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Book Outline

Part 1: Core Theories of Public Administration

1.1 Traditional conceptions of ministerial responsibility and accountability are things of the past. Agree/Disagree

1.2 Secrecy in our system of government is a necessity. Agree/Disagree

1.3 Citizen participation and engagement in government has to be built into public sector decision-making. Yes/No

1.4 It is time for public services to be independent of political influence. Yes/No

1.5 Case study - Health Accord 2023 – New arrangement of responsibility and accountability or simply pragmatic public management?

1.6 Case study - F35 Fighter Jets – Is this a case for greater public service independence or is there a continued role for politics in procurement?

Part 2: Core Processes of Public Administration

2.1 Is co-designing and co-producing public programs and services the way to making government intervention more efficient? Yes/No

2.2 Changes to public service appointments processes and criteria (federal/provincial) have improved diversity and social representation. Agree/Disagree

2.3 Current Information management systems and practices are inadequate to the task of  supporting effective decision-making. Agree/Disagree

2.4 Government executives are disconnected from the operations of their organizations. Agree/Disagree 

2.5 Case study - ArriveCan App – Is this a case of design and implementation without connecting to users?

2.6 Case study – CERB – Is this a case of programming for political gain without effective monitoring for effect? Can the CERB experiment serve as the basis for Universal Basic Income to fight poverty?

2.7 Case study - Using consultants to deliver services – Is the increased use of consultant services delaying meaningful public service reform efforts?

Part 3: Core Areas of Change in Public Administration

3.1 Is monitoring and performance management stalling innovation in government? Agree/Disagree

3.2 Is the use of social media in public services a tool for improving transparency or simply a means of public servant entrepreneurialism? Yes/No

3.3 Public service ethics will only improve if more trust is placed in individual judgements about what is right and wrong. Agree/Disagree

3.4 Public Service reform must be ongoing and embedded rather than infrequent. Yes/No

3.5 Case study - Revisiting Tait – Do codes of conduct in public service need a drastic rethink with the increasing emphasis on diversity and inclusion?

3.6 Case study – Pandemic and Emergencies – Are public services prepared for another crisis event?

3.7 Case study – Indigenous Reconciliation – Federal and provincial efforts at resources sharing are changing processes to work with Indigenous communities.

Part 4: Core Questions Pushing the Future of Public Administration

4.1 NPM and NPG reforms have improved the coherence of government programs. Yes/No

4.2 Increased centralization of public service administration functions (e.g., HR, IM/IT, Finance, Procurement) improves governmental efficiency. Agree/Disagree

4.3 Digital transformation of public services is inevitable and necessary in order for public governments to be effective. Agree/Disagree

4.4 Public service leaders have too much discretion and are unaccountable for the decisions they make. Agree/Disagree

4.5 Case study - Working remotely – Remote teams provide greater coordination benefits than pre-pandemic arrangements.

4.6 Case study - Engaging municipalities – lessons learned from managing the opioid crisis.

4.7 Case study - Labour disputes – Collective bargaining agreements have an impact on public service productivity.