PSCI 5305, Proseminar in Decision Making and Public

Course
Management
Professor Robert Lowry
Term Spring 2009
Meetings Monday, 4:00-6:45 pm, SOM 2.901

Professor’s Contact Information

Office Phone 972-883-6720
Office Location Green Hall 3.533
Email Address robert.lowry@utdallas.edu
Office Hours Monday 3-4, Thursday 3-5, or by appointment.

General Course Information

This course examines scholarship on decisions made by public managers

and associated efforts to calculate and examine the relative risks involved
with the outcomes of management decisions. It considers decisions about
the structure and control of public agencies, management decisions that
are internal to public agencies, and decision tools for analyzing public
policies.

The course is organized in three parts. The first part focuses on decision
making within organizations. How realistic are rational choice models of
Course Description
decision making? What are some alternative perspectives? What are the
special problems associated with decision making in hierarchical
organizations, and how can they be solved? The second part concerns the
politics of public management. What are the problems created for public
agencies created by the political environment, what are the tensions
between democracy and bureaucracy, and what are some alternative
visions for reforming administrative agencies? The last part focuses on
decisions regarding public policies. How do policy issues get on the
public agenda? What is the role of the policy analyst, and what are some
basic tools for analyzing policy proposals?

After completing the course, students should be able to:

1. Apply theories of decision making by individuals to their own research
Learning on political phenomena.
Objectives/Outcomes 2. Understand the political environment in which public agencies operate,
and issues relating to performance and accountability.
3. Be able to perform basic decision analysis including assessment of
costs, benefits and risks.
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The following books should be purchased:

Bryan D. Jones and Frank R. Baumgartner. The Politics of Attention: How

Government Prioritizes Problems. Chicago, IL: The University of
Chicago Press. 2005.

Kenneth J. Meier and Laurence J. O'Toole, Jr. Bureaucracy in a

Democratic State: A Governance Perspective. Baltimore, MD: The Johns
Hopkins University Press, 2006.

Required Texts & Gary J. Miller, Managerial Dilemmas: The Political Economy of
Materials Hierarchy. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Michael C. Munger. Analyzing Policy: Choices, Conflicts, and Practices.

New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Co. 2000.

B. Guy Peters, The Future of Governing. Lawrence, KS: University Press

of Kansas, 2001, 2d ed.

Additional articles and chapters are listed at the end of the syllabus and
referred to by number in the course outline.

Assignments & Academic Calendar

Date Topic(s) Assignment
January 12 Introduction
January 19 No Class - MLK Day
I. Theories of Decision Making in
Organizations
January 26 Rational choice [2], [4], [5], [6], [17], [19]
February 2 Criticisms and alternative models [11], [12], [20], [21], [22], [23]
February 9 Incentives and Cooperation in Hierarchies [1]; Miller, Ch. 1-6
February 16 " " " Miller, Ch. 7-end
II. The Politics of Public Management
First Homework Due
February 23 Problems, Players and Institutions
[3], [7], [8], [9], [13], [16]
March 2 Delegation and Control [10], [14], [15], [18], [24], [25]
March 9 Bureaucracy and Democracy Meier & O’Toole, all
March 16 No Class – Spring Break
Alternative Visions of Administrative Term Paper Topic Due
March 23
Governance Peters, all
III. Policy Agendas and Policy Making
Second Homework Due
March 30 Getting on the agenda
Jones & Baumgartner, Ch. 1-6
April 6 " " " Jones & Baumgartner, Ch. 7-11
April 13 Policy Analysis as a Profession Munger, Ch. 1-5
April 20 Justifications for Government Action Munger, Ch. 6-8
April 27 Risk, Time and Cost-Benefit Analysis Munger, Ch. 9-12
May 4 Student Presentations Third Homework Due
May 11 Papers due at 6 pm.
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Course Policies
Grades will be based on class participation, three homework assignments, and a term
project, using the following weights:

Class participation 10 %
Three homework assignments 20 % each
Term project presentations 5%
Term paper 25 %

The homework assignments will cover the material on the syllabus for the three
Grading Criteria
sections of the course. You can work on them together, but everyone must hand in
their own answers. We will discuss the answers in class on either the week
assignments are due or the following week.

Each student will also write a term paper on a topic related to the course. There will
be two class presentations: Students will present their topics and initial thoughts on
March 23, and will present their full project on May 4. Final papers are due Thursday,
May 11 at 4 pm. Further guidance on term projects will be provided in class.

Short memos will not be accepted after the day they are due; if you miss your
assigned week for a medical or family reason, you will be allowed to do a different
Late Work
week later in the semester. If you miss for any other reason you will be penalized 50
%, provided you do a different week later. Late term papers will be penalized 20 %
for each day they are late.

Attendance is mandatory at student presentations March 6 and April 24. Attendance

Class Attendance on other days is expected, and unexcused absences will affect your class participation
score. Students who prepare short memos are expected to take a lead roll in
discussion for that week.

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the
responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable
about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General
information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A
to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the

procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and
described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas
Student Conduct
System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
and Discipline
Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these
rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject
to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place
on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such
conduct.
Academic
Integrity The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic
 4

honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute
integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student
demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission
as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic
dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and
from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s
policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the
resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over
90% effective.

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of

communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the
same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each
individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email
correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty
Email Use and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD
student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in
the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted
information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used
in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information
Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas
mail forwarded to other accounts.

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-
level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Withdrawal from Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to
Class handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not
receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you
are enrolled.

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make
a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or
committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Student Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
Grievance evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be
Procedures submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean.
If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the
student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the
Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene
an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final.
The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
 5

Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting
the rules and regulations.

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work
unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has
Incomplete
been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from
Grades
the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the
course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline,
the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational

opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located
in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30
a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Disability Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
Services adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For
example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders
or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an
assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an
oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students
with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The
college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-
taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to
faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class
or during office hours.
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code,
Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as

possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student,
so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
Religious Holy
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
Days
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any
missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails
to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about
whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed
 6

assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC
51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.
Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law
Off-Campus and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities.
Instruction and Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at
Course Activities http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm.
Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.
 7

Additional Readings

Unless otherwise indicated, all readings can be accessed through the library's web page
by searching for journal or book title, or though the electronic reserves.

[1] Alchian, Armen and Harold Demsetz. "Production, Information Costs, and Economic
Organization." American Economic Review 62: 777-795 (December 1972). e-Journals

[2] Becker, Gary. "The Economic Approach to Human Behavior." In Jon Elster (ed.)
Rational Choice 108-122. New York University Press, 1986. e-Reserve

[3] Bickers, Kenneth N. and John T. Williams. "Bureaucracy." In Public Policy Analysis: A
Political Economy Approach, 183-201. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. e-Reserve

[4] Elster, Jon. "Rational Choice," "When Rationality Fails," and "Selfishness and Altruism."
In Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences, 22-41, 52-60 (Cambridge University Press 1990). e-
Reserve

[5] Friedman, Milton. "The Methodology of Positive Economics." In Essays in Positive

Economics, 3-43. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1953. e-Reserve

[6] Harsanyi, John C. "Advances in Understanding Rational Behavior." In Jon Elster (ed.)
Rational Choice 82-107. New York University Press, 1986. e-Reserve

[7] Heclo, Hugh. "Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment." In Anthony King (ed.)
The New American Political System 87-124. Washington, DC: American Enterprise Institute,
1978. e-Reserve

[8] Kerwin, Cornelius M. "The Substance of Rules and the Reasons for Rulemaking." In
Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law and Make Policy 1-37. Washington, DC: CQ
Press 1994. e-Reserve

[9] Lipsky, Michael. "The Critical Role of Street-Level Bureaucrats," and "Street-Level
Bureaucrats as Policy Makers." In Street-Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in
Public Services 3-25. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1980. e-Reserve

[10] Lowry, Robert C. “Incomplete Contracts and the Political Economy of the Privatized
Public University.” In Christopher C. Morphew and Peter D. Eckel (eds.) Privatizing the Public
University: Perspectives from Across the Academy. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins
University Press, 2009. To be distributed

[11] Mansbridge, Jane L. "Expanding the Range of Formal Modeling." In Beyond Self-Interest
254-263. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1990. e-Reserve

[12] March, James G., "Bounded Rationality, Ambiguity, and the Engineering of Choice."
Bell Journal of Economics 9:587-608 (1978). e-Journals

[13] Moe, Terry M. "The Politics of Bureaucratic Structure." In John E. Chubb and Paul E.
Peterson (eds.) Can the Government Govern? 267-329. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution
Press 1989. e-Reserve
 8

[14] McCubbins, Matthew D., Roger G. Noll and Barry R. Weingast. "Structure and Process,
Politics and Policy: Administrative Arrangements and the Political Control of Agencies."
Virginia Law Review 75: 431-482 (March 1989). e-Journals

[15] McCubbins, Mathew D. and Thomas Schwartz. "Congerssional Oversight Overlooked:

Police Patrols versus Fire Alarms." American Journal of Political Science 28:165-179 (February
1984). e-Journals.

[16] Peters, B. Guy. "The Recruitment of Public Administrators." In The Politics of

Bureaucracy, 86-127. New York: Routledge 5th ed. 2001. e-Book

[17] Riker, William H. "Political Science and Rational Choice." In James E. Alt and Kenneth
A. Shepsle, Perspectives on Positive Political Economy 163-181. New York: Cambridge
University Press 1990. e-Reserve

[18] Sabatier, Paul A., John Loomis, and Catherine McCarthy. "Hierarchical Controls,
Professional Norms, Local Constituencies, and Budget Maximization: An Analysis of U.S. Forest
Service Planning Decisions." American Journal of Political Science 39:204-242 (February,
1995). e-Journals

[19] Schotter, Andrew. "Strong and Wrong: The Use of Rational Choice Theory in
Experimental Economics." Journal of Theoretical Politics 18:498-511 (October 2006). e-
Journals

[20] Simon, Hebert J. "Human Nature in Politics: The Dialogue of Psychology with Rational
Choice." American Political Science Review 79:293-304 (June, 1985). e-Journal

[21] Simon, Herbert. "The Psychology of Administrative Decisions," in Administrative

Behavior 92-139. New York: The Free Press, 4th ed. 1997. e-Reserve

[22] Tversky, Amos and Daniel Kahneman, "The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of
Choice." Science 211:453-458 (January 30, 1981). e-Journals

[23] Viscusi, W. Kip and Richard J. Zeckhauser. "Risk Within Reason." Science 248: 559-564
(May 4, 1990). e-Journals

[24] Waterman, Richard W. and Kenneth J. Meier. "Principal-Agent Models: An Expansion?"

Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 8:173-202 (April, 1998). e-Journals

[25] Wood, B. Dan and Richard W. Waterman. "The Dynamics of Political Control of the
Bureaucracy." American Political Science Review 85:801-828 (September, 1991). e-Journals