Advanced Assignment

To be completed before the first class session on Feb 1.

1. Experiment with the Discussion Board in advance of doing the assignment, by responding to my "welcome" by posting a reply. If your have a problem, give the instructor a call at 323-3484.

2. Birkland, pages 1-104 and 177-229. Note that this book is designed to give students with no prior background in policy analysis an introduction. Birkland's focus is on public policy, usually at a national level. In this course, we define policy more broadly to include policies at the local and organizational level. Read Birkland for the main points.

3. Majchrzak, Chapters 1-5
Identify one (or at most two) main points for each chapter of the reading; the one or two points that you would not want to forget or would want to ensure that your classmates did not miss. Subjective response of one or two sentences covering the entire reading assignment. Post to the Discussion Board before the class. (If you are not able to post to the Discussion Board, bring a hard copy to class and a computer disk with your assignment saved as a .rtf file and we will help you post your assignment).

4. Print the Sample Scope of Work  [ http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/ld703sow.html]

Review briefly the following very different Scopes of Work:

U.S. Government model scope of work for assessment of information needs.  Far more comprehensive than is needed in most situations. http://www.gsa.gov/pbs/pt/call-in/propsurv.htm
Cost Reimbursement Type Sub agreements for Research, an Informal Guide
http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/policies/bfb/bus43y.html

Session 1A:  Feb 1, 12:30-2:00pm The use of the Internet in the course. (ACT Lab Foley)

Internet lab. Introduction to the class syllabus, finding resources about policy issues on the Web, and using Blackboard. If you already know how to use Blackboard and are familiar with the Internet, there is no need to attend.

Class activities: Video 1. Why Man Creates. Video 2. One Fine Day

Discussion of policy, the background of the students and instructor for the course, and expectations.

Introduction to the texts to be used in the course and overview of the assignments and expectations.

Discussion of Birkland.

Discussion of Majchrzak, Chapters 1-5.

Distribution of Gonzaga data.

Discussion of handout on Gonzaga University faculty by rank and gender.

Discussion of how leaders interact with policy, with specific reference to the issue of gender equity.

Small group activity:  Preparation of a Scope of Work for an analysis of policy issues relating to Gender Equity based on the work of Majchrzak.  Report back to the class on the results of the small group activity. Volunteer from each group to take responsibility for writing up the Scope of Work and ensuring distribution to all other members of the group by 5:00 pm Feb 14.

Identification of a volunteer to work on the Gender Equity in Higher Education Resource Page. 

Reading assignment:  Stone, Chapters 1-15 and Conclusion.  Focus on 1, 2, 6-13, and Conclusion.
Information on Stone and Majchrzak [ http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/edld703a.html]
Introduction to Soft Systems Methodology: An Alternative Approach to Knowledge Elicitation in Complex and Poorly Defined Systems [ http://www.csu.edu.au/ci/vol1/Andrew.Finegan/paper.html] by Andrew Finegan, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Written assignment: Identify one (or at most two) main points for each chapter of the chapters 1, 2, 6-13,  and conclusion of Stone, the one or two points that you would not want to forget and/or would want to ensure that your classmates did not miss. Subjective response of one or two sentences covering the entire reading assignment. Post by 5:00 pm on Feb 14 to the Discussion Board.

Identify implications of chapters 2-5 for a consideration of policy issues relating to gender equity. Pay special attention to how consideration of new issues might change the policy analysis process. Be prepared to discuss the implications of  equity, efficiency, security, and liberty for the Scope of Work.

Class activities:
Discussion of Stone

Small Group Activity, revisions of Scope of Work based on Stone.  Identification of additional information that is needed.  Identification of efficient approach to getting the additional information. Report back to the class on the results of the small group activity. Volunteer from each group to take responsibility for revising the Scope of Work and ensuring distribution to all other members of the group by 5:00 pm Feb 28.

Introduction to the vocabulary of Soft Systems Methodology.

Volunteer to lead discussions of the case study during Session 4.

SESSION 3: March 1, SOFT SYSTEMS
Reading assignment:

Option A. Read the Checkland (1999) book, paying special attention to pages A1-A66, 149-191, and 245-285
plus online sourses identified with a #

Option B. All of the Web sites

"A 30-year retrospective" on Electronic Reserve, Blackboard, Course Documents.

An introduction to System Dynamics [http://sysdyn.mit.edu/sd-intro/home.html] or as a link from the MIT System Dynamics in Education Project home page at [http://sysdyn.mit.edu/]. The first link on the System Dynamics page The Beginning of System Dynamics [http://sysdyn.mit.edu/sdep/papers/D-4165-1.pdf](D-4165-1) [34K], by Prof. Jay W. Forrester, provides a personal point of view about the development of system dynamics and is an excellent introduction to this issue. 02/27/03

An Introduction to Soft Systems Methodology by Julie Travis and John R Venable, Curtin Business School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia [http://cispom.boisestate.edu/cis310emaxson/ssm_intro.htm]

An introduction to the need for a Soft System Methdology prepared by the Department of Management Systems, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand, slide presentation
[http://www.mngt.waikato.ac.nz/depts/mnss/courses/emba/ssm/sld001.htm]

#A different explanation of Soft System Methodology by Jon Wallis, University of Wolverhamption
slide presentation
[http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/university/scit/modules/cp4414/lectures/week10/ssm1/index.htm]

#Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) Web Document by Vanita Shroff, Gurpreet Kahlon and Richard Huntrods December 7, 2000 EXCELLENT RESOURCE [http://sern.ucalgary.ca/~shroff/seng613/index1.htm]

Example of the use of soft systems

#A SOFT SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF A COMPANY WITH CONCERNS ABOUT INFORMATION WARFARE [http://www.cm.deakin.edu.au/mwarren/secman/pdf/7.pdf]

AN APPLICATION OF SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY WITHIN NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE FORCE  by R. Keith Ellis [http://www.ulh.ac.uk/fbm/workingpapers/Working011.html]

Optional Example

Using Soft Systems Methodology in the Analysis of Public Involvement in EIA Anna L. Johnson PhD Candidate, Department of Geography University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand [http://www.geography.otago.ac.nz/CIART/annaiaia99.html]

#Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) Web Document by Vanita Shroff, Gurpreet Kahlon and Richard Huntrods, University of Calgary (another introduction but with useful section dealing with hard vs soft systems, disadvantages of SSM, comparision of SSM to other techniques). [http://sern.ucalgary.ca/~hhorrian/seng613/CritiqueSSM.html]

Optional reading assignment (explore some of the links below)

Models for Change, Soft Systems Methodology, Part of Lecture 4, 23/7/96.
Jim Underwood. http://linus.socs.uts.edu.au/~jim/bpt/ssm.html

Overview of Soft Systems Methodology by the Telematics for Research project DESIRE (RE 1004)
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/desire/quality/appendix-2.html SLOW SITE!!

Very Brief introduction to Soft Systems Methodology
University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, Institute for Manufacturing
[http://www-mmd.eng.cam.ac.uk/people/ahr/dstools/control/softsm.htm]

Günther Ossimitz System Dynamics / Systems Thinking Mega Link List
[http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/~gossimit/linklist.php]

Soft systems methodology in organizational change and redesign. Stanislaw Stanek email: stanek@ae.katowice.pl The Karol Adamiecki Academy of Economics, Department of Informatics [http://figaro.ae.katowice.pl/~stanek/ostrav97/ostrava.html]

A Soft Systems Approach to Information Systems Quality Richard Vidgen, Trevor Wood-Harper & Robert (JRG) Wood Department of Mathematics & Computer Science [http://iris.informatik.gu.se/sjis/vol5/vidgen.shtml]

Optional Internet Exploring Assignment

Soft systems Methodology in the World Wide Web
[http://members.tripod.com/SSM_Delphi/ssm4.html]

Written outside-class assignment: (a) Identify the main steps in a soft systems methodology based on either (a) the work of Checkland 1999) and other slectected web links or (b) the contents of Andrew Finegan,  the Department of Management Systems, University of Waikato, and Travis and Venable, Curtin University ( you may also include materials from Jon Wallis, Jim Underwood or the other links).  This should NOT exceed the equivalent of one, double spaced typed page. Note differences between the different descriptions while remembering they are all based on Peter Checkland. (b) Prepare a paragraph, not more than a half page, on the advantages of having diversity in a group using soft systems methodology. Specifically consider the difference in the relationship of diversity to policy analysis between a traditional approach and a soft systems approach. (c) Prepare a paragraph, again not more than a half page, on whether and how soft systems methods might be relevant to the gender equity issue at Gonzaga University. (d) Subjective response of one or two sentences covering the entire reading assignment. Post by 5:00 pm on Feb 28 to the Discussion Board.

Application of a Soft Systems Approach to Policy
 

Identification of at least one Web based resource relating to Gender Equity relevant to the topics raised by a soft systems approach. Print and bring copy to class.

Class activities: Discussion of the relevance or lack of relevance of Soft Systems Methodology.  Discussion of the case study lead by a volunteer. Evaluation of the Discussion Board experience for expanding this discussion.  Small group activity Soft Systems Analysis of the gender equity issue at Gonzaga University.  What might be advantages and disadvantages of policy analysis based on Soft Systems Methodology?  Assume that the policy analysis has been completed, identify at least one policy change to address the issue of gender equity in Higher Education. Specific attention to the formulation of policy changes to bring about desired changes. 

SESSION 4: Mar 8, SOFT SYSTEMS, POLICY NETWORKS, AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

Continuation of small group work using SSM for analysis of the gender equity issue at Gonzaga University.

Presentations by small groups on their application of soft systems to the issue of gender equity for faculty at Gonzaga University.  Preparation of a Rich Picture. How would the small group change the Scope of Work to include Soft Systems Methodology.

Written in-class assignment.  Based on what you have been able to learn about Soft Systems Methodology and your own experience, how relevant do you think it is to a policy making/policy evaluating process.  Provide a rationale for your response.

Reading assignment bofore March 7.

Elijn, Erik-Hans; Koppenjan, Joop; & Termeer, Katrien. (1995) Managing Networks in the public Sector:
A Theoretical Study of Management Strategies in Policy Networks

Case studies
Hope (2001) The principal's role in educational policy implementation Contemporary Education
Moshe (1999) The paradox of managerialism
Public Administration Review
Tipton(2002) Bridging the digital divide in Southeast Asia: Pilot agencies and policy implementation in
Thailand, Malaysia,
Vietnam, and the Philippines
Brinkerhoff (1999) Exploring state-civil society collaboration: Policy partnerships in developing countries
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector

Readings and case studies are available on E-Reserve as Course Documents, Blackboard site for course.

Power Point Presentation networks.ppt [http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/dp/ls703/networks.ppt]

Video Presentation [http://147.222.24.12/complex_networks/complex%20networks.htm] Video
presentation does not work with Netscape. Internet Explorer and a sound card are required. Quality
adjusts to the capabilities of your system.

Reading assignment: Before Mar 7, Fisher et al. Getting to Yes. Second Edition

Written assignment:  Before Mar 6.  Assume that the Board of Trustees of the University has announced a new policy that effective next academic year, for every department, each time a male is promoted to or hired at the Associate or the Full Professor level, a female will need to be promoted or hired at that level before another male can be hired or promoted. You are the Department Chairperson.  (a)   Prepare a one page strategy for implementing the policy change. Give specific attention to how you will share this policy with the members of your department.  (b) Write an additional paragraph on whether and to what extent the ideas of Fisher et al. are relevant to this strategy. Post by 5:00 pm on March 6 to the Discussion Board. (c) Prepare one or two paragraphs on the implications of policy networking for policy work.(d) READ AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS ON THE STRATEGY PREPARED BY AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR CLASSMATES.  Post your comments as a response on the Discussion Board before 5:00 PM on Mar 7.

Discussion of Fisher.

Presentation of strategies and class discussions on what is most likely to work and what changes in strategy are most needed.  Special attention to the implications of implementation for the formulation of policy. 

Introduction to Maintaining and Changing a Web Page
The first version is in MS Word, .rtf format.  It is safe to open.  It is a very large file and takes forever to download.
http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/webmaster.rtf
The second version is in .pdf format.  To open the file you must have Adobe Acrobate on your computer.  It is a small file.
http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/webmaster.pdf

SESSION 5: Mar 22, INFLUENCING POLICY

Communicating Policy Research

Reading assignment:
Majchrzak (1984) pp. 91-102

Written assignment:  (a) Identify one policy change that can only be made outside of the University that is, in your opinion, most critical for advancing the cause of equity in the university. Prepare a one page statement that identifies the needed policy change, the person or organization that would need to make the policy change, and a strategy for getting that person or organization to change the policy. (b) Identify implications from chapter 6 of Majchrzak for your efforts to influence policy and write a paragraph. Post parts (a) and (b) to the Discussion Board by 5:00 PM on Mar 21.  (c) Prepare a press release that might be used in the campaign.  Use Andrea Smith's Rules for Writing Press Releases Andrea Smith http://www.andrea.com/rules.html or another reference on how to prepare a press release.

HOW TO WRITE A NEWS RELEASE by Duncan Morrow [http://www.gebbieinc.com/pressrelease.htm]**

HOW TO WRITE A PRESS RELEASE http://www.net-ket.com/howto.htm

For written assignment (a): Explore the The Virtual Activist, A Training Course presented by Audrie Krause, NetAction Michael Stein, Judi Clark et.al. [http://netaction.org/training/] (b):Spend time exploring some other sites about how to influence policy (explore, sample, DO NOT FEEL YOU MUST VISIT ALL SITES):

On Organizing ; From the Kitchen of David C. Hollister, A Simple Recipe for Social Change by Michigan State Representative David Hollister, http://www.nvcdl.org/power.htm

WebActive http://www.webactive.com/

Managing the Media A Guide for Activists http://tenant.net/Organize/media.html

Optional reading/computer assignments: Spend time exploring the home page for Educational Policy Advocacy EAF525 (http://coe.ilstu.edu/rpriegle/eaf524/. This course will be offered during the summer at ISU. This home page provides an introduction to the use of technology for bringing about policy changes and also provides a model of what a course offered without face to face sessions might look like.

For written assignment (c) Optional explore one of these resources for doing press releases:

Class activities:  Class review of press releases and discussion on managing the press.

Class discussion on web resources for influencing policy change.

Volunteers to lead discussion on the feminist approaches to ethics. Feminist Ethics by Matthew Mitchell provides a solid beginning point. (see reading for next session.)

Assignment: Prepare a one paragraph strategy statement on how you would use a web page to promote your proposed policy change. Post to Blackboard by 5:00pm Mar 21. You should feel free to experiment with creating a web page before class incuding publishing the page to the web. DO NOT SPEND MORE THAN AN HOUR AND A HALF ON THIS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT BEFORE CLASS--WE WILL SPEND THE LAB PERIOD WORKING ON THIS.

Bring text (.rtf including) and images (either .jpg or .gif format) you might want to use on your page on a disk.

Develop a web page to promote the policy change you have used for your press release and publish the page to the Web. Include the notice on your web page that "THIS PAGE IS AN EXERCISE IN A GRADUATE COURSE AND DOES NOT REFLECT AN ACTUAL SITUATION."

You will need to finish your web page after the lab. As soon as you have successfully published your revised page to the web and post the url by 5:00 pm Apr 5 to the Blackboard discussion board.

There are thousands of web sites with instructions, tutorials, and resources for making home pages. The following are offered as suggestions. An excellent place to begin is to Download Netscape Communicator version 4.8, [http://wp.netscape.com/download/archive/client_archive47x.html]. A CD with version 4.7 of the program can be borrowed from reserve desk of Foley.  Note that Version 4.7 and 4.8 for the PC will not work with Windows 3.x.  Other versions that work with Windows 3.x can be downloaded from the site above.

Excellent information on using Netscape Composer for Building Web Pages (instructions for version 4.5 but will also work for versions 4.7 and 4.8)
http://home.netscape.com/browsers/using/newusers/composer/index.html

Maintaing and Changing a Web Page http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/webmaster.rtf
These are specific instructions for using Netscape Composer for creating and posting a web page for this class

You can post your web page anyplace you have access to.  Most Internet Service Providers provide server space where you can post/publish your own pages. If you want to you can post your web page to guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/ld703.

ftp://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/doctoral/ld703/
User name:  students
Password: (be creative and figure it out)

Guidance on the creation of effective web pages. (EXPLORE AT LEAST TWO OF THE SITES BELOW)

Jakob Nielsen's Website [http://www.useit.com/ ]Excellent source of information on website design

Creating and posting a professional looking web page by Carlos Navas
http://www.bayarea.net/~webdemo/welcome.html

Free Graphics from SiteRightNow [http://www.siterightnow.com/FreeGraphics.html]

Ask Tog:  The Webzine for Computer Professionals, their Families, & Friends [http://www.asktog.com/ ] See section on basics of design [http://www.asktog.com/basics/firstPrinciples.html]

The Technology Source [http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/contents/ ]provides illuminating articles designed to assist educators as they face the challenge of integrating information technology tools in teaching and in managing educational organizations.

The Web Course Project by John Hartzog, Professor of Religious Studies and Director, The Learning Resource Center at CSUN  http://lrc.csun.edu/wcp/index.html

The objective of this activity is not for you to develop sophisticated skills for Web page development, but to convince you that it can be done. Given the importance of home pages for policy advocacy in the future, this is a skill that is likely to be very relevant. (And if not for advocacy, for other purposes.) 

SESSION 5A:  Mar 22 12:30-2:30pm MAKING A WEB PAGE ( ACT Lab, Foley)

This is an optional session for anyone who would like additional help with creating or posting their web site.

SESSION 6: SATURDAY , April 5, ETHICS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Reading assignment before April 4
Stone (1997) Chapter 14
Ethics: What is It and Why is It Important?  A Primer for Non-Ethicists
by Dorothy C. Wertz   Social Science, Ethics and Law [http://www.umassmed.edu/shriver/research/socialscience/staff/wertz/ethics.cfm]
Brief introduction to the work of Carol Gilligan [http://hale.pepperdine.edu/~emrhodes/Gilligan/Carol_Gilligan.html]
Moral Reasoning and Moral Development (a slide presentation) [http://www.its.uidaho.edu/stoll/gilligan/sld001.htm]
Reinventing Government from a Feminist Perspective: Feminist Theory and Administrative Reality by DeLysa Burnier. Available under Course Documents, Blackboard 03-24-03
Feminist Ethics by Matthew Mitchell [ feministEthics.html]

Optional reading/viewing assignment
Video presentation Carol Gilligan "Voice and Relationship: Rethinking the Foundations of Ethics" [http://ethics.sandiego.edu/video/Gilligan/Lecture/Voice_and_Relationship.ram] 04-03-03requires "Real Player"  Free software [http://www.real.com/products/player/downloadrealplayer.html?wp=dl1099&src=olderrors&lang=en#form ] (and a fast internet connection)

Literature on Race, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism by Lawrence M. Hinman [http://ethics.sandiego.edu/Applied/Race/index.html] 04-03-03
Dancing on the Edge. An interview with Elizabeth Debold [ http://www.wie.org/j10/deb.html]
Ethics Updates by Lawrence M. Hinman is designed primarily to be used by ethics instructors and their students. It is intended to provide updates on current literature, both popular and professional, that relate to ethics. [http://ethics.sandiego.edu/] 04-03-03
 

Written assignment before Apr 4, (a) Identify one (or at most two) main points from chapter 14 of Stone and (b) Ethics for Non-Ethicists,  and (c) the work of Carol Gilligan  (d) Identify the possible implications for leadership of the article by DeLysa Burnier.  Post to the Discussion Board by 5:00pm July 24.  (e) One paragraph identifying an ethical issue where the solution is not clear. Have enough hard copies for everyone in class.

Post to the Discussion Board by 5:00 pm Apr 4 one or two sentences that you propose to use as the topic of your assignment for Aug 1. You need the approval of the instructor for your topic. If I have not posted my approval, you will need to discuss this with me in class or by phone.  I will consider policy issues that are not related to equity. The topic should be one where you can clearly identify material from the class that you are using in your response.

Class activities: Following a discussion of what Stone, Ethics for Non-Ethicists,and the work of Gilligan, each person in the class will have the opportunity to share with the class the ethical issue they have identified and to seek input from their classmates on the issues. A key part of these discussions will center on how attention to relationships might influence the considerations of ethics. Reflections on the relationship between social justice and policy.

A brief history of U.S. policy in Southern Africa, the impact on assistance programs, and the relationship of race, politics, and foreign assistance with special attention to issues of ethics and social justice.

SESSION 7: April 12, RETHINKING POLICY, THE ROLE OF THE LEADER, AND EVALUATING POLICY STRATEGIES

Pot-Luck Brunch at my house.  (1249 S. Wall St. home phone 456-2571.  Best direction, south on Monroe to 14th.  Turn left for one block.  Turn left on Wall St.  Very short block.  House is gray with almond trim, hedge and metal gates. Anyone needing transportation, please contact the instructor.)

Written assignment due April 12:  This assignment is to be submitted to the instructor in hard copy only. Please do not post to the Discussion Board.

Using the instructor approved policy issue (a) Describe the policy issue with special attention to whether this is a policy issue that can be addressed at the level of the local organization or is an issue that requires policy change outside the local organization. (b) Describe in some detail what analysis is needed and how this should be done.  Special attention should be given to the choice of and justification for the selection of an approach to policy analysis. Clearly identify material from the class that you are using. (c) Prepare a scope of work for the analysis activity with specific attention to what questions need to be addressed and how you want the results reported to you. (d) Reflect on the relationship of the role of the leader and the policy issue you have described. From what you know of Leadership Theory and your own experience, what style of leadership would be most relevant to bringing about the policy change that you are considering. This paper should not exceed six, typed pages and should use APA format.

Class Activities: Everyone should be prepared to make a short presentation on their paper.  Class discussion based on the these presentations.

Class goal of better defining the relationship of leadership and the policy process.  General discussion on the relationship of policy and leadership and the implications of this relationship for the content of the course. Course evaluation.

For more information contact docinfo@gonzaga.edu or write to Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies Gonzaga University 502 E. Boone Ave Spokane, WA USA 99258 (509) 323-3490

Copyright 2002,03 Page maintained by  beebe@gonzaga.edu revised 04/03/2003