Organization and Public Management

Teaching methods:

Expository method, using theoretical presentations of the syllabus, combined with the application of practical cases prepared in accordance with the objectives of the course.

Assessment Method:

Distributed Assessment – Classification obtained by performing the following practical assignments, which replace the regular period exam, namely:

Realization and presentation of a research work (50% of the evaluation);

Arguing of a research work (20% of the evaluation);

Analysis of a scientific text (30% of the evaluation).

Final Assessment: Exam. Students with a final classification greater than or equal to 9.5 will be approved.

This course has the following specific objectives:

• Identify: the foundations for public intervention; the evolution of conceptions about the role of the State in the economy; the typology of intervention modalities; the essential elements of administrative activity.
• Distinguish and characterize the different models of public management.
• Recognize the distinctive nature of public organizations and public management;
• Characterize the essential elements of the basic management functions applied to the public sector environment and the specificities of the Portuguese regulatory framework.
• Describe the governance models in Portuguese public administration, in the domains of administrative reform.

In short, given the above objectives, the skills to be acquired by students are:

• ability to recognize the singularities of the public organization and public management, in general and for the Portuguese case in particular;
• ability to investigate a particular topic in the concrete context of Portuguese public management.

Theme 1 |State: role and functions

1.1 | State functions and intervention modalities;

1.2 | Public administrative activity.

 Theme 2 |The Distinctive Nature of Public Organizations and Public Management

2.1 | Unique characteristics of public entities and their management;

2.2 | The challenges facing public organizations;

2.3 | The role of public managers.

Theme 3 |Public Management

3.1 | Concept, characteristics and restrictions;

3.2 | The different models of public management:

A. Classical Public Administration Paradigm;

B. New Public Management;

C. Governance.

3.3 | Administrative Reform in Portugal and Public Management models.

Theme 4 |Planning and Evaluation in a Public Context

4.1 | Essential elements of basic management functions;

4.2 | Planning: the importance of strategy in decision making and public policies;

4.3 | Performance evaluation and management indicators in the Public Sector.

NAO