as interactions of one theory that helped to develop another discipline within the field.