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PA 5318

INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN POLICY ENVIRONMENTS


Spring 2006

Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Dr. Wendy L. Hassett
Email: directly through the mail icon on
our WebCT course homepage or wendy.hassett@utdallas.edu

Phone: (214) 912-5582 or (334) 737-1783

Information systems and communications technology have increasingly changed how


governmental organizations operate. This course explores the impact of information technology
and other forms of technology on government management, decision making, and public policy.
This course will examine, from a public administration perspective,
• processes and challenges encountered when implementing and using information systems
in public organizational settings

• how information systems can be used to inform policy decisions

• politics and policies surrounding the use of technology in public settings

• how technology can impact public productivity

• trends and implications of evolving technology for public sector organizations.

The topics presented in this course are essential knowledge for contemporary public
managers and will be presented in the context of real-world application.

Required Texts:

G. David Garson 2003. Public Information Technology: Policy and Management Issues. Hershey,
PA: Idea Group. ISBN: 1-59140-060-0

Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene 2001. Powering Up: How Public Managers Can Take
Control of Information Technology. Washington, DC: CQ Press. ISBN: 1-56802-575-0

Packet of readings available from the off-campus bookstore.

Course Requirements
Portfolio- Each student should build his/her portfolio in conjunction with the weekly class
assignments and readings. The portfolio will have a three-fold purpose: (1.) upon completion, it
can serve as a reference for future research; (2.) it can serve as a handy source of information
covered in this course as you move into various roles in the public sector; and (3.) during the
course, it will assist you in thinking through and assimilating the readings as a precursor to your
weekly Threaded Discussion postings explained in the next section. Each week, each student
should make the following postings to his/her portfolio:

1.) Reading Summaries: Each component of the weekly reading assignment should be
cited and summarized. (It is not necessary to summarize each paragraph of the
reading.) This summary should consist of just a few paragraphs and should include a
short description of the key points and the author’s major argument(s).
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• Do not combine summaries of readings by multiple authors into one


paragraph. Each reading component should be broken out
separately.
• Each reading component should be identified clearly by a
proper citation as used in peer reviewed academic journals.
2.) Concept Synthesis: After completion of all the readings assigned for the week,
each student should compose one or two paragraphs that examine applications,
costs, and/or benefits of the topic examined. This brief composition should
synthesize the major concepts of all the week’s readings. How do the readings
relate to each other? Be sure to label this section of your portfolio clearly.
Portfolio grades will be based on a demonstration that the student has read and comprehends the
assigned readings. Proper referencing and academic form should be used. Students are
encouraged to supplement weekly portfolio entries with other relevant articles. The Portfolio will be
turned in two times over the course of the semester. Students are encouraged to keep up with their
portfolio assignments weekly so it does not become a burden right before it is due.

Threaded Discussions- Learning, like almost everything, is more enjoyable when it is a shared
experience. Threaded discussions are a way to provide a way for us to share this learning
experience together.

The threaded discussions work this way: A discussion question is posted for each week that it is
due. During the Threaded Discussion weeks, you are expected to participate in the discussions
that occur there. The active and consistent involvement of each student is expected throughout
the semester. Each student should make one “main” posting addressing the weekly
question AND have at least one other posting demonstrating they are engaged in the
discussion as it occurs. Weekly postings can begin as early as Monday morning and continue
until midnight on Sunday. If a posting is made within ten minutes after the deadline, there will be a
one point deduction for each minute after midnight. Postings made after 12:10 am will be given a
grade of 0. It is crucial that each student stays up to date on the readings in order to get his/her
posting completed on time. I will post some final comments and thoughts after all students have
submitted their comments.

Each student’s participation grade will be a function of her/his contribution to the threaded
discussion. Each student is expected to participate in all of the threaded discussions.
The first threaded discussion posting during Week 1 does not count as one of your
graded postings. A discussion question is posted for each week that threaded discussion is
due.
When posting a response, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. For all discussion threads, students should be careful to respond to all aspects of the
original question(s). There are two formats we will use: general discussions and posts.

• For general DISCUSSION, do not pretend you are in a vacuum. Acknowledge and
react to what others have already said. Students are encouraged to support or
take issue with points raised by other students.
• For DISCUSSION POSTS, students are encouraged to read other posts, but
should compose an answer independent of what others have said. Do not rely on
what others have said for your answer.
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2. Similar to the discourse in seminar classes, I am looking for substantive contributions.


Participants are expected to have read the material in advance of their postings so they
can share insightful comments, criticism, and perspectives with the class. Some
students may find it useful to compose the posting in a Word document to facilitate
editing prior to making the actual posting via WebCT. Be sure to include in your
posting specific references to the assigned readings and lecture to
demonstrate your grasp of the concepts. In other words, you should
demonstrate that you have read and digested the assigned materials.

3. Quality of the posting is more important than quantity. Two to four paragraphs should
be sufficient to get your point across. The posting should include a descriptive and
appropriate phrase in the “Subject” field. This will help to organize the discussion.

4. You are expected to be involved in the discussion throughout the week. You should
visit the discussion several times each week to keep up with the discussion taking
place. Making one post is not adequate to receive full credit. Each student should
make one “main” posting addressing the weekly question AND have at least one other
posting demonstrating they are engaged in the discussion as it occurs. A helpful
hint: If someone makes reference to your contribution or takes issue with something
you have stated, you will want to respond before the time has elapsed for the week.
If you do not respond, it is obvious that you are not checking back on the threaded
discussion as it develops.

5. Since the threaded discussions are our class discussions, the same rules apply as in
class. In general, these include the following: become engaged in class discussion, be
honest, don’t posture, be respectful, and don’t ramble. In addition, each participant is
expected to employ all conventions of good English composition, including, but not
limited to capitalization, grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and referencing.

6. During discussions, there may be professional disagreement. Do not make


discussions personal. A fundamental premise underlying both academic freedom and
public administration is respect for the individual. Disagree with respect – not with
contempt.

7. Do not get in a habit of waiting until the end of the discussion to make your posting.
Each student will be expected to make some “early in the week” postings. Grades will
be reflective of when the posts are made.

In grading your weekly threaded discussion contribution, I will look for three (3) things:

1. How well you respond to the specific discussion question


2. How well you integrate the weekly readings/lecture into your answer
3. How well you respond/react to what others say (if required)

• Input that addresses all items well will receive an evaluation of 90 or above (A).
• Input that addresses all items marginally or addresses only two of the three items will
receive an evaluation between 80 and 89 (B).
• Input that addresses the items inadequately or addresses only one of the items will
receive an evaluation of 79 or below (C/D/F).
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Case Study – The purpose of the case study is to expose each student to a real case of
information systems and to apply the issues discussed in the course to an actual organization. The
organization can be a sub-group (such as a department or division) of a larger organization.

For this assignment, each student will prepare a detailed case study of how a public organization
has dealt with some issue or problem with respect to information technology. A public
organization is required. Programs or schools of educational institutions are also acceptable.
Ideas for cases can be found in technology magazines, newspaper articles, or public sector
publications. Students are encouraged to employ open-ended and/or semi-structured interviews
(telephone or e-mail correspondence with key participants is acceptable), as well as documents
and other information to present a detailed case study that informs readers. Interviews should be
properly cited. Literature on IT in public affairs including course readings, as well as other
sources, should be used. The final product should be a 2,000 – 5,000 word report.

The topic of the case study should fall within one of the following broad categories:
• the process of new technology being implemented in an organization (e.g., using
point-of-sale technology in the food stamp program administered by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture)

• how a major IT system (e.g., financial software, GIS system, etc.) played a key role
in the development of a significant public policy at the local or state level (e.g., the
introduction of automated cameras at intersections to enforce the running of red
lights)

• the impact of technology in a governmental setting (e.g., re-skilling law


enforcement officials so they can employ crime detection technology effectively)
Guidelines for writing the case study: The following are suggested guidelines for writing
the case study. Each sub-section should be clearly identified. Students are urged
to use this structure, but may add other sections that are relevant.

1) Introduction: Describe the organization and the IT project. What is the nature of
the project? Why was it undertaken? How is it new or innovative to the
organization? Be sure to explain all concepts and terminology clearly so an
observer from outside the organization would have no problem understanding the
discussion.

2) Relationship to Organization: What departments/divisions were involved in the


project? Who was in charge of the project? What was the role of the IT staff?
How does the project relate to the organization's existing systems (software and
hardware)? Discuss how this system was expected to help the organization.
(Perhaps expectations were different throughout the organization.)

3) Description and Documentation: Provide a complete, easy-to-understand


description of the project in chronological order. This section should begin with its
inception. This would include, for example, the bid/Request for Proposals (RFP)
process, training, all stages of implementation, and any program evaluation efforts.

4) Organizational Impact: Provide a thorough description and discussion of the


outcome of the project (observable and unobservable) to demonstrate the impact
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of the IT project on the organization. Did it achieve all that was hoped for?
(Interviews and/or newspaper articles will be particularly helpful here.)

5) Analysis: Analyze the case in light of current research. This section should
reference academic literature including our course readings, outside readings, and
interviews (if conducted.) Internal documents from the organization, if available,
are strongly suggested.

6) Lessons Learned: Discuss what lessons you learned from studying the case including
the problems the organization encountered. If you went back in time and were charged with
heading up the project, what would you have done differently? What would you have done
the same? How did the case relate to the material in this course?
This assignment has three stages. Each stage is required to receive full credit for this deliverable.
Stage One: The Proposal. Send your case proposal to me during Week 4.
Include in the proposal (a) a title, (b) a 2-3 paragraph abstract/summary identifying
and describing your chosen public organization or organizational unit as well its
associated IT-related topic, (c) a brief tentative bibliography consisting of at least
10 sources, (d) identification of which one of the three categories described above
you chose to explore, and (e) a brief discussion of how the project fits the chosen
category.

Stage Two: The Draft. During Week 12, you will circulate a draft of your report
to two class members for their review and comment. In Week 13, you will send
your critiques of the drafts you receive for those authors to use; use WebCT
private mail to send your critiques directly to the authors. You do not need to
copy me on your critiques, but please let me know if you do not receive your two
critiques on your work. This process will give you the opportunity to
professionally critique the work of others and to revise your work based on
suggestions of your colleagues (a time-honored technique used in the peer-
review process of academic journals). In addition, it will expose you to two
interesting case studies in this subject.

Stage Three: The Report. During Week 15, e-mail your final report to me via
WebCT mail. Please do not send me an attachment. Simply copy the
body of the text into a mail message sent via WebCT. Be sure to include the
title, your name, the abstract, and the list of references.
The criteria used to judge case studies will heavily depend on the following:

• The extent and comprehensiveness of your research including the literature review. (It
should be clear that you spent a great deal of effort on this paper.)
• The extent to which you synthesize the research and offer insights into the case.
• The logical organization, quality of the writing, and overall presentation of the case.
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TechWatch - The TechWatch submission consists of two parts.


Part 1: Consult several issues of one or more periodicals such as CIO, CIO Insight,
Government Technology, The Futurist, Optimize, Computerworld, Government
Computer News, Technology Review, Government Computing, or Science. Using the
articles you chose as your starting point, address the following:

- Develop four one-half-page descriptions of IT innovations that have the potential


to significantly alter society over the next twenty years. Describe what the
innovation is, when it emerged, how it works, its benefits, and draw-backs. Begin
each of the descriptions with a proper citation of the article you used followed by
the “title” of the innovation you will be describing. Do not use acronyms.

- Interweave your collection of chosen innovations into a 1200-2000 word essay


describing our world in twenty years and the potential effects on (1) how public
organizations operate; (2) impacts of the technology for existing policy; and (3) the
need for new public policies to address any concerns introduced by the new
technologies. You must build into this analysis each of the four IT innovations you
identified in Part 1. Be sure to properly cite the articles in the body of the text and
include your references at the end of the essay.

To submit this deliverable, post your work in the appropriate learning module.

Part 2: E-mail Dr. Hassett a 1200-2000 word essay analyzing the technological issue
that will be released via the website only during the week it is due. This analysis will
request that students examine an emerging technology in a policy context. This
deliverable should be pasted into an e-mail message sent directly to Dr. Hassett through
WebCT.

Grade: Threaded Discussions (5) 3 points each 15%


Case Study 25%
Portfolio (2) 30%
TechWatch (15 points for each part) 30%
100%*
* One of the unique features of on-line courses taught through WebCT is that the instructor is able
to see how often individual students log in, what they access/download/view, how long they are
on the course site, etc. It is expected that students will keep up with viewing the lectures each
week throughout the semester and will access the additional readings available on the course
website. At random points during the semester, an “audit” will be conducted to assess the status
of students in the class to ensure that everyone is up-to-date. An audit will also be conducted
prior to posting final course grades. The instructor retains the right to adjust the final course
grade for failure to access required course readings and/or lectures.

Instructor Availability
You can contact me in a number of ways:
§ E-mail is likely our best method of communication. Please use WebCT to contact
me. I will generally respond to e-mail within 48 hours.
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§ My mailing address is:


Dr. Wendy L. Hassett
5289 Golden Sedge Place
Auburn, AL 36830
§ You can also call me at the numbers on the first page of this syllabus.
Timeliness
Threaded discussion postings should be made during the week they are due. If a posting is made
within ten minutes after the deadline, there will be a one point deduction for each minute after
midnight. Postings made after 12:10 am will be given a grade of 0. ALL OTHER LATE
ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A DEDUCTION OF TEN PERCENTAGE POINTS FOR EACH
WEEK OR PORTION THEREOF FOLLOWING THE DUE DATE. Exceptions may include a
mutually agreed arrangement made in advance or bona fide emergencies (be prepared to supply
documentation). Review the schedule outlined in this syllabus. If there are conflicts, please discuss
them with me ASAP. And, please let me know is something significant happens to you during the
semester that could interfere with your submitting class assignments on time (death in family, loss of
job, etc.)

Schedule, Calendar, and Assignments


The weeks on this syllabus run from a Monday morning through midnight the following Sunday. All
assignments are due during the week, with submission no later than midnight on Sunday, Central
Time.
Course Schedule
Week Topic
1 Introduction Reminder …these should be completed between January 9 - 15.

Assignments:
• Test your e-mail linkage by sending me a test message through the
WebCT “Mail” feature.
• Begin reading assignments for Week 2 so that you will be able to
post the Week 2 Threaded Discussion beginning Monday.

Threaded discussion POST: Post to the Threaded Discussion for Week 1 a


brief professional biography (approximately 50 words) to introduce yourself to
the class. The first threaded discussion posting during Week 1 is
mandatory, but does not count as one of your graded postings.

2 Information Technology in Public Organizations

Barrett and Greene – pp. 15-28 & review Glossary: pp. 228-232.

Garson – Chapter IV: The Realities of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

Garson – Chapter VII: Leading Edge Information Technologies and


American Local Governments

Ellen Perlman 2002. “High Tech, Low Tech” pp. 76-80. In Governing: Issues
and Applications from the Front Lines of Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.)
Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Threaded discussion: Share with the class one point from this week’s
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readings that stood out to you. Your comments should focus on the importance
of information technology to public organizations and public leaders.

3 Website Design and Use & E-Government

Garson – Chapter XIII: World Wide Web Site Design and Use in Public
Management

Garson - Chapter VI: E-Government: An Overview

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 12: pp. 115-126

Rob Gurwitt 2002. “Behind the Portal” pp. 64-68. In Governing: Issues
and Applications from the Front Lines of Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.)
Washington, DC: CQ Press.

James K. Scott 2005. “Assessing the Quality of Municipal Government


Web Sites.” State and Local Government Review 37(2): 151-165.

James Melitski 2004. “E-Government and Information Technology in the


Public Sector” pp. 649-672. In Public Productivity Handbook, Marc Holzer
and Seok-Hwan Lee (eds.) New York: Marcel Dekker.

ICMA E-Government – What Citizens Want


(Find this reading on our course website under “Week 3”).

Recommended:

Mary M. Brown and Jeffrey L. Brudney 2004. “Achieving Advanced


Electronic Government Services: Opposing Environmental
Constraints.” Public Performance & Management Review 28(1): 96-
113.

Donald F. Norris and M. Jae Moon 2005. “Advancing E-Government at


the Grassroots: Tortoise or Hare?” Public Administration Review
65(1): 64-75.

M. Jae Moon 2002. “The Evolution of E-Government among


Municipalities: Rhetoric or Reality?” Public Administration Review
62(4): 424-433.

Alfred Tat-Kei Ho 2002. “Reinventing Local Governments and the


E-Government Initiative.” Public Administration Review 62(4): 434-
444.

Threaded discussion: This week, we will divide the class in half, with
each group addressing a different side of e-government. Relying heavily
on the readings for this week…
• Those students whose last name begins with A-L should select and
discuss in some depth one benefit of e-government for public
organizations.
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• Those students whose last name begins with M-Z should select and
discuss in some depth one challenge of e-government for public
organizations.
(Choose an issue that has not already been addressed by a colleague.)

4 Information Systems, Productivity, and Seamless Processes

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 11: pp. 106-114

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 13: pp. 127-137

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 15: pp. 146-153

Garson – Chapter VIII: Information Technology as a Facilitator of Results-


based Management in Government
.
What States Can Do to Improve Government Efficiency and Service
Delivery (Find this reading on our course website under the “Week 4” icon)

Recommended:

Mary Maureen Brown and Jeffrey L. Brudney 2003. “Learning


Organizations in the Public Sector? A Study of Police Agencies Employing
Information and Technology to Advance Knowledge.” Public Administration
Review 63(1): 30-43.

Case Study Proposal: This week, send me your Case Study Proposal.
Be sure to review the details of this submission in this Syllabus prior to
submitting it.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely

5 New Software, Hardware, and Communication Technologies

Garson – Chapter IX: Computer Tools for Better Public Sector


Management

Ellen Perlman 2002. “Technotrouble” pp. 72-75. In Governing: Issues and


Applications from the Front Lines of Government, Alan Ehrenhalt (ed.)
Washington, DC: CQ Press.

TechWatch Assignment (Part 1): Submit your essay this week. Be


sure to read all of the essays posted by the class at the end of the
week.
Strongly recommended topics include: Wireless computing (PDAs,
Cell Phones, Laptops, Municipal hot spots, etc.), Convergence (voice,
video, data on the same infrastructure), Java, Web Management, Active X,
digital signatures and other security-related software, E-911 and 411,
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Storage Area Networks, XML,
Municipalities & Wi-Fi, customer relations management software, various
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anti-spam and anti-virus software and hardware technologies, telework,


Services-Oriented Development of Applications (SODA), Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP), Robotics (while somewhat neglected by the
media, significant and recent advances in robotics have brought this
technology in the realm of affordability to the masses), Nanotechnology
(NASA has expanded its research on projects based on manipulation of
atoms and designing molecule-size machines. This discipline is in its
infancy.), biometrics technologies (such as iris recognition), BLOGs and
Podcasts.

6 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Policy Environments

Garson – Chapter XI: Geographic Information Systems in the Public


Sector

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 14: pp. 138-145

Threaded discussion: Offer the class a personal example of how GIS


has been used to inform a policy decision. What important lessons can we
learn from your example? (If you do not have a personal example,
research one from a technology-based magazine or a newspaper.)

7 FIRST PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION DUE (Covering Weeks 1-6)


Copy and paste the text of your Portfolio into a mail message sent to me via our
course website.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely


8 Organizational Structure, Customer Service, and the Information
Technology Function

Garson – Chapter II: Politics, Accountability, and Governmental


Information Systems

Barrett and Greene – Ch 4 & 5: pp. 38-54

M. Jae Moon and Eric W. Welch 2005. “Same Bed, Different Dreams?”
Review of Public Personnel Administration 25(3): 243-264.

Darrell M. West 2004. “E-Government and the Transformation of Service


Delivery and Citizen Attitudes.” Public Administration Review 64(1): 15-27.

Threaded discussion: Using the reading assignments from this week as


your basis, share with the class:
Your perspective on how the placement of the information
technology function in the organizational hierarchy impacts
internal and external customer service.

9 SPRING BREAK
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10 IT Staffing

Barrett and Greene – Ch 9 & 10: pp. 88-105

G. Zhiyong Lan, Lera Riley, and N. Joseph Cayer 2005. “How Can Local
Government Become an Employer of Choice for Technical
Professionals?” Review of Public Personnel Administration 25(3): 225-
242.

GAO Report
(Find this reading on our course website under the “Week 10” icon)
No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely

11 Information Systems: Privacy, Security, Stewardship, and Politics

Garson – Chapter V: Mediating the Tension between Information Privacy


and Information Access

Garson – Chapter XII: Electronic Mail in the Public Workplace: Issues of


Privacy and Public Disclosure

Scott Neal, 2005. “What about those Blogs?” Public Management 87(5):
18-21.

No Threaded Discussion This Week – Use this time to work on


finalizing your Case Study Draft for next week.

12 Information Technology Case Study Draft Week

Case Study Draft. Send the draft of your Case Study to the two students
whose last names follow yours alphabetically. Be sure to use the WebCT
private mail to send your case study directly to these individuals.
No Threaded Discussion This Week – Use this week of class to work
on the following:
1. Read your counterparts’ draft case studies
2. Begin composing the critiques of your counterparts’ case studies that
will be sent back to them next week
3. Revise your case study based on the feedback you receive

13 Information Technology Case Study Critique Week

Case Study Critique. Send your critiques directly to the authors of the
case studies you received; use the WebCT private mail to send your
critiques directly to the authors. Do not copy me on your critiques, but
please let me know if you do not receive your two critiques on your work by
midnight on Sunday.
No Threaded Discussion This Week – use your time wisely
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14 Conclusion

FINAL PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION DUE - Copy and paste the text of your
Portfolio into a mail message sent to Dr. Hassett via WebCT.

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 7: pp. 65-74

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 16: pp. 154-170

Barrett and Greene – Chapter 17: pp. 171-174

Threaded discussion: For this week’s discussion, we will divide the


class in thirds.

Relying heavily on the readings this semester, make a posting and discuss
among your sub-group…

Those students whose last name begins with A-H should discuss
Factors contributing to the success of information systems
to inform policy
Those students whose last name begins with I-P should discuss
Chief limitations and danger areas of information systems to
inform policy
Those students whose last name begins with Q-Z should discuss
How the "environment" of public sector agencies influences
information systems

15 Final Submissions Due

Case Study Report. Paste the text of your final Case Study report into an
e-mail message to Dr. Hassett via WebCT. Please refer to the Case
Study section of this syllabus for other submission details.

TechWatch Assignment (step 2): E-mail Dr. Hassett your analysis of


the technological issue that will be released via the course website during
Week 15 only. Be sure to send this deliverable pasted into an e-mail
message through WebCT.

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