Topic: Public and Private Management

Order Description
an essay, of a maximum 3000 words, based on a public organisation, or partnership organisation/ project involving partnership working, chosen by the student, and providing an analysis of the
relevant issues covered in the module (70%). During the module you will need to be thinking of an organisation which you might want to consider further through your own study. For example, you
might choose a school, a hospital or a prison, or you might go for a partnership organisation. In some cases your choice might include elements of each- eg- a school which is in a partnership. You
must then examine and evaluate the organisation using appropriate themes and concepts from the module. This will require you to do independent research and find your own sources, which can be
complimented by the generic sources given in the handbook. Advice on how to approach this will be given during seminars as the module progresses, and the final lecture session is set aside for
assignment guidance.
You need to ensure that your chosen organisation is an appropriate one to study.
The assessment criteria for the two pieces of work follow below, followed by some more extensive guidance on the second assignment.For the second part of the assessment for this module, you are
required to produce an individual, written piece of work, of a maximum 3,000 words, based on a public service organisation or partnership organization/project, chosen by the student, which contains
an analysis of appropriate topics and material we have covered in the module, in relation to that organisation . This should be in essay format, and makes up 70% of the marks for the module. The
choice of which aspects of the module are relevant to your organisation depends, of course, to a large extent on which organisation you have chosen- and this is a matter for your judgement.During
the module you will need to be thinking of an area or areas which you might want to consider in your case study. For example, you might choose a school or a hospital, or a government department.
Alternatively, you may choose to look at a partnership scheme, a public private partnership, or perhaps a partnership aimed at regeneration. You can choose an organisation from any part of the
world.If you DO choose to look at a partnership, it should involve
public and private organisations (for example, a PFI scheme involving the NHS and the private sector),
public and voluntary organisations or community groups (for example a local council using a voluntary body to deliver services for a group of people),
or combinations of all three (for example- regeneration initiatives, and Local Strategic Partnerships)
This assignment requires you to do independent research and find your own sources, which can be complimented by the generic sources given in the handbook. You will be expected to apply a range of
literature- and you can make use of the sources given in the Appendix for relevant areas.
Firstly, you will need to do some research in order to make your choice. Perhaps it may be in your local area? Or, perhaps you know of company which engages in a lot of public/ private work which
will give good examples of this kind of working?
When you have chosen and checked with your tutor, do some further research. In your assignment, set out the context and the background of your chosen topic….for example, what it is, when did it
come into being, etc. Aim to spend no more than 3-400 words on this (this is an indication only- each case may well differ). The core of your assignment should then be an analysis in which you
relate what you consider to be the most relevant topics that we have covered to your organisation, rather than being wholly descriptive. You should here be seeking to apply knowledge gained from
the module and elsewhere in your studies to show understanding of the relevant issues that we have covered in the seminars. For example- you may choose to look at Strategy and performance
measurement. Set out how the organisation addresses and/or is impacted by these issues, and then look at what issues are raised, based on the module material and your reading- eg- are they
measuring the right thing, what issues do they consider in strategic planning etc- are they approaching it differently because of their ‘public’ nature? Alternatively- you may choose to look at
some of the broader things- does it throw light on the question of whether public and private sectors are becoming more similar, or the issue of using competition in the public services? The
purpose here is to show what light your organisation might throw on the debates and issues we have looked at in the module in these areas. There is no ‘right’ answer- each organisation is
different, and it may or may not be ‘typical’- your purpose is to show that you are aware of the issues and can relate them to a practical case, coming to your own, informed and supported,
conclusions.
Information sources
You may be able to get information directly, and in other cases it may be less clear- for example- you may not be able to find out how an organisation produced its strategy. However, here you can
reflect on how it should, and what issues are likely to arise. You need to be pro-active in seeking out and retrieving information. Whatever your chosen subject, you will have essentially three
broad sources of information about the organisation: firstly, the organisation or partnership website(s); secondly, the organisations and their staff; and, thirdly, the media – probably local
rather than national (unless the organisation covers the country, or deals with projects of national importance). This third category includes newspapers, radio stations, and TV companies. OF
COURSE, WHEN YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION, YOU HAVE TO APPLY ACADEMIC READING AND SOURCES.