15608 Organising and Managing in Local Government
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Anti-requisite(s): 49277 Corporate Planning and Management
Description
Local governments are local and community-focused public sector organisations with a diverse workforce and responsibility for delivering effective, efficient and appropriate local public services. At the same time, these organisations function in a political environment and need to take account of the broader context, including ways in which the needs and concerns of citizens are expressed through democratic processes. This subject takes into account all of these factors and provides local public administrators with knowledge, skills and values that can help them to practice in a way that integrates local public service and democratic values with public management.
Using the concept of paradigms or perspectives, the subject critically examines the evolution of public administration theory and how changing frameworks have influenced approaches to efficiency, effectiveness, accountability and equity, as well as the political–administrative relationship. The implications of current theory and practice for the future of local government organising and managing are considered in the context of an emerging drive to integrate democratic values with public service.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Ability to examine a range of conceptual approaches to public administration and better understood how these theories have shaped the nature and mission of public organisations, managerial practice and models of leadership. |
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| 2. | Ability to develop competence in outlining ways in which public sector efficiency and effectiveness have been conceived and applied, how these conceptions have influenced ideas and practices of accountability and equity, and how they can be integrated into their own practice in a local government context. |
| 3. | Ability to develop skill in using theories and conceptual frameworks so as to describe the imperatives and tensions in the administrative/political relationship and the impact of this relationship on leading and managing in the political and organisational context of local government. |
| 4. | Ability to review the theoretical premises for integrating democratic values and citizenship into the ways that public organisations and leaders take account of society and the public interest, and developed competence in integrating these principles into their own practice. |
| 5. | Ability to identify and assessed ways in which the local government sector in Australia is embracing democratic practice and applying participatory governance approaches. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Address issues in local government and intergovernmental organisations with an attitude that is open, ethical and empathetic (A.1)
- Collaborate effectively and apply leadership skills within multidisciplinary teams for local government and intergovernmental relations (C.3)
- Apply and lead creative, evidence-based approaches to complex, real-world issues in local government and related organisations (I.2)
- Demonstrate strategic thinking and prioritising about competing resources, multiple governance structures and drivers of change (P.2)
- Apply an advanced understanding of theories and debates in local government and intergovernmental relations, including Indigenous perspectives, and articulate this understanding across a range of organisational types (P.3)
- Conduct independent applied research to develop a deep understanding of complex policy problems and innovative, cross-disciplinary solutions pertaining to government and its stakeholders (R.3)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is run in ‘Block’ mode comprising intensive workshops on campus run over two blocks: 12-13 August and 9-10 September - four days in total.
This subject incorporates a range of teaching and learning strategies including interactive presentations, discussion of readings and case studies, and student group work on the application of theory to practice.
The teaching and learning strategies include:
- self-directed study beginning at least a week before the first scheduled block of teaching in which student makes use of Canvas and the UTS library to access readings, supported by the Canvas platform. The Canvas site supports student preparation for discussion and interaction in the workshops
- Canvas exercises are commenced ready for use in face-to-face workshops
- case-studies and scenarios - students are made aware of the range of activities being undertaken by other council’s broadening their knowledge and fostering ideas
- peer-to-peer learning - students learn from each other and build connections with other local government officers over the four days of the workshop
- individual and small group assessment with feedback
Content (topics)
This subject is made up of the following interconnected modules, each discussed in the Subject Description and Guide to Readings, and dealt with consecutively over the teaching/learning period:
Module 1: Public Administration Theory
This module introduces students to theories of public administration and to the literature which discusses these collections of theories as paradigms. Paradigms or perspectives are compared and contrasted, from the Weberian ideas of the bureaucratic organisation to more contemporary notions of governance, public value, and the new public service. The emphasis is on the inherent values of these paradigms, their contributions to understanding a complex and dynamic societal function (that of the public servant), and implications for public managers and the communities they serve. In discussions associated with this module, use is made of the peer learning opportunities to assist them to integrate the learnings into their organisational and management practice. They consider current and predicted trends and challenges for local government and the 21st-century public service workforce (both in Australia and internationally), and what they can learn from the vast body of Public Administration theory to be better prepared for these futures.
Module 2: The Public Organisation
As the assumptions and imperatives of public administration have changed, so have approaches to conceiving the public organisation. This module reviews these different approaches and the implications for local government organisations now and in the future. Particular focus is placed on corporate governance and ethics for local government.
Module 3: Democracy and Management
This module examines public management in the broader context of democratic citizenship and the need for broad public deliberation on policy. It reviews the contemporary pressures on administrative and political leaders and the way these roles need to interact to achieve a measure of complementarity. In the online discussions associated with this module, students put together a plan of action by the council to address a given issue or problem, incorporating as much community and stakeholder engagement, inclusiveness, and deliberation as possible.
Module 4: Accountability and Local Government Capacity
Accountability is a core tenet of public administration but as paradigmatic change has occurred, so has the scope, focus, and practice of its accountability. This module examines these changes, in particular the argument for a multifaceted view of accountability in the context of more democratic public organisations and citizen participation. It incorporates a focus on performance measurement and reporting based on principles of good governance; community engagement as democratic practice; and transparency and the rule of law.
Capacity refers to whether local governments are performing their legislated functions effectively and efficiently, how they do so about principles of good governance, and whether the dimensions of their capacity can be converted if there was the need to meet additional demands. The concept of capacity brings together many of the issues discussed in this subject, as well as looking forward to the topics that are considered in other subjects in students’ local government studies. In the online discussions In the online discussions associated with this module, students apply a conceptual framework of local government capacity to the real world of local government practice. In doing so, they adopt a comparative case study approach.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Essay - Public Administration
| Intent: | The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate a conceptual and theoretical understanding of the perspectives that have been put forward in the literature to understand Public Administration and to apply these understandings to their local government context. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1 and 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.1, I.2, P.2 and R.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Essay | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | maximum 3000 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Assessment criterion 1.1 – weighting 40% - CILO P.2 The student draws on the literature to describe a body of theory (paradigm) in contemporary Public Administration. This includes the paradigms’:
Assessment criterion 1.2 – weighting 30% - CILO R.3 The student adopts a scholarly approach to sourcing and making use of current literature in order to develop informed arguments and rationales relating to public administration theory. This capacity is demonstrated through the following:
Assessment criterion 1.3 – weighting 20% - CILO A.1 The normative (attitudinal and value) underpinnings of the chosen perspectives are described and links are made to public administration practice in the context of Australian local government. In doing so, the student demonstrates an appreciation of the relevance of public service and public value to local government theory and practice. Assessment criterion 1.4 – weighting 20% - CILO I.3 The student critically reviews the chosen perspective, arguing for its strengths and limitations in enhancing public administration practice in the context of Australian local government. In doing so, the student demonstrates evidence of considering the innovative utility of the chosen perspective when applied to the Australian local government context. TOTAL 100% (contributing 30% of the overall mark for the subject) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Briefing paper
| Intent: | The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate an applied understanding of the concepts of capacity building to complex management issues in the context of contemporary local government problem solving.
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.3, I.2, P.2 and P.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 20% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Assessment criterion 2.1 – weighting 20% - CILO C.3 The student presents a concise, engaging and professional presentation to senior management that demonstrates an understanding of communication methods and contexts relevant to local government and displays his/her competency in this form of oral communication. Assessment criterion 2.2 – weighting 20% - CILO C.4 The student shows evidence of being able to frame a response to the given challenge. This includes a sound overview of current governance capacity, drawing on institutional, political, technical, administrative and human resources, as well as recommendations for capacity building in order to address the given challenge. Assessment criterion 2.3 – weighting 20% - CILO P.2 The student provides evidence of framing the presentation within the context of local government capacity and its governance, management and leadership implications. Assessment criterion 2.4 – weighting 20% - CILO P.3 In the presentation, the student shows evidence of the ability:
Assessment criterion 2.5 – weighting 20% - CILO I.3 The students describe the institutional, political, technical, administrative and/or human resources dimensions of governance capacity, and make realistic yet innovative recommendations for capacity building to address the given challenge. TOTAL 100% (contributing 20% of the overall mark for the subject) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Written assignment focusing on theory-practice integration
| Intent: | The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate conceptual and theoretical understanding of either 'accountability' or 'capacity building' perspectives put forward in the literature and apply these to their own local government. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3 and 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): I.2, P.2, P.3 and R.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 4,500 words (approx.) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Assessment criterion 3.1 – weighting 40% - CILO P.2 The student draws on the literature to put forward an understanding of contemporary local governance and its impact on either:
Assessment criterion 3.2 – weighting 20% - CILO P.3 Through scholarly and engaging writing, the student demonstrates the ability to think strategically about the future of cities and regions and understand the social, cultural, economic and political drivers of change. This thinking is located in the strategic potential of public administration practice in the Australian local government context. Assessment criterion 3.3 – weighting 20% - CILO R.3 The student develops informed arguments and rationales relating to the topic of the assignment. This capacity is demonstrated through the following:
Assessment criterion 3.4 – weighting 30% - CILO I.3 In applying theories and debates to the situation of his/her own council, the student demonstrates an innovative approach to improving local governance, management and/or leadership practice. TOTAL 100% (contributing 40% of the overall mark for the subject) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.
Students must participate actively in the distance learning and obtain at least 50% of the total marks.
Required texts
Students are required to read widely in order to meet the objectives of Organising and Managing in Local Government 15608. Core and suggested readings for each Module are available in Canvas.