Administration and Public Policy

De Baripedia


The course presents the theoretical and methodological foundations of administrative science. It is structured in three parts: the development of the welfare state, the structure and internal functioning of public administrations and, finally, the (new) public management and administrative reforms. The main questions addressed are: what are the characteristics of a public administration? What distinguishes it from a private company? How to analyse individual behaviour within administrations? Are public administrations effective and efficient, or are they dysfunctional? What is the impact of the administration on political decisions? The theoretical concepts are illustrated by concrete examples, drawn from the administrative reality in Switzerland and abroad. At the end of the course, students will be able to analyse the internal structures and processes of an administration, as well as its relations with its political and societal environment.

Lectures[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

What is public administration?

Classical authors: Weber, Taylor and Fayol

The Swiss Federal Administration: an overview

Sociological criticism of the bureaucratic model: Crozier and Friedberg

Psychosocial Critics: The School of Human Resources and theories of motivation

The administrative structures

The Public Service

Administration and political decision

Administration and Interest Groups

Administration and implementation of public policies

Auditing public administration: the Court of Auditors within the Geneva system

The New Public Management

References[modifier | modifier le wikicode]