Apr. 25 Conclusions Building the Virtual State-- Related to selected articles [Note: Fountain...
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Transcript of Apr. 25 Conclusions Building the Virtual State-- Related to selected articles [Note: Fountain...
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Apr. 25 Conclusions Building the Virtual State--Related to selected articles
[Note: Fountain divides her concluding discussion among three issues: (1) contributions of her study to institutional theory, (2) practical implications for public management…, and 3) technology enactment as state-building. (p. 193) Our focus is mainly on the second.
Contributions of her study to institutional theory [This discussion provides a good summary of book’s intent and of the enactment
theory for review—one point made is worth particular discussion:] The NPR encouraged government-wide systems; however, those in agencies
responsible for such functions (chief information officers) were “efficiency-driven,” lacking the institutionally-strategic knowledge base to build network information systems. (p. 197)—need to develop, work “behind the network,” developing the back-channels
• Implications for MPA students???
Practical implications for public management The new “rules of the game” for public managers working with IT in government
• Getting beyond the “what’s in it for me/us” short term mentality• Not using IT to reinforce old organization structures and norms• Need to think seriously about the politics of networks and systems; fights and
conflicts• Understanding the impact of networks on the character of public policy and
governance
Technology enactment as state-building [focus here on the notion of changing institutions and roles of public managers within
them]: Bureaucratic state (Weber) v. ???????? What’s the difference between “government” and “state?”
• How does that impact upon public managers? [think “policy”]
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Apr. 25 Conclusions Building the Virtual State--Related to selected articles
NOTE: Relate pertinent aspects of Fountain’s conclusion (and book as a whole) to the following issues previously covered in class:
Rethinking Thompson and McEwan [note: this article is 50+ years old—how relevant is it today?]
Goal-setting as an interaction process (title)
Goals as dynamic variables (pp. 23-24)
Strategy (p. 28-29)
Development of support (pp. 29-31)
Rethinking Provan and Milward Is P&M’s sense of effectiveness consistent with Fountain’s general
argument? [how or why not?]
What can managers in a network administrative office (restate what that means) learn from the Fountain book/conclusion?
Rethinking Wise Is Wise’s notion of “adaptive management (particularly in the FEMA natural disaster
context) relevant to the Fountain book?— specifics, please.
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Apr. 16 Technology Enactment; Culture
From Wilson, Ch. 6
What’s organization culture: how does it relate to bureaucratic reasoning (satisficing), embeddedness, and enactment?
How is the section on “multiple cultures” pertinent to the fourth type of info. Tech. enactment in figure 6-2?
…the section “Resisting New tasks” to the general issue of technology enactment?
Question: Can a new manager change or culture? Engender a different sense of mission? Implement a new information technology system in the manner it was intended?