Homeland Security and Organization Theory

1
Homeland Security and Organization Theory
2
Objectives for Week Thirteen

• Discuss Challenges to Organizing for Homeland
  Security
• Discuss Content of the Course
• Rough Drafts Due by this Friday
• Drop off drafts at CPR
• Double-space your drafts
• Include all relevant tables and items can add
  additional non-essential material to final draft

3
Homeland Security

• Why did it take 9/11 to uncover the
  organizational problems within the current
  administrative apparatus that provides for
  homeland security?
• What characteristics, qualities, competencies, or
  powers must a DHS have?
• Will the proposed DHS be more or less centralized
  than the current arrangement?

4
Homeland Security

• The potential problem is that by fixing the
  structure in law now, the government runs the
  risk of not only achieving a suboptimal
  organization, but also of prematurely shutting
  off organizational learning and adaptation of
  organizational activities to address emerging
  threats and consequences. (Wise, p. 137)

5
Homeland Security

• Will the proposed DHS be more or less centralized
  than the current arrangement?
• What are the obstacles or barriers to creating an
  effective DHS?
• Assess the simplicity of the proposed DHS
  organizational chart.
• What are the implications of a more flexible
  personnel system within DHS?
• How do we determine success here?

6
Homeland Security

• What theoretical concepts relate to how we
  organize for Homeland Security?
• What are the obstacles or barriers to
  reorganization?

7
Democratic Theory and Public Organizations

• Ideally, in a democracy we enhance the role and
  voice of citizens in public processes
• How has the course content implicated democratic
  theory or the democratic process?
• Are there any circumstances when too much
  democracy is bad for public organizations?
• Are there any circumstances when it is okay to
  limit public input and access?

8
Lessons From PPA 709

• On the front of the notecard (lined) write down
  one insight or lesson relating to organizations
  and organization theory that you drew from this
  course and found particularly useful
• On the back of the notecard (blank) write down
  one issue or area relating to organizations and
  organization theory that you wished in retrospect
  we would have covered or covered in more depth

9
What We Tried to Accomplish This Semester

• Core features of organizations
• Roles as leaders, managers, and in groups
• Link theory to practice through cases and
  projects
• Performance measurement and success
• Organizational change and the challenges of
  crafting/testing theory
• Collecting, interpreting, and presenting
  information to clients
• Diagnosing organizational problems and developing
  proposals for solutions

10
Next Class Period After Thanksgiving

• Rough Drafts of Reports Due by Friday
• Email Prof. Allard with client presentation times
  and dates (4 more groups)
• Prepare 15 minute presentation for last class
  period on Dec. 3rd/5th
• Send your slides to me by
• Tuesday Section Monday, 9am December 2nd
• Thursday Section Wednesday, 9am December 4th
• Course evaluations on Dec. 3rd/5th