URB 601 - Urban Public Management (3 Credits)

Prerequisite: None
This course examines the scope and range of urban public management, with the aim of defining and evaluating how services are delivered through local government and nonprofit agencies. The focus will be on government managers, public-sector employees, and public-sector unions. Topics will include the difficulties of providing human services through street level bureaucracies, theories and styles of leadership, strategies for making organizational change, and how to achieve innovation in government and the nonprofit sector. These subjects will be considered in both an historical and contemporary context, with special emphasis on the effect of the political climate on the management of public organizations. Using a case-study approach, students will learn what public managers actually do and will analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of differing practices in leadership and decision-making. Through case simulations, they will develop decision-making skills necessary for working effectively in public agencies, government departments, and nonprofit organizations.

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