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Management and Governance: Comparing Public Administration around the World

Module description

This module exposes you to the many different kinds of public administration around the world, including exploring the disparity between what regimes and governments say they do and what they actually do in terms of accountability and service delivery. The module uses your experiences to enliven this, drawing on the international experience of the students who are in the classroom with the aim of delivering as broad an understanding of the comparative context of the topic as can be achieved. The module examines some of the main issues and problems confronting public sector managers such as modernization, accountability in a complex age, ethical action, oversight, audit and private-public partnerships. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to explore comparative administrative theories, practice and processes and the importance of the context in which they operate. It also aims to enhance a critical awareness of the approaches of different political regimes to public administration and public sector management and to develop a Masters level practical and theoretical understanding of the impact of globalisation and de-territorialization on national and international governance. The module examines some of the main issues and problems confronting public sector managers such as modernization, accountability in a complex age, ethical action, oversight, audit and private-public partnerships.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. critically examine theories of governance and public administration
• 2. apply public administration and governance theories to real word examples.
• 3. analyse contemporary issues in governance and public administration reform.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. appraise and critically evaluate government reports and public policy.
• 5. synthesize and comment critically on a corpus of academic literature.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. demonstrate independent thought.
• 7. communicate clearly and concisely in writing.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will include the following topics in the order indicated:

1. Theories of  governance and public administration;

2. Reforming governance and public administration;

3. Contemporary issues in governance and public administration.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Peters, B. G. and Pierre, J. (2018) The Next Public Administration: Debates and Dilemmas. London: Sage

Wilson, W. (1887) "The Study of Administration," Political Science Quarterly, 2: 2, pp. 197-222.

Riccucci, N. and Van Ryzin, G. (2016) ‘Representative bureaucracy: a lever to enhance social equity, coproduction and democracy’ Public Administration Review, 77:1, 21-30.

Dunleavy, P. et al. (2006) ‘The New Public Management is Dead : long live digital era governance’ Journal of Public Administration: Research and Theory, 16:3.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

The module will be supported by ELE materials, including links to core texts

Key words search

Management, Governance, Comparing, Public, Administration