MGT C42: Public ManagementSpring Semester 2010

Lecture NotesProfessor Borins

Objectives of the Course

• Understand public sector institutions, processes, changes• Develop skills of effective public managers• Prepare for careers in or dealing with public sector

• Learn from current events:

– 2007 Ontario election, 2008 Canadian and US federal elections

– 2010 federal speech from throne on March 3 and budget on March 4, Ontario budget likely before end of March

– Ontario government in mid-mandate, federal election always possible

Objectives and Arrangements

Role of the public sector, especially in a financial crisis and severe recession

How public management differs from business Outline of classes

Course administrative arrangementsEvaluation and assignmentsTexts and readingsAdmission to course Student information formContacting meSandford Borins Award for top student in course

Roles in Yes Prime Minister

• Sir Humphrey Appleby, Cabinet Secretary• Frank, Permanent Secretary (Deputy Minister) of the

Treasury• Head of the British Tobacco Group (lobbyist)• Prime Minister James Hacker• Bernard, Hacker’s personal secretary, a seconded

public servant (divided loyalty)• Dr. Peter Thorne, Minister of State for Health• Leslie Potts, Minister for Sports• Permanent Secretary for Health

Analyzing Yes Prime Minister

• What are the characters’ objectives (PM, ministers, public servants, lobbyists)?

• What management skills are demonstrated by Hacker, Thorne, and Sir Humphrey ?

• What are the sources of humour?

Theory of Public Choice

• Application of rational self-interest to public sector (politicians, public servants, business and lobbyists)

• Rent-seeking society and bureaucratic budget maximization

• Do you find this theory convincing ?• Is it applicable to behaviour of parties in an

election campaign?

Evolving Public Policy

Minister Thorne’s “radical” agenda (for 1984)• Ban smoking in public places• Ban tobacco advertising and sponsorships• Punitive taxation on tobacco products

Alternative View of the Public Sector

Donna Shalala: former university president, appointed secretary of Health and Human Services in Clinton admin (1993-2001), lecture in honour of Elliott Richardson, a former cabinet secretary

Next Week’s Readings

• Shalala handout• Goldenberg, pp. 386-88• Chretien, pp. 2-3 (on site)• Borins and Blakeney, chapter 7• Goldenberg, chapter 3• Flanagan, pp. 272-3, 288-9 (on site)• Prof. Borins blog posts on federal and US election (

www.sandfordborins.com) last fall

Next Week Student Presentations

2 groups of 3 students (presentations of 10 minutes maximum):Discuss the Conservative Party of Canada (www.conservative.ca

for group 1) and Liberal Party of Canada (www.liberal.ca for group 2) websites in terms of balance between self-advocacy and attack; balance among leader, party, policy; election readiness; scope for citizen initiative; social networking; branding and look and feel; technological sophistication; use of languages (English, French, other); provision for people with disabilities; and privacy protection. Evaluate the site’s effectiveness.