Organization theory is the cornerstone of public administration theory and practice.
To understand public organizations, it is necessary to understand the basic constructs and the application of those constructs in detail. To this end, in this course students will explore fundamental ideas of public organization theory and the application of those ideas. Some of the material will make intuitive sense, some will be difficult to understand or accept. Think about the material and challenge that which doesn't fit with your understanding of the way organizations work. Be ready to back up your beliefs, as others in the class will have different perceptions of organizations and the material being studied.