Fall 2007 Section OMA Class Schedule
(Many assignments can be completed online. Regular contact should be maintained with instructor.)
Part One: Foundations of Public Organization Theory
Week 1:
Discussion of course requirements, assignments, policies, and case study group project.
October 29
Unit 1: The Study of Organizational Behavior: An Overview
No state can exist . . . in the absence of those offices which are absolutely indispensable; no properly governed state can exist in the absence of those which ensure good organization and order . . . Aristotle
1)
Argyle, Nolan J. 2002. The Emergence of the American Administrative State: The Intellectual Origins. In Handbook of bureaucracy 2nd ed. ed Ali Farazmand New York: Marcel Dekker. (Online).
2)
Denhardt, Chapters 1 & 2.
3)
Asimov (read the novella early, so you can begin to apply the course material to it)
4)
Ott, Introduction.
   
October 31 Unit 2: Management and "Science": Foundations of American Organization Theory
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. He who has never failed somewhere, that man cannot be great. If it be said that continual success is proof that a man wisely knows his powers, it is only to be added that, in that case, he knows them to be small. Herman Melville
1)
Denhardt, Chapter 3
2)
Long, Norton. 1949. “Power and Administration.” Public Administration Review, 9 (Autumn): 257-264.
   
Week 2: November 5
Unit 3: The Science of Human Behavior & the Rational Organization
. . . the greatest gains in quality of government come from thinking through more carefully what we want to do before we do it. Grover Starling
1)
Denhardt, Chapter 4.
2)
Ott, Chapter 2.
   
Part Two: From Organizational Theory to Organizational Behavior
November 7 Paige, Denys, Shelley, Christian Unit 4: The Humanist Approach to Organizational Theory
It is certain civil government in general is a very admirable result of providence, and an incomparable benefit to mankind, yet must needs be acknowledged to be the effect of human free-compacts and not of divine institution; it is the produce of man's reason. John Wise, A Vindication of the Government of New England Churches (1717)
1)
Denhardt, Chapter 5.
2)
Ott, Chapter 1. 
3)
Fairholm, Mathew R. 2004. Different Perspectives on the Practice of Leadership. Public Administration Review, 64. pp. 577-590.
   
Week 3: November 12 For our November 12 class we will have an online meeting in which Shilo Smith, Research Librarian, will provide a Library Instruction and Research Presentation using Live Classroom through WebCT.
 
November 14
Kay, Michael, Robin R.
Unit 5: Organizational Dynamics: The Interplay of Groups and Structure
Men willingly believe what they want to. Julius Caesar
  Ott, Chapter 3.
   

Justin, Margaret, Crystal, Robin W.
(Note: Nov. 19th)

Unit 6: Organizational Politics: Internal and External
Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Mark Twain
Ott, Chapters 4 & 5.
 
Part Three: Critiquing the Fields of Organization Theory and Behavior
Week 4: November 19
Jennifer, Phillip, Jeff, Jeremy
Unit 7: Rational Action and Organizational Change
There is no point at which having arrived we can remain. Richard L. Evans
1)
Denhardt, Chapters 6, 7, 8.
2)
Ott, Chapter 6.
 
Thanksgiving Holidays November 21-23, 2007.
   
November 26 Unit 8: Critiquing Organizational Behavior: Postmodernism & Caves
 

Denhardt, Chapter 8, Appendix: The Administrative Journal

  Asimov, complete novella
   
Week 5: November 28 - December 3 Unit 9: Course Wrap-up/Group Presentations
Reference http://www.valdosta.edu/~gamerwin/pa/classes/padm7170/schedule.html
Updated 11/13/2007, contact Jerry Merwin