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PAD326Management Sciences3 Unitsintermediate

Organization And Administrative Theory

This course introduces undergraduate students to organisation and administrative theories within the Nigerian context. It explores the meaning, concepts, and characteristics of organizations, alongside various theories and principles. The course also examines personnel organization, public relations, administrative law, and adjudication. Students will gain insights into the structure and functions of different agencies, the civil service system, and strategies for combating corruption in public service.

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150h
Study Time
13
Weeks
12h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
OrganisationAdministrative TheoriesBureaucracyPublic RelationsCivil Service

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level
Builds on foundational knowledge
65%
intermediate
📚
Math Level
No Math
📖
Learning Type
Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Organisational Theories

2

Administrative Principles

3

Personnel Management

4

Public Relations

5

Administrative Law

6

Financial Administration

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assessments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Public Administrator

Apply your skills in this growing field

Policy Analyst

Apply your skills in this growing field

Government Official

Apply your skills in this growing field

Human Resources Manager

Apply your skills in this growing field

Management Consultant

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

GovernmentPublic SectorNon-profit OrganisationsConsulting

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: The Meaning of Organisation

2h

Unit 1: The Meaning of Organisation

2 study hours
  • •Read the introduction to understand the course objectives.
  • •Define 'organisation' and identify its interdependent parts.
  • •Explain the importance of organisational structure for administrative action.
Week
2

Module 1: The Meaning of Organisation

4h

Unit 2: Conceptions of Organisation

2 study hours
  • •Compare mechanistic and humanistic conceptions of organisation.
  • •Discuss how organisations respond to needs.
  • •Explain the role of culture in shaping organisational behaviour.

Unit 3: Theories of Organisation

2 study hours
  • •Differentiate between structural and social psychological theories.
  • •Explain the Hawthorne experiments and their impact.
  • •Discuss the differences between formal and informal organisations.
Week
3

Module 1: The Meaning of Organisation

3h

Unit 4: Bases and Principles of Organisation

3 study hours
  • •Explain the bases of organisation: function, process, clientele, and geography.
  • •Discuss the principles of hierarchy, span of control, and unity of command.
  • •Analyse the merits and demerits of the scalar principle.
Week
4

Module 2: Organisation of Departments

4h

Unit 5: Staff, Line and Auxiliary Agencies

2 study hours
  • •Differentiate between staff, line, and auxiliary agencies.
  • •Describe the functions and characteristics of each agency type.
  • •Explain the role of staff agencies in supporting line agencies.

Unit 1: Organisation of Departments

2 study hours
  • •Compare independent and integrated systems of organisation.
  • •Explain the functional principle and its benefits.
  • •Discuss the organisation of a department in Nigeria.
Week
5

Module 2: Organisation of Departments

3h

Unit 2: Bureau and Board/ Commission

3 study hours
  • •Differentiate between bureau and board/commission types of organisation.
  • •List and describe the different types of boards.
  • •Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of bureau and board types.
Week
6

Module 2: Organisation of Departments

4h

Unit 3: Field Establishment

2 study hours
  • •Define headquarters and field establishments.
  • •Discuss the legal status and grading of field stations.
  • •Analyse the problems of centralization versus decentralization.

Unit 4: Public Enterprises

2 study hours
  • •Define public enterprises and list their types.
  • •Explain the reasons for establishing public enterprises.
  • •Discuss the characteristics of departmental undertakings and government companies.
Week
7

Module 2: Organisation of Departments

3h

Unit 5: Public Corporations

3 study hours
  • •Discuss the characteristics of public corporations.
  • •Compare corporations with companies and departments.
  • •Explain the need for public corporations and their features.
Week
8

Module 3: Problems of Personnel Organization

3h

Unit 1: Problems of Personnel Organization

3 study hours
  • •Identify different types of personnel systems: bureaucratic, aristocratic, and democratic.
  • •List the characteristics, merits, and demerits of each system.
  • •Explain the importance of tenure and merit systems.
Week
9

Module 3: Problems of Personnel Organization

3h

Unit 2: Max Weber"s Theory of Bureaucracy

3 study hours
  • •Explain Max Weber's theory of bureaucracy and its essential characteristics.
  • •Discuss the foundations of personnel systems: tenure, merit, career service, and classification.
  • •Differentiate between spoils and merit systems.
Week
10

Module 3: Problems of Personnel Organization

4h

Unit 3: Recruitment of Personnel

2 study hours
  • •Define the concepts of negative and positive recruitment.
  • •Discuss the problems of recruitment and the location of appointing power.
  • •Analyse the merits and demerits of recruitment from within and without.

Unit 4: Training

2 study hours
  • •Define training and differentiate it from education.
  • •State the objectives of training.
  • •List and describe the types of training: formal and informal.
Week
11

Module 3: Problems of Personnel Organization

3h

Unit 5: Promotion

3 study hours
  • •Define promotion and differentiate it from advancement and transfer.
  • •State the importance and principles of promotion.
  • •Explain the promotion system in Nigeria.
Week
12

Module 4: Public Relations

4h

Unit 1: Public Relations

2 study hours
  • •Define public relations and differentiate it from publicity and propaganda.
  • •Identify the elements of public relations.
  • •Discuss the qualities of a good public relations officer and obstacles to public relations.

Unit 2: Public Employees Organisation

2 study hours
  • •Differentiate between professional associations and unions.
  • •List the objectives of public employees' unions.
  • •Discuss the legal rights of employees and arguments for and against strikes.
Week
13

Module 4: Public Relations

4h

Unit 3: Generalist vs Specialist

2 study hours
  • •Define the terms generalist and specialist.
  • •Compare their approaches and arguments for and against each.
  • •Discuss the importance of inter-service cooperation.

Unit 4: Administrative Procedure

2 study hours
  • •Define administrative procedure and describe its types.
  • •Discuss what constitutes good procedure.
  • •Explain the defects of procedure systems and recent reforms.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create detailed summaries of each unit, focusing on key definitions and concepts.

2

Develop comparative charts outlining the strengths and weaknesses of different organisational theories (e.g., mechanistic vs. humanistic).

3

Practice applying administrative principles (hierarchy, span of control) to hypothetical case studies.

4

Review and understand the legal framework related to administrative law and delegated legislation.

5

Focus on understanding the budgetary process and the roles of different agencies involved.

6

Prepare examples of ethical dilemmas in public service and strategies for resolving them.

7

Allocate study time proportionally based on the weight of each module in the final examination.

8

Form study groups to discuss and clarify complex concepts and share insights.

9

Review all tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and feedback to identify areas for improvement.

10

Create flashcards for key terms and concepts to aid memorization and quick recall.

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