Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Faculty of Social Sciences

Masters program Management of Business Environment
ORGANISATION OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION
Course Author/Tutor
Type of the Course
Credits
Type of Study
Course level
Study-Year/ Semester
Language
Prerequisites for the
Course
Course Summary

Dr. sc. pol. Visvaldis Valtenbergs

B (restricted choice)
2 credits (3 ECTS)
Full time
Masters
Second
English
Basic knowledge in political science and public administration.

Course Methods
Learning Outcomes

Lectures, individual work, literature studies, group work

After finishing this course students will enhance their:
Understanding of the functions and structure of state administration and local governments
Skills to recognize and analyze public sector policy for different sectors
Understanding of their rights and possibilities to participate in public sector decision
making process

Requirements for
Credits

Timely preparation and submission of all course assignments.

All the assignments should have a positive assessment (at least 4).
Adherence to the ViA Statement of Academic Ethics.
Course attendance
There is zero tolerance for plagiarism. The value of your own articulated thought is highly
appreciated. Students risk plagiarism for pasting of substantial volumes of text from other internet
sources, even if sources are properly referenced.
Students should participate in at least 75% of classes in person or via Skype.
Students arrange Skype sessions themselves.
Final exam
Written assignment (40%)
Issue paper about public policy problem (4 A4) or
Profile of local government (5 A4)
Presentation of written assignment (10%)
Final exam (50%)

Requirements for
course attendance
Examination
Assessment

Class Hours
Meeting the instructor

The objective of the course is to facilitate students understanding about the public sector
state administration and local governments.

Classes are scheduled for Saturdays

Please check lekcijas.va.lv for times and room numbers.
Office hours for Instructor in Spring, 2016 are held in the class room in Valmiera, Csu st. 4. In
order to benefit from group and instructors expertise, students are kindly invited to ask questions
during the class and group work and avoid lengthy e-mails.
To improve the effectiveness of consultations with the instructor students should sign-up before.
The link to sign-up document is: http://bit.ly/bootXz
To sign up, please simply write your name down in Google doc. Keep 15-20 minutes per meeting.
If you are not going to attend, please delete your name from the list asap, so others can fill in your
spot. If you wish to come as a group, please specify this. If you are doing Skype consultations,
please specify this also.

Course Plan
Date
13 Feb

Topic
Course introduction
The role of public sector
The role of the state and models of democratic governance
Public administration reforms and principles of modern public
administration

Assignment
Studies of course syllabus

20 Feb

Political structure and state administration system in Latvia

The principles and systems of local governments

Choosing the topic for written

assignment.
Students define topic of their
issue paper or specify the
municipality of their choice.

12 Mar

Administrative territorial division of Latvia

The functions of local government
Elections and organization of local government .

Consultations with instructor

about the written assignment.

18 Mar

The economic base and finances of local governments

The role of governance in development. Development planning.
Public participation.

Submission of Written
Assignment: April 5.

9 Apr
9 Apr

Presentations of written assignment

Exam

Reading

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Vanags Edvns, Vilka Inga. Pavaldbu darbba un attstba. LU Akadmiskais apgds, LPS,
Rga, 2005
Reionu attstba Latvij 2012. VRAA, 2013.
Reionu attstba Latvij 2011. VRAA, 2012.
Pis Mris. Pau valdba. LPS, Rga, 2010.
The Oxford Handbook of Local and Regional Democracy in Europe. Oxford University
Press, 2011.
Reionu attstba Latvij 2010. VRAA, 2011.
The Role of Regions? Networks, Scale, Territory. Eds. Herrschel Tassilo, Tallberg Pontus.
Kristuanstads Boktryckeri, Sweden, 2011.
Strategic Planning for Local Development. LGI, 2010.
enfelde Maija. Makroekonomika. 3.izdevums. RTU izdevniecba, Rga 2009.
Todaro Michael P. Economic Development. 2009.
Laba prvaldba. Red. Reinholde Iveta, Ozolia anete. Zintne, Rga, 2009.
Blaire John. Local economic development: analysis, practices, and globalization. 2008.
Vaidere Inese, Vanags Edvns, Vanags Ilmrs, Vilka Inga. Reionl politika un pavaldbu
attstba Eiropas Savienb un Latvij. LU Akadmiskais apgds, LSI, 2006.
Almeida Rita.Local economic development: analysis, practices, and globalization. World
Bank, 2005.
Some sources that can be used for the written assignment:
Local governance and the drivers of growth. OECD, Paris, 2005.
Local Governance and the Drivers of Growth. OECD, Paris
New Forms of Goverancne for Economic Development, OECD, 2004.
The non-profit sector in a changing economy, OECD, 2003
Local partnerships for better Goveranance, OECD, 2001.
Devolution and Globalisation. Implications for Local Decision makers, OECD, 2001
Decentralising Employment Policy. New Trends and Challenges,