Module/week 1 — rational decision making in public administration

Textbook Readings

Dresang: Introduction, Preface–Exercise 

Discussion Board Forum 1

Topic: Rational Decision Making

Thread: After carefully reading Exercise 1 and “The Art of Muddling Through,” explain which alternative you would support to address the issues raised in the Preliminary Problem Analysis for East Wallingford. Be sure to fully explain why this alternative represents the most rational decision.

Discussion Board Forums

Attached Files:

For each forum, you are required to post 1 thread of 400–500 words and 2 replies of 250–300 words. For each thread, you must support your assertions with at least 2 citations in current APA format. Each reply must incorporate at least 1 citation in current APA format. Acceptable sources include scholarly articles, public administration trade publications, statistical research, the textbook, and the Bible.

Responding to a classmate’s thread requires both the addition of new ideas and analysis. A particular point made by the classmate must be addressed and built upon by your analysis in order to move the conversation forward. Thus, the reply is a rigorous assignment that requires you to build upon the thread to develop deeper and more thorough discussion of the ideas introduced. As such, replies that merely affirm, restate or unprofessionally quarrel with the previous thread(s) and fail to make a valuable, substantive contribution to the discussion will receive appropriate point deductions.