Public Administration Papers Topic : Administrative Thought

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Online Course

Public Administration Papers Topic : Administrative Thought

In what respects is Taylor's 'Scientific Management' or classical motivational theory different from the classical organizational theory expounded by Gulick,Urwick etc? (15 marks 2012)
What light does Antonio Gramsci's critique of Taylorism throw on its socio - psychological underpinnings? (15 marks 2012)
'In the canonization of this abstract idea of 'StaatSraison' are inseparably woven the sure instincts of the bureaucracy for the conditions which preserve its own power in the State' [Weber). Explain. (12 marks 2012)
"Taylor's contribution was not a set of general principles for organising work efficiency, but a set of operating procedures that could be employed in each concrete situation to secure their application." (20 marks 2009)
"Taylor's scientific management ignored social and psychological factors." Comment. (20 marks 2007)
Weber's ideas of impersonal detachment and esprit de corps are incompatible. Explain. (60 marks2004)
"Weberian model of bureaucracy lacks empirical validity when applied to modern democratic administration." Examine. (20 marks 2003)
Consider the statements below: (i) "Technically, the bureaucracy represents the purest type of legal-rational authority."; (ii) "Bureaucracy does not represent the only type of legal authority." Identify the theoretical context and analyse the above statements. (30 marks 2009)
"Bureaucracy can exist only where the whole service of the state is removed. from the common political life of the people; its chiefs as well as rank and file. Its motives, its objectives, its. policy, its standards must be bureaucratic." - Discuss. (20 marks 2004)
Explain the 'Peter Principle' in respect of promotion policy in a hierarchical organisation. (20 marks 2010)
Discuss the main approaches to increase the efficiency of government and public administration. (60 marks 2006)
Critically examine the Classical Science of Administration with special reference to its criticism by Dwight Waldo and Robert Dahl. (60 marks 2006)
"The failure of classical science of administration lies in its capacity to confront theory with evidence." Discuss. (20 marks 2005)
Critically examine conflict resolution according to M. P. Follett. Explain how McGregor took forward her ideas to the context of complex organizations. (30 marks 2011)
"Mary Parker Follett was far ahead of her times." Discuss. (20 marks 2008)
"The main problem with Mary Parker Follett's work is that her idealism is showing". Explain. (20 marks 2006)
In Follett's view, "authority belongs to the job and stays with the job." Explain. (20 marks 2005)
To what extent has the human relations movement contributed to the knowledge and. practice within the field of personnel administration? (60 marks 2006)
"The Barnard - Simon Theory of Organisation is essentially a theory of motivation." Comment. (20 marks 2009)
"Organisation is a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces of two or more persons." Comment. (20 marks 2005)
'Three features characterize Simon's original view of bounded rationality : search for alternatives, satisfying, and aspiration adaptation.' Elucidate. (20 marks 2012)
"Simon's identifying decision - making as the core field of public administration appears logically acceptable but his positivist underpinning is problematic." Critically examine the statement. (40 marks 2010)
"Simon's work has had major implications for the study of public administration and the practice of public administration professionalism." Comment. (20 marks 2006)
"In McGregor's view, the managerial cosmology meaningfully addresses the understanding of manager and his role perceptions." Explain. (20 marks 2010)
'The successful management leaders are found in Likert's 'System - 4' approach to organisational leadership." Examine. (20 marks 2010)
Analyse McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y. Do you agree with the view that with every passing year, McGregor's message has become more relevant and more important ? Substantiate your answer. (60 marks 2007)
The theory of organizational incompetence has two separate and distinct faces. Examine Chris Argyris’ views on this. (10 marks, 2013)
In the globalized Public Administration, hierarchy creates more ethical problems than it solves. Comment (10 marks, 2013)
“The design of physical structures, the anatomy of the organization came first, and was indeed the principle consideration.” “An organization is a system of interrelated social behaviors of participants” Analyses these statements and evaluate the contribution of the respective approach to Administrative theory. (25 marks, 2013)
Decisions are not made by organizations, but by human beings behaving as the members of organizations. How do Bernard and Herbert A. Simon conceptualize the relation between decision of the individual employee and the organizational authority? (20 marks, 2013)
What is the nature of psychological contract pursued by organizational management through authority and employees through exertion of upward influence? (15 marks, 2013)
Structure theory is by and large, grounded in classical principles of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. (25 marks, 2013)
“Adaptive, problem-solving, temporary systems of diverse specialists, linked together by coordinating executives in an organic flux – this is the original form that will gradually replace bureaucracy.” Discuss, in the light of this statement, the ‘end of bureaucracy’ thesis and its strengths and limitations. (10 marks, 2014)
“Taylor’s ideas need modification in the context of post-industrial economies in contemporary era.” Justify with reasons. (15 marks, 2014)
“The notion of informal organization is a residual of cafeteria concept of diverse and sprawling contents.” How does Gouldner establish the need for understanding the inter digitations between the ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ organization? (15 marks, 2014)
“Contemporary Organisational theory seems further afield of Chester Barnard’s Functions of the Executive than of organisational ecology.” Examine the statement in the light of ecological elements in Barnard’s thought. (15 marks, 2015)
“Follett’s work was not directed towards the resolution of the conflict of ideas, but towards the resolution of structural conflicts between workers and capitalists.” In the light of the statement critically evaluate Follett’s idea of dynamic administration. (20 marks, 2015)
“Weberian model of bureaucracy lacks emotional validity when applied to modern democratic administration.” Comment. (15 marks, 2015)
“Taylorism is considered very controversial despite its popularity.” (Stephen P. Waring) Comment. (10 marks, 2016)
“Bureau-Shaping Model has been developed as a response to the Budget-Maximizing Model.” (15 marks, 2016)
“What is distinctive about the Classical and Human Relations Schools of thought administration is their complementarity to each other “. Analyse (10 marks, 2017)
“Conflict is the appearance of differences –the difference of opinion and of interest”. (Mary Parker Follet). Comment(10 marks, 2017)
“Executive position imply a complex morality and require a high capacity of responsibility” – (Chester Bernand). Comment (15 marks, 2017)
"The concepts of rationality and efficiency are intertwined in the bureaucratic analysis of Max Weber." Comment. (10 marks, 2018)
Dwight Waldo in his book, The Administrative State emphatically mentions that the roots of administrative theory lie in political theory. Critically examine Waldo's contention. (20 marks, 2018)
“Bureau pathology denigrates competence in organization.” Explain. (10 Marks,2019)
Mary Parker Follett traced the foundational value of business and enterprise on her way to understand the organism of governmental machinery. Comment. (15 Marks,2019)
Principles of analysis and principles of action were not differentiated in Taylor's scientific management. Comment.(10 Marks,2020)
Administrative man bridges the psychological man and the rational man. Explain.(10 Marks,2020)
"Organizations of the future will be organic-adaptive structures but temporary systems." Discuss how Warren Bennis characterizes the new form of organization.(15 Marks,2020)
"Productivity is not the result of working conditions but the result of emotional response of workers to work performed." Are Elton Mayo's findings relevant in contemporary organizations? (15 Marks,2020)
Performance information use is a form of organizational behaviour that is influenced by individual job, organizational and environmental factors." Critically analyse. (20 Marks,2020)