Theory of Organisations and Public Action

lpols1223  2019-2020  Louvain-la-Neuve

Theory of Organisations and Public Action
Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
5 credits
45.0 h
Q1
Teacher(s)
Aubin David; de Visscher Christian;
Language
French
Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Main themes
1. Public sector organisations " related definitions and concepts " traditional approaches to organisational analysis " sociological approaches to organisational analysis " the theory of the international organisations " case studies 2. public sector administration: development of the public administration in modern society " The internal organisation of the public authorities: from centralisation to fragmentation " The relationship between political power and the public administration (politicisation, "technocracy"…) " The relations between the public administration and the citizens: from distance to participation 3. Public sector management " Legitimacy of public sector organisations and performance management " Outline of managerial practices within public sector organisations (HRM, budget, etc.) 4. Public policies " The cycle of a public policy " Getting issues on the agenda " Programming and political decision " administrative implementation " Impact evaluation
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 This practical examination of the State expands on the Political Science (I) course and analyses the role of the Government, the Civil Service and other bodies charged with public service missions in terms of what they do and do not do. The topics covered in the course include the operation of government organisations in general and the public sector administration in particular, issues of management in the public sector, and public policies developed and applied across a range of fields. These different topic areas all contribute to a global understanding of state action. The course has two main objectives: " In global terms: to equip students with an ability to analyse government activity and a capacity for personal reflection, supported by a theoretical apparatus " To give students a better understanding of socio-political issues, in particular current changes in the public sector (e.g. the Copernicus public service reform) and the management of specific issues in government (e.g. the question of night flights).
 

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
Content
The course is given in the form of lectures. The theoretical concepts are richly illustrated with examples from current affairs in Belgium and abroad. The sessions are intended to have an interactive element (debates, contributions from students in sub-groups) and outside experts may also be invited to participate (testimonies from politicians, civil servants etc).
Other information
Course entry requirements: Students should have taken the Political Science 1 course. Evaluation: Written examination at the end of the year. The examination consists of a number of closed, open and semi-open questions (max.10 points), and a short essay requiring students to show a broad understanding of the four subject areas covered in the course (10 points). Course materials: A course handout and portfolio of reading matter are provided
Faculty or entity
ESPO


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Bachelor in Political Sciences: General

Master [120] in Political Sciences: International Relations

Master [120] in Public Administration

Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Master [120] in Political Sciences: General

Master [60] in Political Sciences: General

Minor in Political Sciences