PA 5318

INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN POLICY ENVIRONMENTS

Fall 2005

Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Dr. Wendy L. Hassett
Email: directly through the mail icon on
our WebCT course homepage or wendy.hassett@utdallas.edu

Phone: 1-888-219-8789 (toll free) or (334) 737-1783

Information systems and communications technology have increasingly changed how

governmental organizations operate. This course explores the impact of information technology
and other forms of technology on government management, decision making, and public policy.
This course will examine, from a public administration perspective,
• processes and challenges encountered when implementing and using information
systems in public organizational settings

• how information systems can be used to inform policy decisions

• politics and policies surrounding the use of technology in public settings

• how technology can impact public productivity

• trends and implications of evolving technology for public sector organizations.

The topics presented in this course are essential knowledge for contemporary public
managers and will be presented in the context of real-world application.

Required Texts:

G. David Garson 2003. Public Information Technology: Policy and Management Issues. Hershey,
PA: Idea Group.

Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene. Powering Up: How Public Managers Can Take Control of
Information Technology. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2001.
Packet of readings available from the local bookstores.

Course Requirements
Portfolio - Each student should build his/her portfolio in conjunction with the weekly class
assignments and readings. The portfolio will have a three-fold purpose: (1.) upon completion, it
can serve as a reference for future research; (2.) it can serve as a handy source of information
covered in this course as you move into various roles in the public sector; and (3.) during the
course, it will assist you in thinking through and assimilating the readings as a precursor to your
weekly Threaded Discussion postings explained in the next section. Each week, each student
should make the following postings to his/her portfolio:

1.) Reading Summaries: Each component of the weekly reading assignment should
be cited and summarized. (It is not necessary to summarize each paragraph of
the reading.) This summary should consist of just a few paragraphs and should
include a short description of the key points and the author’s major argument(s).

• Do not combine summaries of readings by multiple authors into one

 paragraph. Each reading component should be broken out
separately.
• Each reading component should be identified clearly by a proper
citation as used in peer reviewed academic journals.
2.) Concept Synthesis: After completion of all the readings assigned for the week,
each student should compose one or two paragraphs that examine applications,
costs, and/or benefits of the topic examined. This brief composition should
synthesize the major concepts of all the week’s readings. How do the readings
relate to each other? Be sure to label this section of your portfolio clearly.
Portfolio grades will be based on a demonstration that the student has read and comprehends
the assigned readings. Proper referencing and academic form should be used. Students are
encouraged to supplement weekly portfolio entries with other relevant articles. The Portfolio will
be turned in two times over the course of the semester. Students are encouraged to keep up
with their portfolio assignments weekly so it does not become a burden right before it is due.

Threaded Discussions- Learning, like almost everything, is more enjoyable when it is a

shared experience. Threaded discussions are a way to provide a way for us to share this
learning experience together.

The threaded discussions work this way: A discussion question is posted for each week that it
is due under the Threaded Discussions icon. Each week, you are expected to participate in the
discussions that occur there. The active and consistent involvement of each student is
expected throughout the semester. Class members are encouraged to share ideas, resources,
and insights. Weekly postings can begin as early as Monday morning and continue until
midnight on Sunday. If a posting is made within ten minutes after the deadline, there will be a one
point deduction for each minute after midnight. Postings made after 12:10 am will be given a
grade of 0. It is crucial that each student stays up to date on the readings in order to get his/her
posting completed on time. I will post some final comments and thoughts after all students have
submitted their comments.

Each student’s participation grade will be a function of her/his contribution to the threaded
discussion. With a few exceptions as noted in the syllabus, a threaded discussion will take
place each week of the semester. Each student is expected to participate in all of the
threaded discussions. The first threaded discussion posting during Week 1 does not
count as one of your graded postings. A discussion question is posted for each week that
threaded discussion is due.

When posting a response, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. For all discussion threads, students should be careful to respond to all aspects of the
original question(s). There are two formats we will use: general discussions and
posts.
• For general DISCUSSION, do not pretend you are in a vacuum. Acknowledge
and react to what others have already said. Students are encouraged to support
or take issue with points raised by other students.
• For DISCUSSION POSTS, students are encouraged to read other posts, but
should compose an answer independent of what others have said. Do not rely on
what others have said for your answer.
 2. Similar to the discourse in seminar classes, I am looking for substantive contributions.
Participants are expected to have read the material in advance of their postings so
they can share insightful comments, criticism, and perspectives with the class. Some
students may find it useful to compose the posting in a Word document to facilitate
editing prior to making the actual posting via WebCT. Be sure to include in your
posting specific references to the assigned readings and lecture to
demonstrate your grasp of the concepts. In other words, you should
demonstrate that you have read and digested the assigned materials.

3. The quality of the posting is more important than quantity. Two to four paragraphs
should be sufficient to get your point across.

4. You will want to visit the discussion several times each week to keep up with the
discussion taking place. If someone makes reference to your contribution or takes
issue with something you have stated, you will want to respond before the time has
elapsed for the week. If you do not respond, it is obvious that you are not checking
back on the threaded discussion as it develops.

5. Since the threaded discussions are our class discussions, the same rules apply as in
class. In general, these include the following: become engaged in class discussion,
be honest, don’t posture, be respectful, and don’t ramble. In addition, each participant
is expected to employ all conventions of good English composition, including, but not
limited to capitalization, grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and referencing.

6. During discussions, there may be professional disagreement. Do not make

discussions personal. A fundamental premise underlying both academic freedom and
public administration is respect for the individual. Disagree with respect – not with
contempt.

7. Do not get in a habit of waiting until the end of the discussion to make your posting.
Each student will be expected to make some “early in the week” postings. Grades will
be reflective of when the posts are made.

In grading your weekly threaded discussion contribution, I will look for three (3) things:
1. How well you respond to the specific discussion question
2. How well you integrate the weekly readings/lecture into your answer
3. How well you respond/react to what others say (if required)

• Input that addresses all items well will receive an evaluation of 90 or above (A).
• Input that addresses all items marginally or addresses only two of the three items will
receive an evaluation between 80 and 89 (B).
• Input that addresses the items inadequately or addresses only one of the items will
receive an evaluation of 79 or below (C/D/F).

Case Study – The purpose of the case study is to expose each student to a real case of
information systems and to apply the issues discussed in the course to an actual organization.
The organization can be a sub-group (such as a department or division) of a larger organization.

For this assignment, each student will prepare a detailed case study of how a public organization
has dealt with some issue or problem with respect to information technology. A public
organization is required. Programs or schools of educational institutions are also acceptable.
Ideas for cases can be found in technology magazines, newspaper articles, or public sector
publications. Students are encouraged to employ open-ended and/or semi-structured interviews
(telephone or e-mail correspondence with key participants is acceptable), as well as documents
and other information to present a detailed case study that informs readers. Interviews should
be properly cited. Literature on IT in public affairs including course readings, as well as other
sources, should be used. The final product should be a 2,000 – 5,000 word report.

The topic of the case study should fall within one of the following broad categories:
• the process of new technology being implemented in an organization (e.g., using
point-of-sale technology in the food stamp program administered by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture)

• how a major IT system (e.g., financial software, GIS system, etc.) played a key
role in the development of a significant public policy at the local or state level (e.g.,
the introduction of automated cameras at intersections to enforce the running of
red lights)

• the impact of technology in a governmental setting (e.g., re-skilling law

enforcement officials so they can employ crime detection technology effectively)
Guidelines for writing the case study: The following are suggested guidelines for writing
the case study. Each sub-section should be clearly identified. Students are urged to
use this structure, but may add other sections that are relevant.

1) Introduction: Describe the organization and the IT project. What is the nature of
the project? Why was it undertaken? How is it new or innovative to the
organization? Be sure to explain all concepts and terminology clearly so an
observer from outside the organization would have no problem understanding the
discussion.

2) Relationship to Organization: What departments/divisions were involved in the

project? Who was in charge of the project? What was the role of the IT staff?
How does the project relate to the organization's existing systems (software and
hardware)? Discuss how this system was expected to help the organization.
(Perhaps expectations were different throughout the organization.)

3) Description and Documentation: Provide a complete, easy-to-understand

description of the project in chronological order. This section should begin with its
inception. This would include, for example, the bid/Request for Proposals (RFP)
process, training, all stages of implementation, and any program evaluation
efforts.

4) Organizational Impact: Provide a thorough description and discussion of the

outcome of the project (observable and unobservable) to demonstrate the impact
of the IT project on the organization. Did it achieve all that was hoped for?
(Interviews and/or newspaper articles will be particularly helpful here.)

5) Analysis: Analyze the case in light of current research. This section should
reference academic literature including our course readings, outside readings,
and interviews (if conducted.) Internal documents from the organization, if
available, are strongly suggested.

6) Lessons Learned: Discuss what lessons you learned from studying the case including
the problems the organization encountered. If you went back in time and were charged
with heading up the project, what would you have done differently? What would you have
done the same? How did the case relate to the material in this course?
This assignment has three stages. Each stage is required to receive full credit for this
deliverable.
Stage One: The Proposal. Send your case proposal to me during Week 5.
Please do not send me an attachment. Simply copy the body of the text
into a mail message sent via WebCT. Include in the proposal (a) a title, (b) a 2-
3 paragraph abstract/summary identifying and describing your chosen public
organization or organizational unit as well as the IT-related topic, and (c) a brief
tentative bibliography consisting of at least 10 sources.
Stage Two: The Draft. During Week 12, you will circulate a draft of your report
to two class members for their review and comment. In Week 13, you will send
your critiques of the drafts you receive for those authors to use; use WebCT
private mail to send your critiques directly to the authors. You do not need to
copy me on your critiques, but please let me know if you do not receive your two
critiques on your work. This process will give you the opportunity to
professionally critique the work of others and to revise your work based on
suggestions of your colleagues (a time-honored technique used in the peer-
review process of academic journals). In addition, it will expose you to two
interesting case studies in this subject.

Stage Three: The Report. During Week 15, e-mail your final report to me via
WebCT mail. In the subject line, be sure to include your last name. Please do
not send me an attachment. Simply copy the body of the text into a mail
message sent via WebCT. Be sure to include the title, your name, the
abstract, and the list of references.
The criteria used to judge case studies will heavily depend on the following:
• The extent and comprehensiveness of your research including the literature review. (It
should be clear that you spent a great deal of effort on this paper.)
• The extent to which you synthesize the research and offer insights into the case.
• The logical organization, quality of the writing, and overall presentation of the case.

TechWatch - The TechWatch submission consists of two steps.

Step 1: Consult several issues of one or more periodicals such as CIO, Government
Technology, The Futurist, Optimize, Computerworld, Technology Review, Government
Computing, or Science. Using them as your starting point, develop four one-half-page
descriptions of IT innovations that have the potential to significantly alter society over
the next twenty years. This is due during Week 11. Be sure to e-mail this deliverable
to me as text pasted into a mail message via WebCT.

Step 2: For the second step, interweave your collection of innovations into a two- or
three-page scenario of our world in twenty years and the potential effect on how
public organizations operate. This is due during Week 15. Be sure to e-mail this
deliverable to me pasted into a mail message.
Grade: Threaded Discussions (8) 24%
Case Study 30%
Portfolio (2) 26%
TechWatch 20%
100%
Instructor Availability
You can contact me in a number of ways:
§ E-mail is likely our best method of communication. Please use WebCT to
contact me. I will generally respond to e-mail within 48 hours.
 § My mailing address is:
Dr. Wendy L. Hassett
5289 Golden Sedge Place
Auburn, AL 36830
§ You can also call me at the numbers on the first page of this syllabus.

Timeliness
LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A DEDUCTION OF TEN PERCENTAGE POINTS FOR
EACH WEEK OR PORTION THEREOF FOLLOWING THE DUE DATE. Exceptions may
include a mutually agreed arrangement made in advance or bona fide emergencies (be prepared
to supply documentation). Review the schedule at outlined in this syllabus. If there are conflicts,
please discuss them with me ASAP. And, please let me know is something major happens
during the semester that could interfere with your submitting class assignments on time (death
in family, loss of job, etc.)

Schedule, Calendar, and Assignments

The weeks on this syllabus run from a Monday morning through midnight the following Sunday.
All assignments are due during the week, with submission no later than midnight on Sunday,
Central Time.

Course Schedule
Week Topic
1 Introduction Reminder …these should be completed between August 22 – 28.
Assignment: Test your e-mail linkage to me by sending me a test
message through WebCT. Begin reading assignments for Week 2 so
that you will be able to post the Week 2 Threaded Discussion beginning
Monday.

Threaded discussion: Write a brief professional biography

(approximately 50 words) to introduce yourself to the class.
The first threaded discussion posting during Week 1 is mandatory,
but does not count as one of your graded postings.

2 Information Technology in Public Organizations

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 1: pp. 15-37 & review Glossary: pp. 228-232.

Garson – Chapter IV: The Realities of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

Garson – Chapter VII: Leading Edge Information Technologies and

American Local Governments

Ellen Perlman 2002. “High Tech, Low Tech” pp. 76-80. In Governing: Issues
and Applications from the Front Lines of Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.)
Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Threaded discussion: In your view, why is information technology vital to

public organizations and public leaders? Choose one point from this week’s
readings and argue why you agree with the author.

3 Website Design and Use in the Public Sector

Garson – Chapter XIII: World Wide Web Site Design and Use in Public
 Management

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 12: pp. 115-126

Donald F. Norris and M. Jae Moon 2005. “Advancing E-Government at the

Grassroots: Tortoise or Hare?” Public Administration Review 65(1): 64-75.

Alfred Tat-Kei Ho 2002. “Reinventing Local Governments and the E-

Government Initiative.” Public Administration Review 62(4): 434-444.

Rob Gurwitt 2002. “Behind the Portal” pp. 64-68. In Governing: Issues
and Applications from the Front Lines of Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.)
Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Threaded discussion: Elaborate on two important points from this

week’s readings that stood out to you. Explain why you chose those
things. (Choose concepts that have not already been selected by a
colleague.)
4 E-Government: Benefits and Challenges

Garson - Chapter VI: E-Government: An Overview

James Melitski 2004. “E-Government and Information Technology in the

Public Sector” pp. 649-672. In Public Productivity Handbook, Marc Holzer
and Seok-Hwan Lee (eds.) New York: Marcel Dekker.

Darrell M. West 2004. “E-Government and the Transformation of Service

Delivery and Citizen Attitudes.” Public Administration Review 64(1): 15-27.

Mary M. Brown and Jeffrey L. Brudney 2004. “Achieving Advanced

Electronic Government Services: Opposing Environmental Constraints.”
Public Performance & Management Review 28(1): 96-113.

M. Jae Moon 2002. “The Evolution of E-Government among Municipalities:

Rhetoric or Reality?” Public Administration Review 62(4): 424-433.

Threaded discussion: This week, we will divide the class in half, with
each group addressing a different side of e-government. Relying heavily
on the readings for this week or outside sources…
• Those students whose last name begins with A-L should select
and discuss in some depth one benefit of e-government for public
organizations.
• Those students whose last name begins with M-Z should select
and discuss in some depth one challenge of e-government for
public organizations.
(Choose an issue that has not already been addressed by a colleague.)

5 Information Systems, Productivity, and Seamless Processes

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 11: pp. 106-114

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 13: pp. 127-137

 Barrett and Greene – Chapter 15: pp. 146-153

Garson – Chapter VIII: Information Technology as a Facilitator of Results-

based Management in Government
.
Mary Maureen Brown and Jeffrey L. Brudney 2003. “Learning
Organizations in the Public Sector? A Study of Police Agencies
Employing Information and Technology to Advance Knowledge.” Public
Administration Review 63(1): 30-43.

Case Study Proposal: This week, e-mail me your Case Study

Proposal. Include in the proposal (a) a title, (b) a 2-3 paragraph
abstract/summary identifying and describing your chosen public
organization or organizational unit as well its associated IT-related topic,
(c) a brief tentative bibliography consisting of at least 10 sources, and (d)
a brief discussion of how the project fits into one of the three categories
described in the syllabus. Be sure to include your last name in the subject
line.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely

6 New Software, Hardware, and Communication Technologies

Garson – Chapter IX: Computer Tools for Better Public Sector

Management

Ellen Perlman 2002. “Technotrouble” pp. 72-75. In Governing: Issues

and Applications from the Front Lines of Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.)
Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Threaded discussion POSTING: During this week, you should

research one hardware or software issue related to information
technology or electronic communication and develop a summary of its
significance to share with the class. In your posting, share with the class
its functions, how it might assist/improve government, a couple of its
major vendors, its limitations, some implementation issues, and whatever
else is necessary to give the class a good idea of the nature of this
technology and how it might be usefully employed by a governmental
organization.

Some examples include: Java, E-Learning, Web Management, Geographic

Information Systems, Active X, digital signatures and other security-related
software, E-911 and 411, Storage Area Networks, XML, technologies involving
integration of communication/phone systems, customer relation
management, various anti-spam and anti-virus software and hardware
technologies, telework, Services-Oriented Development of Applications
(SODA).

We will be learning from each other this week. You should not respond to what others
post.
7 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Policy Environments

Garson – Chapter XI: Geographic Information Systems in the Public

Sector

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 14: pp. 138-145

Threaded discussion: Offer the class a personal example of how GIS

has been used to inform a policy decision. What important lessons can
we learn from your example? (If you do not have a personal example,
research one from a technology-based magazine or a newspaper.)

8 FIRST PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION DUE

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely

9 Organizational Structure, Customer Service, and the Information

Technology Function

Garson – Chapter II: Politics, Accountability, and Governmental

Information Systems

Barrett and Greene – Ch 4 & 5: pp. 38-54

Threaded discussion: Choose one of the following two questions to

address:

1. How do you see the placement of the information technology

function in the organizational hierarchy impacting how IT
functions?

2. In your view, how can (or does) management influence the

nature of computing in public agencies?

10 IT Staffing

Barrett and Greene – Ch 9 & 10: pp. 88-105

Threaded discussion: Based on the readings, share with the class your
thoughts on some aspect of or a particular challenge faced by public
managers in addressing the staffing of the IT function. You are
encouraged to use examples from your personal experiences, the case
study work for this class, your work on the TechWatch assignment, or
other research you have done. Also, be sure to incorporate this week’s
readings in your posting.

11 Information Systems: Privacy, Stewardship, and Politics

TechWatch Assignment (step 1): E-mail Dr. Hassett your half-page

descriptions of IT innovations. Cut and paste those in an e-mail message
sent via WebCT.
 Garson – Chapter V: Mediating the Tension between Information Privacy
and Information Access

Garson – Chapter XII: Electronic Mail in the Public Workplace: Issues of

Privacy and Public Disclosure

Scott Neal, 2005. “What about those Blogs?” Public Management 87(5):
18-21.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely

12 Information Technology Case Study Draft Week

Case Study Draft. Send the draft of your Case Study to the two students
whose last names follow yours alphabetically. Be sure to use the WebCT
private mail to send your case study directly these colleagues.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – Use this week of class to work

on the following:
1. Read your counterparts’ draft case studies
2. Begin composing the critiques of your counterparts’ case studies that
will be sent back to them next week
3. Revise your case study based on the feedback you receive

13 Information Technology Case Study Critique Week

Case Study Critique. Send your critiques directly to the authors of the
case studies you received; use the WebCT private mail to send your
critiques directly to the authors. Do not copy me on your critiques, but
please let me know if you do not receive your two critiques on your work
by midnight on Sunday.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely

14 Conclusion

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 7: pp. 65-74

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 16: pp. 154-170

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 17: pp. 171-174

Threaded discussion: For this week’s discussion, we will divide the

class in thirds.

Relying heavily on the readings this semester, make a posting and

discuss among your sub-group…

Those students whose last name begins with A-H should discuss
Factors contributing to the success of information systems to
inform policy
 Those students whose last name begins with I-P should discuss
Chief limitations and danger areas of information systems to
inform policy
Those students whose last name begins with Q-Z should discuss
How the "environment" of public sector agencies influences
information systems

15 Final Submissions Due

FINAL PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION DUE

Case Study Report. Paste the text of your final Case Study report into an
e-mail message to Dr. Hassett via WebCT. In the subject line, list your
last name. Please refer to the Case Study section of this syllabus for
other submission details.

TechWatch Assignment (step 2): E-mail Dr. Hassett your two- or three-
page scenario of our world in twenty years and the potential effect on how
public organizations operate. Be sure to send this deliverable pasted into
an e-mail message through WebCT.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely