| CODE | PPL1101 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Decision Making in the Public Service | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Public Policy | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit introduces students to theories of decision-making and the policy / political environmental in which decisions are taken. It will look at and discuss institutions, actors and instruments involved in decision-making. It will seek to convey to students distinctions between authoritative and non-authoritative actors in the decision-making process, between negative, positive and non-decision-making while also classifying decision-making styles. It will also introduce students to the steps of the decision-making process policy formulation, implementation and induction. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to give participants a basic knowledge of decision-making theories while providing a basis for exploring these theories in relation to specific scenarios, such as lack of natural resources, small scale, party politics, decision-making styles and external pressures, notably the EU. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Demonstrate knowledge of the various theories of decision-making that have evolved over the years; - Evaluate implications of these theories; - Assess how socio, economic and political aspects impact on decision-making processes. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Quickly identify decision-making models in operation by decision-makers; - Integrate disparate variables within a policy programme; - Identify the best decision-making model for a particular project; - Identify key actors and their standing in the decision-making process. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main: - J.M. Shafritz, E.W. Russell, C.P. Borick, Introducing Public Administration, 5th Edition, 2007, Pearson Longman. Supplementary: - Thomas R. Dye, Understanding Public Policy, Prantice Hill, 2002. - C. Page & B. Jenkins, Policy Bureaucracy, Sage, 2005. |
|||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Tutorial | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
|||||||||
| LECTURER/S | Amanda Cassar |
|||||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
||||||||||