NAME:  SOLOMON  SAMUEL  

ADETOKUNBO      

COURSE  CODE:  MPA  601      

COURSE  TITLE:  FOUNDATION  OF  PUBLIC  MANAGEMENT  &  

INSTITUTION      

ASSIGNMENT:  CASE  STUDY  NO.1  REVIEW  

   

LECTURER:  PROFESSOR  MOGOPODI                                                                                                                                  LEKORWE  

     

 1)  What  is  Arnstein  Ladder  of  Participation?  How  does  it  help  us  understand  the  way   an   administrator   responds   effectively   to   the   key   factor   of   the  administrative  environment  as  discussed  by  John  Gaus?    Arnstein  Ladder  of  participation  is  an  approach  that  best  describes  and  gives  a  clear  understanding   about   the   engagement   practice   that   exist   between   the   community,  which   is   the   Citizens   in   the   society   and   the   government.   Arnstein   classified   the  ladder   of   participation   into   eight   distinct   categories,   which   are   as   follow   in   a  chronological   order   Manipulation,   Therapy,   Informing,   Consultation,   Placation,  Partnership,   Delegated   power   and   Citizens   control.   She   described   citizen  participation   as   the   redistribution   of   power   that   enables   the   have-­‐not   citizens,  presently   excluded   from   the   political   and   economic   processes,   to   be   deliberately  included  in  the  future.    There  are  a   few  things  worthy  of   learning   from  William  Robertson’s  work-­‐style  as  highlighted   by   John   Gaus,   an   administrator   is   expected   to   be   dynamic   and   have  variety  of   ideas   in  responding  to   issue  or  challenges  as   it  arises,   just  as  Robertson  did  not  treat  any  single  stakeholder  group  with  a  single  strategy  rather  he  relied  on  the   entire   toolbox   of   strategies   to   achieve   his   desired   outcome   of   technically  superior  and  responsive  service  delivery.  We  also  as  administrators  should  explore  all  the  available  options  at  our  disposal  in  responding  effectively  to  situations  in  an  administrative  environment.    2)  How   did   Robertson   background   prepare   him   for   this   line   of   work?  Was   it  formal   education   or   on   the   job   experience   that   shaped   his   skills   for   being   a  public   administrator?   Can   his   talent   be   applied   equally  well   to   other   kinds   of  public   service   jobs?  Would   Robertson   in   your   view   perform   as   well   if   he   was  assigned  to  run  other  major  administrative  department?  Why  or  why  not?    Robertson   career   in   the  Military  prepared  him   for   the   journey   ahead,   his  military  background  gave  him  the  experience  and  training  needed  in  dealing  with  culturally  and   racially   diverse   group   of   people.   His   background   gave   him   the   sense   of  responsibility  he  used  to  discharge  his  duties  in  a  timely  and  professional  manner.    Robertson   skill   as   a   good   public   administrator   was   shaped   by   the   on-­‐the-­‐job  experience  he  had  with  little  contribution  from  his  formal  education  at  Los  Angeles  Trade  Technical  College,  where  he  obtained  test  achievement  and  certification  that  gave   him   the   knowledge   and   technical   requirement   to   serve   effectively   as   an  emerging  leader  in  the  bureau.    Robertson’s   talent   can   be   applied   to   virtually   all   kind   of   public   service   jobs,   his  expectation  in  any  other  public  service  will  be  to  oversee  and  manage  public  assets  and  infrastructure  to  bring  about  good  service  delivery  to  the  public.    Robertson  would   perform   and   live   up   to   expectation   if   assigned   to   run   any   other  

major   administrative   department   as   a   result   of   his   independent-­‐mindedness   in  work   performance,   which   is   one   of   the   few   important   attributes   in   building   high  performance   in   any   organisation   and   his   choice   to   follow   lesson   and   advice   from  people  around  him.    In  addition,  the  kind  of  orientation  and  principle  Robertson  had  had   towards   working   with   the   public,   which   are:   they   shouldn’t   be   told   lies   and  honesty   is   the   best   policy  would  make   him   thrive   and  perform  well   in   any  major  administrative  department.    3)  What  stakeholders  were  most  critical  to  ensure  Robertson’s  success?  How  did  he  identify  them?  Respond  to  their  needs  and  demands?  Partner  with  them  to  develop  common  strategies?    The  Los  Angeles  Neighborhood  Council,  elected  officials,  general  manager  peers  and  his  subordinates  were  stakeholders  most  critical  that  ensured  Robertson  success.    Mr.  Robertson  embraced  the  Neighborhood  council  since  their  inception  because  he  saw   them   as   a   means   to   reaching   out   to   the   entire   public   and   acting   on   their  feedback  to  promote  good  service  delivery.  He  made  it  a  point  of  duty  to  frequently  attend  their  meeting.    In   meeting   their   needs   and   demand,   Robertson   optimized   and   leveraged   on   the  circle   of   participation,   combining   various   strategies   to   achieve   results.   Robertson  listened   patiently   to   people’s   demands,   complaints   as   well   as   suggestions   and  showed   interest   in   finding  ways   to  meet   their  demands   in  a  creative  way  at  other  times   well   he   provided   interim   solutions.   He   dealt   with   the   Los   Angeles  Neighborhood   council   honestly   and   was   open   to   them   communicating   in   a   plain  language  they  all  understood.    Robertson   partnered   with   the   councilmen   by   understanding   their   needs   and  providing  a  commensurate  to  their  needs,  vivid  examples  are  the  effort  he  made  in  securing  an  office  space  for  the  neighborhood  council  that  had  none  which  in  return  was   a   win-­‐win   for   both   party.   He   gained   their   heart   and   made   his   work   as   an  administrator  easier.    4)  Unlike   business   where   the   “bottom   line”   often   guides   the   determination   of  whether  or  not  a  CEO  is  a  success  or  a  failure,  what  criteria  are  used  to  evaluate  Robertson’s  success  or   failure?  Why  is  the  work  of  public  officials,   like  William  Robertson,   more   difficult   to   assess   than   the   work   of   officials   in   the   private  sector?    Majority   of   government   establishment   are   not   set   up   to   make   profit   as   such   the  bottom   line   yardstick   cannot   be   used   in  measuring  William  Robertson   success   or  failure   as   a   public   administrator.   Robertson   succeeded   excellently   as   a   public  administrator;   some   of   the   criteria   used   in   evaluating   his   successes   include   his  ability   to   accomplish   duties   with   limited   resources,   capability   to   successfully  

manage  relationship  with  diverse  sets  of  stakeholders  and  the  knack  to  use  multiple  strategies   to   achieve   new   resources   and   technical   efficiency   amongst   others   and  ability  to  motivate  and  provide  welfare  plans  for  the  neighborhood  council.    Work  of  public  officials  like  William  Robertson  will  be  pretty  difficult  to  assess  than  work   of   officials   in   the   private   sector   because   there   is   no   clear-­‐cut   separation   of  power.   There   should   be   a   line   drawn   between   the   work   of   a   technocrat   and   a  politician.  In  the  case  of  Robertson  Politics  was  interfering  with  technical  efficiency,  he  pointed  out  that  the  paving  and  maintenance  of  streets  in  the  city’s  neighborhood  could  not  be  completely  efficient  when  decision  about  which  streets  get  paved  are  made   by   each   of   the   15   city   council   members   rather   than   human   experts   or  computer  remodeling.    5)  Among   the   seven   ecological   factors   identified   by   John  Gaus  which   three   do  you  consider  to  be  the  most  critical  in  shaping  Robertson’s  performance?  Why?  Likewise   from   Arnsteins   model   which   three   factors   are   the   most   critical   to  Robertson’s  effective  performance  why?    From  the  seven  ecological  factor  identified  by  John  Gaus,  the  three  most  critical  that  shaped  Robertson’s  performance  are  “people,  catastrophe  and  personality”.      PEOPLE:  The  target  at  which  a  service  is  being  channeled  at  is  a  very  crucial  aspect  in  public  administration,  and  how  they  are  being  dealt  with  by  an  administrator  also  matters   a   lot.   Robertson   had   a   good   understanding   of   the   peoples   need   and   this  helped  to  create  a  good  relationship  between  both  parties.  Robertson  rose  through  the  ranks,  from  a  common  truck  driver  to  being  the  head  of  Los  Angeles  Bureau  of  street  service   this  gave  him  a  better  understanding  of  how  the  people  were  wired  which  helped  shape  his  performance  positively.    CATASTROPHE:  Robertson  was  a  man  prepared  and  ready  to  deal  as  well  as  cope  with  any  catastrophe.  As  identified  in  the  essay  he  promptly  and  creatively  provided  solutions   to   challenges   and   catastrophe.   His   prompt   response   averted   disastrous  situations  and  helped  shapen  his  performance.    PERSONALITY:   William   Robertson   had   a   charismatic   personality.   Through   his  amiable   personality,   he   was   able   to   cultivate   relationship   with   different   type   of  stakeholders   including  citizens,  elected  officials  and  administrative  colleagues,   this  again  helped  in  shaping  his  performance  to  achieve  administrative  excellence.    From   Arnstein’s   model,   the   factors   that   were   most   critical   to   Robertson’s  performance  are  informing,  consultation  and  manipulation.    INFORMATION:   Robertson   a   seasoned   administrator   knew   the   importance   of  keeping   the  neighborhood   council   up-­‐to-­‐date   as   such  he  kept   them  well   informed  and  even  educates   the  citizen  about  how  their  government  works  whenever   there  

was   a   misrepresentation   of   information.   Robertson   viewed   this   kind   of   honest  exchange  and  sharing  of  information  as  part  of  the  process  of  empowering  citizens.    CONSULATATION:   Robertson   saw   the   neighborhood   council   members   as  stakeholders   and   knew   if   he   was   to   ever   to   progress   in   the   course   of   his  administration  he  had  to  partner  with  them  for  the  long  good  of  the  department  and  the   people   of   Los   Angeles.     This   also  made   him   attend   the   neighborhood   council  meeting  often  to  listen  patiently  to  their  advice  and  complaints,  which  he  in  return  provided  an   interim  solution  or   a   lasting  one.  Through   consultation  with   them  he  was  able  to  gain  their  heart  and  this  helped  him  perform  effectively.    MANIPULATION:  William  Robertson  fully  utilized  manipulation  to  his  advantage  in  ensuring   he   performed   his   administrative   task   effectively.   He   legitimately   used  manipulation   for   the   sake   of   citizen   empowerment   and   opening   their   minds.    Example  of  an  instance  was  when  he  used  manipulation  to  convert  angry  crowd  to  seeking   ways   as   to   how   they   could   help   him   acquire   resources   for   his   bureau.  Robertson  manipulation  technique  stood  the  test  of  publicity  and  was  able  to  help  him  achieve  productive  result,  which  made  him  a  good  public  administrator.