The Administrative Science aims to study public administrations by the methods of empirical sciences. The course introduces the main concepts, methods, approaches and problems concerning the empirical analysis of administrative phenomena. The aim is to provide students with the basic knowledge for the analysis and understanding of the functioning of administrative systems within the framework of contemporary political systems.
teacher profile teaching materials
The first part deals with the introduction of some key concepts to understand administrative behavior (administrative function, structure, process, decision, politics and policy, culture, inter-organizational field). The course investigates public administrations using classifications and typologies. Knowledge coming from relevant case studies and comparative research on administrations. This part deals with some key issues of the administrative science, such as the relationship between political and administrative roles, administrative culture, bureaucratic management and strategic management, control and evaluation. From a political perspective, the analysis of administration is the exam of the relationship between political power and administration. Another important issue is the relationship between politics and the outputs of administrative behavior: the course analyses the role that administrative institutions play in the relationship between politics, interest groups, citizens, and the outputs of policy making.
The second part examines the Italian administrative system and its most recent transformations.
In short, the course examines administration as:
1. institution;
2. organization;
3. arena of power (relations between politics and administration);
4. culture;
5. actor involved in the policy making;
6. actor targeted by administrative reform programs.
- Lippi A., Modelli di amministrazioni pubbliche, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2022.
- Vecchi G., Le politiche amministrative: continuità e discontinuità nei processi di riforma, in Capano e Natalini (a cura di), Le politiche pubbliche in Italia, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2020, pp. 27-41.
- Grilli di Cortona P., Lanza O., Pisciotta B. e Germano L., Capire la politica, Utet, third edition: 2020 (chapters 7, 10, 11).
Programme
The course presents two parts.The first part deals with the introduction of some key concepts to understand administrative behavior (administrative function, structure, process, decision, politics and policy, culture, inter-organizational field). The course investigates public administrations using classifications and typologies. Knowledge coming from relevant case studies and comparative research on administrations. This part deals with some key issues of the administrative science, such as the relationship between political and administrative roles, administrative culture, bureaucratic management and strategic management, control and evaluation. From a political perspective, the analysis of administration is the exam of the relationship between political power and administration. Another important issue is the relationship between politics and the outputs of administrative behavior: the course analyses the role that administrative institutions play in the relationship between politics, interest groups, citizens, and the outputs of policy making.
The second part examines the Italian administrative system and its most recent transformations.
In short, the course examines administration as:
1. institution;
2. organization;
3. arena of power (relations between politics and administration);
4. culture;
5. actor involved in the policy making;
6. actor targeted by administrative reform programs.
Core Documentation
Texts for the exam (a.y. 2022-2023):- Lippi A., Modelli di amministrazioni pubbliche, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2022.
- Vecchi G., Le politiche amministrative: continuità e discontinuità nei processi di riforma, in Capano e Natalini (a cura di), Le politiche pubbliche in Italia, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2020, pp. 27-41.
- Grilli di Cortona P., Lanza O., Pisciotta B. e Germano L., Capire la politica, Utet, third edition: 2020 (chapters 7, 10, 11).
Reference Bibliography
M. Crozier, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon, Chicago University Press, Chicago (1964), trad.it.: Il fenomeno burocratico, Etas Kompass, Milano, 1969. M. Crozier e E. Friedberg, L’acteur et le systèm (1977), trad.it.: Attore e sistema sociale, Etas Kompass, Milano, 1978. B. Dente, voce Amministrazione pubblica, Il Dizionario di politica. M. Ferrante e S. Zan, Il fenomeno organizzativo, Nuova Italia Scientifica, Roma, 1994. G. Freddi, Vincoli storico strutturali sulle prestazioni delle burocrazie legali-razionali, in “Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica”, 2/1982. A. Gouldner, Patterns of Industrial Bureaucracy, N.Y. Free Press (1954), trad.it.: Modelli di burocrazia aziendale, Milano, Etas Kompass, 1970. T.J. Lowi, Four Systems of Policy, Politics and Choice. In “Public Administration Review”, 33, 1972; trad.it. Politiche pubbliche, case studies e teoria politica, in T.J. Lowi, La scienza delle politiche, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1999. G. Poggi, La vicenda dello Stato moderno, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1978. Ph. Selznick, TVA and the Grass Roots, University of California Press, Berkeley, trad.it.: Pianificazione regionale e partecipazione democratica. Il caso Tennessee Valley Authority, Angeli, Milano, 1974. H. Simon, Administrative Behaviour, Macmillan, London, 1957, trad.it.: Il comportamento amministrativo, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1958. M. Stoppino, Potere ed élites politiche, in L’analisi della politica, a cura di A. Panebianco. Il Mulino, Bologna, 1989. M. Weber, Economia e società (1922), trad.it. Milano, Edizioni Comunità.Type of delivery of the course
Lessons are oral: all the topics of Administrative Science are exposed and illustrated. The theoretical and analytical knowledge is reconstructed, and the results of empirical research are presented. Interactions with the attending students are always solicited, in order to make the lessons more effective and to improve the learning. We inform you that, if it will be an extension of the health emergency COVID-19, all the rules that regulate the methods of carrying out the teaching activities and students' assessment will be implemented. Regarding the course, the lessons will take place by the Microsoft Teams platform.Attendance
Lessons are oral: all the topics of Administrative Science are exposed and illustrated. The theoretical and analytical knowledge is reconstructed, and the results of empirical research are presented. Interactions with the attending students are always solicited, in order to make the lessons more effective and to improve the learning. We inform you that, if it will be an extension of the health emergency COVID-19, all the rules that regulate the methods of carrying out the teaching activities and students' assessment will be implemented. Regarding the course, the lessons will take place by the Microsoft Teams platform.Type of evaluation
The exam is oral. The exam verifies the acquisition of the elements of the political science and organizational theory applied to administrations. Specially, it evaluates the ability to interpret four phenomena: 1. results of organizational theory applied to the public administrations; 2. the relationship between administration and political power; 3. the role of administrations as actors of the policy-making; 4. properties of the Italian administrative system and administrative reforms in progress.