OADM2100 – Managing and leading public organizations

Course description

Course content
Learning outcome
Admission to the course

Teaching
Examination

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The course introduces two distinct perspectives on public organizations:

The management perspective implies a focus on different ways of providing public services and the ensuing consequences for public managers and citizens. A key aspect of the course will be trade-offs and paradoxes in the design of service delivery - the distinct benefits and problems of alternative modes of service delivery.
The leadership perspective focuses on how public organization and their leaders cope with change in a complex environment placing multiple and contradicting demands on the organization. Topics include the distinctiveness of leadership in public organizations, different types of leadership authority, leadership as institution-building and public leadership in times of crisis.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

You will obtain knowledge about:

specific management challenges in the public sector
alternative ways of service delivery and their implications
key themes and concepts in the study of public leadership
leadership challenges in different types of public organizations

Skills

You will:

be able to provide an overview of the issues that are central to the study of public management and leadership
learn how to analyse management and leadership challenges in the public and private sector
increase your analytical skills for understanding how public organizations work
be able to structure academic texts with research questions that the student has chosen him-/herself or that are pre-defined
be able to relate a research question to the academic literature in the area and assess how the choice of research question determines the choices of research design, the need for sources/data and the research method
be able to communicate academic knowledge in writing and orally and provide constructive criticism of other students’ assignments

Competences

You will:

acquire a critical-analytical approach to managing and leading public organizations
gain analytical and methodological competences for the systematic study of social phenomena
not learn how to become a leader, but instead acquire a better understanding of the challenges of being a leader

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

This course is not available for single course students.

Teaching

Lectures and seminars

Compulsory activities

Attend the first seminar
Attend four of the following five seminars
Present your term paper
Comment on other students' papers
Pass 1 hour and 45 minute qualification test

The seminars are taught in English, and the papers handed in must be written in English.

See the rules for reassignment of seminar groups and the guidelines for compulsory activities.

Absence from compulsory activities

If you are ill or have another valid reason for being absent from compulsory activities, your absence may be approved or the compulsory activity may be postponed.