The Public Manager Case Book
Making Decisions in a Complex World
- Terrel R Rhodes - Portland State University, USA
- Patricia M Alt - Towson University, Towson, MD
- Cheryl L Brown - University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA
- Marueen Brown - University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA, University of North Carolina, USA
- Robert Gassner - United Way of the Columbia - Willamette
- Sherril Gelmon - Portland State University, USA
- Gary R Rassel - University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA
- Carole L Jurkiewicz - University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, USA
- Linda E Swayne - University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA
- David F Thompson - Freeman White, Inc.
Human Resource Mangement
As academic disciplines, public administration and public policy programs have struggled to link theoretical and conceptual grounding with practical application. Students often have discrete courses in human resources, finance, organizational behavior, policy analysis, and planning, but rarely are they offered an opportunity to pursue these through actual cases and problems facing public managers.
The Public Manager Case Book is a collection of eight public administration cases that allows students to practice the decision-making skills they will need in their jobs as public managers. Each case focuses on the local administrative issues managers most often face in their day-to-day responsibilities, and each encourages students to collaborate with others in order to gain the necessary cooperation and information. The cases are multi-dimensional and challenge students and professors to draw from a variety of knowledge areas to develop alternative recommendations, decisions, or actions.
An instructor's manual is available for useful background material, references, theoretical and conceptual framework, and teaching tips.
About the Editor
Terrel L. Rhodes is Professor of Public Administration and Vice Provost for Curriculum and Undergraduate Studies at Portland State University.
I am teaching a module for postgraduate MBA students on Business Planning. Most come from working backgrounds in health and education hence many more profit orientated cases are not applicable to them so I am hoping that this publication can give them some good insights into the decisioni process for the public sector and thus to avoid the standard criticism that the Module is really built for those working in the 'for profit' sector.