Public Management Final Questions
with Correct Answers
Reality of govt. as whole - correct answer balances many conflicting demands, largest single employer,
largest possible clientele (everyone), huge degree of organizational differentiation
Perception of govt as individuals, bureaucracy - correct answer self seeking, formalist, distant,
corruptible, power hungry, follow lead of elected office holders
Reality of govt as individuals and bureaucracy - correct answer proactive, citizen oriented, concerned,
professional, indispensable to politics
Trust in federal govt over time - correct answer steady decline since 1960s, increased slightly from the
90s to early 2000s, currently lowest it has ever been
Stereotype: the citizenry - correct answer voting cattle, public policy too difficult for regular people to
understand
Reality: the citizenry - correct answer limited knowledge about the govt
Stereotype: the citizen - correct answer uninformed, entitlement mentality, uninterested, lack of civic
duty and emphasis on rights
reality: the citizen - correct answer active in interest groups, involved in public affairs relevant to
personal life, emphasis on rights and duties
reactions to distrust in government - correct answer funding cuts (tax revolts), downsizing, national
performance review, performance management iniatives
,challenges to performance based management in govt - correct answer often lack in top leader support
for building a strong performance culture, bureaucracy does not often have authority to improve govt.
performance and results, often have multiple responsibilities like budget and financial issues that result
in performance management getting less attention, hard to fire people
govt. efforts to strengthen accountability - correct answer increase staff positions (Government
Accountability office), contract oversight, use of technology, whistleblower protection
The effective public manager must be - correct answer strategic, flexible, creative, innovative, lifelong
learner, entrepreunerial
3 methods for ensuring effective but honest management - correct answer hold managers accountable
for performance, hold agency chiefs responsible for fair procurement and hiring rules, strengthen
inspector generals and enforcement and empower whistleblowers so that corrupt officials are fired and
jailed
Steps toward effective government - correct answer -creative agile solutions
-communicate realistically about what programs can achieve
-better trained public managers
3 Reasons public organizations exist - correct answer -public interest
-market failures
-redistribution equity concerns
Reason why public orgs exist: public interest - correct answer -maintain individual rights and freedoms
-maintain systems of law, justice
-provide prosperity and stability
reason why public orgs exist: market failures - correct answer -prevent free riding of public goods
-correct info asymmetries
-externalities
-curb monopolies
,Similarities between management in public vs. private sector - correct answer planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, controlling, reporting, budgeting, managing external stakeholders
differences between management in public vs private sectors - correct answer -environmental factors
-organization- environment transactions
-internal structures and processes
Difference between management in public vs private sector: environmental factors - correct answer
market exposures, legal constraints, political influences
Difference between management in public vs private sector: organization-environment transactions -
correct answer coerciveness, breadth of impact, public scrutiny, unique public expecations
Difference between management in public vs private sector: internal structures and processes - correct
answer complexity of objectives, authority relations and role of administrator, org performance,
incentives, personal characteristics of employees
Defining Publicness of an organization - correct answer -orgs are a continuum
-publicness depend on ownership, funding, authority
-private orgs: shareholders, private funds, high economic authority low political authority
-public orgs: public ownership, public funds (donations, taxes), high political authority low economic
authority
Public value (moore) - correct answer -benefit produced outweighs the cost of production
-public managers create this 2 ways: use resources and authority to produce value for stakeholders,
ensure high performing and highly accountable institutions
public values (bozeman) - correct answer -rights, benefits, prerogatives citizens should be/not be
entitled
-obligations of citizens to society, state and one another
-principles on which governments and policies should be based
, challenges with defining public values - correct answer
Challenges of Managing Public Organizations - correct answer -greater goal ambiguity, multiplicity,
conflict
-crisis management
-less decision making autonomy
-weaker authority over subordinates
-tendency to over review
-frequent turnover of high level managers
-more red tape
-greater administrative restraints on pay, promotion
-innovation/entrepreneurship can be more difficult
-greater media scrutiny
-more diverse clientele to cater to
are public and private organizations clear cut in division? - correct answer -no
-publicness is a continuum
-both private and public orgs can have similar goals, functions, structural organizations
-some public orgs are structured to resemble private orgs.
-public and private orgs often very complexly interrelated
Factors that contribute to ineffective public management - correct answer -institutional and legal
framework that can inhibit efficiency and responsiveness
-excessively formal (red tape)
-lack of control over goal setting
-varying definitions of success
-hiding behind ambiguity
-avoiding decisions
with Correct Answers
Reality of govt. as whole - correct answer balances many conflicting demands, largest single employer,
largest possible clientele (everyone), huge degree of organizational differentiation
Perception of govt as individuals, bureaucracy - correct answer self seeking, formalist, distant,
corruptible, power hungry, follow lead of elected office holders
Reality of govt as individuals and bureaucracy - correct answer proactive, citizen oriented, concerned,
professional, indispensable to politics
Trust in federal govt over time - correct answer steady decline since 1960s, increased slightly from the
90s to early 2000s, currently lowest it has ever been
Stereotype: the citizenry - correct answer voting cattle, public policy too difficult for regular people to
understand
Reality: the citizenry - correct answer limited knowledge about the govt
Stereotype: the citizen - correct answer uninformed, entitlement mentality, uninterested, lack of civic
duty and emphasis on rights
reality: the citizen - correct answer active in interest groups, involved in public affairs relevant to
personal life, emphasis on rights and duties
reactions to distrust in government - correct answer funding cuts (tax revolts), downsizing, national
performance review, performance management iniatives
,challenges to performance based management in govt - correct answer often lack in top leader support
for building a strong performance culture, bureaucracy does not often have authority to improve govt.
performance and results, often have multiple responsibilities like budget and financial issues that result
in performance management getting less attention, hard to fire people
govt. efforts to strengthen accountability - correct answer increase staff positions (Government
Accountability office), contract oversight, use of technology, whistleblower protection
The effective public manager must be - correct answer strategic, flexible, creative, innovative, lifelong
learner, entrepreunerial
3 methods for ensuring effective but honest management - correct answer hold managers accountable
for performance, hold agency chiefs responsible for fair procurement and hiring rules, strengthen
inspector generals and enforcement and empower whistleblowers so that corrupt officials are fired and
jailed
Steps toward effective government - correct answer -creative agile solutions
-communicate realistically about what programs can achieve
-better trained public managers
3 Reasons public organizations exist - correct answer -public interest
-market failures
-redistribution equity concerns
Reason why public orgs exist: public interest - correct answer -maintain individual rights and freedoms
-maintain systems of law, justice
-provide prosperity and stability
reason why public orgs exist: market failures - correct answer -prevent free riding of public goods
-correct info asymmetries
-externalities
-curb monopolies
,Similarities between management in public vs. private sector - correct answer planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, controlling, reporting, budgeting, managing external stakeholders
differences between management in public vs private sectors - correct answer -environmental factors
-organization- environment transactions
-internal structures and processes
Difference between management in public vs private sector: environmental factors - correct answer
market exposures, legal constraints, political influences
Difference between management in public vs private sector: organization-environment transactions -
correct answer coerciveness, breadth of impact, public scrutiny, unique public expecations
Difference between management in public vs private sector: internal structures and processes - correct
answer complexity of objectives, authority relations and role of administrator, org performance,
incentives, personal characteristics of employees
Defining Publicness of an organization - correct answer -orgs are a continuum
-publicness depend on ownership, funding, authority
-private orgs: shareholders, private funds, high economic authority low political authority
-public orgs: public ownership, public funds (donations, taxes), high political authority low economic
authority
Public value (moore) - correct answer -benefit produced outweighs the cost of production
-public managers create this 2 ways: use resources and authority to produce value for stakeholders,
ensure high performing and highly accountable institutions
public values (bozeman) - correct answer -rights, benefits, prerogatives citizens should be/not be
entitled
-obligations of citizens to society, state and one another
-principles on which governments and policies should be based
, challenges with defining public values - correct answer
Challenges of Managing Public Organizations - correct answer -greater goal ambiguity, multiplicity,
conflict
-crisis management
-less decision making autonomy
-weaker authority over subordinates
-tendency to over review
-frequent turnover of high level managers
-more red tape
-greater administrative restraints on pay, promotion
-innovation/entrepreneurship can be more difficult
-greater media scrutiny
-more diverse clientele to cater to
are public and private organizations clear cut in division? - correct answer -no
-publicness is a continuum
-both private and public orgs can have similar goals, functions, structural organizations
-some public orgs are structured to resemble private orgs.
-public and private orgs often very complexly interrelated
Factors that contribute to ineffective public management - correct answer -institutional and legal
framework that can inhibit efficiency and responsiveness
-excessively formal (red tape)
-lack of control over goal setting
-varying definitions of success
-hiding behind ambiguity
-avoiding decisions
