Transforming The Character Of Public Organizations

An unusual examination of how change agents can effect real changes within their public organizations by working from the inside to the outsider and by first changing themselves.

From her own experience in various agencies and organizations, Dr. Rusaw knows that to inspire change in any organization and particularly in the public sector, change agents must understand that change is primarily collective, nonrational, and nonlinear. People who seek to create change cannot stand apart from the problems, issues, and concerns raised by their constituents, but must merge themselves into the data-making, analysis, and diagnosis phases of consulting. The agent must, in other words, participate actively in creating change—and how the agent must do this, why, and the effects the agent can expect are the subjects of Dr. Rusaw's book. Few books discuss public sector change in the way Dr. Rusaw does here, and none incorporate the phenomenological perspective that she uses. Her book will appeal to practicing public administrators who seek real-life examples presented in conversational language. It will also be important for teachers and students in public administration, specifically in courses in organizational behavior, leadership, organization theory, human relations, and public personnel management. Not only can change agents help public employees serve the purposes set out for them more effectively and efficiently, but by service and other efforts they can also help reverse the downward trend that has characterized the public sector in recent years. Dr. Rusaw maintains that such change is made possible by personal transformation, certainly, but also by interpersonal transformations. By focusing on individual and group needs as keys to organizational change, change agents can facilitate what is most needed: not just localized alterations but widespread, holistic transformations. Her book looks at the role of healing—particularly, the inherent skills of listening, empathizing, and encouraging—and at the ways in which people can confront and solve problems in negotiated environments. She also sees that central to re-education and re-socialization is the quality of the change agent's inner person: how well the agent is able to understand the role of self in the change process. Her book provides ways in which agents can inspire others to change too. In other words, Dr. Rusaw sees organizational change as a process moving from the inside to the outside, and it is on this foundation that her unusual, thoughtful, and ultimately practical book is based.

The book addresses an explicit demand expressed in a large number of C-Suite interviews: managing significant transformations in the private and public sector. The book describes what types of transformation have to be reflected, why transformations are crucial in our days, the triggers they have, and how they might be best managed from a theoretical and practical point of view – technically and with all people-connected soft facts. The book, which contains numerous use cases, is written by an international community of practitioners, experts, and academics from different geographies, countries, public and private organizations, industries, and cultures, which guarantees the comprehensiveness and richness of the developed insights and the value of the presented use cases.

Discover the latest insights in organization theory from a comprehensive and masterful volume Understanding and Managing Public Organizations, 6th Edition provides readers with an authoritative reference for scholars, masters, and doctoral students in public management and public affairs programs in the United States and other nations. The 6th Edition of Understanding and Managing Public Organizations presents the latest research and insights from organization and management theory and their application to public organizations and the people in them. The book expands coverage from previous editions about organizational goals, performance and effectiveness, strategy, decision-making, structure and design, organizational change, operating environments, individuals and groups, motivation and work-related attitudes, leadership, teamwork, and more. Authors and professors Hal Rainey, Sergio Fernandez, and Deanna Malatesta provide new and expanded coverage of such topics as The context and distinctive character of public and nonprofit organizations, including expanded coverage of "publicness" and of the legal context including "state action" Performance management, measurement, organizational effectiveness, and managing for high performance Representative bureaucracy, workforce diversity, and performance Communication and information technology Employee engagement and empowerment, intrinsic motivation, self-determination theory, public service motivation, and positive organizational behavior—resilience, self-efficacy, optimism, and hope Recent developments in theory and thought on leadership, including authentic leadership, shared leadership, servant leadership, and integrated leadership Design and process topics including red tape and green tape, administrative burdens, and organizational routines Theoretical perspectives such as behavioral theory of decision making, resource dependence theory, and others, and their implications for public and nonprofit organizations Advances in theory and practice about rapid developments in collaborative governance, organizational networks, partnerships, and contracting Since the book is used in courses for students in numerous public affairs programs, this new edition updates the Instructor’s Guide, with new and revised PowerPoint slides, cases, exercises, and discussion and examination questions These materials, with the topics in the chapters, are designed to address the learning outcomes required by NASPAA accreditation requirements Belonging on the shelf of scholars and students in public affairs, as well as anyone interested in public management or organization theory, this new edition of Understanding and Managing Public Organizations provides an advanced and comprehensive enhancement to a widely used and compelling series of previous editions.

In the 1990s, considerable changes in the political and social world have impacted on the character of both public and private organizations. At a time of increased uncertainty and insecurity in these organizations, new ways of managing and being managed have emerged. Recognising that organizational life is part reflective and determined by dominant social discourses, factors of gender will inevitably be central to the dynamics of organizational change. This book addresses theoretical ideas and mythologies in the examination of gendered organizations. The need to examine men in relation to family, law and society in general is growing, and this book extends this interrogation to work and organizational life. It will be of interest to students in management studies, public sector management and those involved in public policy making as well as students and academics within gender studies and sociology.

The context and environment of public services is becoming increasingly complex and the management of change and innovation is now a core task for the successful public manager. This text aims to provide its readers with the skills necessary to understand, manage and sustain change and innovation in public service organizations. Key features include: the use of figures, tables and boxes to highlight ideas and concepts of central importance a dedicated case study to serve as a focus for discussion and learning, and to marry theory with practice clear learning objectives for each chapter with suggestions for further reading. Providing future and current public managers with the understanding and skills required to manage change and innovation, this groundbreaking text is essential reading for all those studying public management, public administration and public policy.

In the public and nonprofit arenas, leaders face the unique challenge of protecting the public interest while implementing organizational change initiatives. To succeed, these leaders must build organizations that are “change-centric,” carefully weigh and prepare for the risks of change, and develop a change-oriented leadership style that authors Kee and Newcomer call transformational stewardship. A comprehensive approach to leading change, Transforming Public and Nonprofit Organizations: Stewardship for Leading Change provides public and nonprofit leaders and students of leadership, management, and organizational change with theoretical knowledge and practical tools for accomplishing change goals while protecting the broader public interest. This insightful and useful guide offers: An introduction to the change-oriented leadership concept, transformational stewardship An easy-to-follow model for initiating change in the public interest Case studies, practical tips, and resources for additional learning An organizational assessment instrument to gauge readiness for major change A 360-degree assessment instrument to identify individual leadership strengths and areas for improvement

In the public and nonprofit arenas, leaders face the unique challenge of protecting the public interest while implementing organizational change initiatives. To succeed, these leaders must build organizations that are 'change-centric,' carefully weigh and prepare for the risks of change, and develop a change-oriented leadership style that authors Kee and Newcomer call transformational stewardship. A comprehensive approach to leading change, Transforming Public and Nonprofit Organizations: Stewardship for Leading Change provides public and nonprofit leaders and students of leadership, management, and organizational change with theoretical knowledge and practical tools for accomplishing change goals while protecting the broader public interest. This insightful and useful guide offers: An introduction to the change-oriented leadership concept, transformational stewardship An easy-to-follow model for initiating change in the public interest Case studies, practical tips, and resources for additional learning An organizational assessment instrument to gauge readiness for major change A 360-degree assessment instrument to identify individual leadership strengths and areas for improvement