Public Administration Papers Topic : Administrative Behaviour
Public Administration Papers Topic : Administrative Behaviour
- Examine the respective roles of facts and values in the decision - making process. Is it possible to make value- free decisions in the government system ? How can government decisions be made more rational? (60 marks 2008)
- What is meant by morale ? There is a belief that "moral and productivity go hand in hand and higher the morale, higher the productivity." Do you agree ? Substantiate. (60 marks 2007)
- 'Man's motives ... in different subparts of the same organization may be different' [Edgar Schein]. Discuss. (12 marks 2012)
- "Motivation theory is not synonymous with behaviour theory. The motivations are only one class of determinants of behaviour while behaviour is almost always motivated, it is also almost always biologically, culturally and situationally determined as well." Comment. (20 marks 2004)
- Leadership is the' influential increment over and above mechanical compliance with the routine directives of the organization' [Katz and Kahn]. Analyze. (12 marks 2012)
- "Leaders do the right things, managers do them rightly." (Bennis) Comment. (20 marks 2008)
- Read the following instances carefully and suggest what specific perspectives on organizational psychology of motivation would help the concerned organization to reconcile the needs of the following four persons with the needs of organization: (30 marks, 2013)
- Mr.A comes to his office with clocklike punctuality; does his work with impeccable honesty and integrity; takes orders from above gladly; responds well to overtures by peers; but neither mixes with anyone himself nor seeks anyone’s company. What is more, he seems quite happy in his isolation.
- Mr.B is an efficient charge hand at the welding shop. He is very outgoing and makes friends fast, but falls out with them very fast too. He is, however, easily pacified when anyone asks him to calm down in the name of the organization.
- Mr.C is completely happy and absorbed when he is teaching in the classes, and doesn’t at all mind when his workload gets heavier and covers new areas. But he gets angry when the finance section raises objection about his medical bills; and is furious that the higher administration is yet to give him full tenure.
- Mr.D is a metallurgist in the forge shop of the steel plan, and has received honors for his innovativeness in modifying conventional alloys. He also paints well and values his painting skills far more than his metallurgy and is extremely unhappy that company house journal did not finally carry his water sketch on its front cover.
- “Karl Marx’s interpretation of bureaucracy was rooted in the history of the nature of the State.” Evaluate. (10 marks, 2014)
- Is Peter Drucker justified in saying, “Management principles should not tell us what to do, but only tell us what not to do”? Comment. (10 marks, 2014)
- How does the Strategic Contingencies Theory of organizational design deal with problems arising from sub-unit centrality and non-substitutability? (15 marks, 2014)
- According to McGregor, “True professional help is not in playing God with the client, but in placing professional knowledge and skill at the client’s disposal”. In the light of the above, justify how theory Y is indicative and not prescriptive. (20 marks, 2014)
- Do you agree with the view that the charismatic approach of the mid-1970s is a “new version” of the Classical Trait Theory of Leadership? Give reasons. (10 marks, 2015)
- “Information constitutes the life-blood of the functioning of an organisation.” Explain the utility and significance of communication in decision-making. (15 marks, 2015)
- “Morale can drive an organization forward or can lead to employees” discontent, poor job performance and absenteeism”. (10 marks, 2016)
- “Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y describe two contrasting models of workforce motivation applied by managers in an organization.” Examine. (20 marks, 2016)
- ”Blake and Mouton defined leadership styles based on two dimensions-concern for people and concern for production.” In the light of statement, discuss the Managerial Grid Model. Explain with reason which one of the styles is the best. (20 marks, 2016)
- “Leaders do the right things; managers do them rightfully” –(Warren Bennis). Is this distinction by him valid ? Explain (10 marks, 2017)
- “Abraham Maslow’s ‘ Hierarchy of Needs’ and Frederick Herzberg’s “Two Factor Theory” have commonalities in the analysis of human motivation .” Comment (15 marks, 2017)
- The Participative Management School of Argyris and Likert advocates democracy within the administrative system.Will this approach be equally useful to developing countries with evolving democracies? (20 marks, 2017)
- "A leader is a people's developer" (Napoleon). Which aspects of subordinates' development can be positively influenced by a leader ? Discuss. (10 marks, 2018)
- “Herbert Simon's book Administrative Behavior presents a synthesis of the classical and behavioural approaches to the study of Public Administration." Explain. (10 marks, 2018)
- Communication represents the “Nerves of Government" (Karl Deutsch). How can the communication system in the government be made more effective, responsive and motivational ? (20 marks, 2018)
- "Chester Barnard's model of 'Contribution-Satisfaction Equilibrium' is still considered a logical model of organisational motivation." Do you agree? Give arguments. (15 marks, 2018)
- “If there is ever to be a science of Public Administration it must derive from an understanding of man’s behavior”. Explain. (10 Marks,2019)
- “Chester Barnard in ‘The Function of the Executive’ injected ‘the social’ in the study of organization. Explain in this context how the executive is expected to play a much greater role than a manager.” (10 Marks,2019)
- Performance information use is a form of organizational behaviour that is influenced by individual job, organizational and environmental factors." Critically analyse.(20 Marks,2020)
