Course 2026-2027 a.y.

Classes: 31 (I sem.)

Instructors:
Class 31: FRANCESCO LONGO

Interest and basic knowledge of public policy and public management logics and tools

There are no public services or policies which are run individually by single institutions: they are all embedded in strong interdependencies with other level of government or have horizontal relationships and spill over. All major relevant public issues (energy, covid, migrations, global warming, transportation, economic development, welfare services, etc.) are so embedded in relevant inter-institutional networks. Networks have poor room for hierarchical approaches. Most management tools are based on hierarchies: they are not suitable for networks. Public managers, tackling those issues, needs to act as relation and process managers. The course aims to analyze public sector networks, involving public, private and third sector organizations, at local, regional, national and international level. The course intends to evaluate the existing interdependencies, to assess critically networks governances and functioning modes in order to provide students with tools to re-design them. The public network framework is applied to diverse and heterogeneous policy fields (culture, utilities, waste, transportation, health and social care, social housing, etc.) . One of the main objectives is to distinguish network design and building, from network functioning and steering and from inter- institutional conflict and crisis management.

The course is divided in two parts:

- the first one (16 lessons) is based on case discussion and lectures;

- the second one (8 lessons) is based on public networks managers’ presentations and interviews managed by students

 

The main content of the course are:

- what are public network, what are inter-istitutional interdependencies: why is it so difficult to organize them?

- why every public policy or service needs an implementation network?

- why hierarchical logics do not work for network management?

- which are the steering needs of different cluster of public policies networks

- how to organize networks

- how to manage public networks: the steering tool box

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Discover inter-istitutional interdependencies

Assess the degree of actors awarness about inter-istitutional interdependencies

Classify public networks

Understand their steering or managerial needs or gaps

Design and organize a public or PPP network

Manage a public policy network

Apply network logics in different policy fields and international environments

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Understand policy contexts in every public filed or sector

Know to assess the drivers of public policy implementation gaps

Design the istitutional arrangement and organizational structure of a public policy network or a PPP

Define and manage the financial model within a network

Plan and control output and outcomes of knots within a network

Manager conflict within network

Define group or network HR strategies and tools

• Lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Individual works / Assignments

8 lessons are based entirely on public policy networks managers, coming from all different policy fields and level og Government.

They have a 45' talk and for 45' the class runs a group interview to the guest speakers

 

Every student is free to opt for a personal case study about a self selected public policy network which accounts as the final exam.

The case is supposed to be based on the analysis of the AS IS situation, the assessment of strength and weaknesses, and suggestions for a redesign, both on istitutional/organizational arrangements, strategies, management logics and tools implemented

	Continuous assessment	Partial exams	General exam
Written individual exam (traditional/online)			x

This course has two separate requirements for attending students:

1. Attendance Report (Pass/Fail Requirement)

After the 12 lessons, you must submit a brief report on the suggested readings.

The report should:

• Select the readings you found most relevant.
• Explain their importance for both:
  • Theory (understanding public network governance and management)
  • Practice (real-world application)
• Provide your personal comments on the readings.
• Discuss which insights you consider the most powerful for developing, governing, and steering public networks.

Assessment: Pass/Fail only. It does not affect your final grade, but it is required to be considered an attending student.

 

2. Final Exam  (Attending Students)

You can choose one of two exam formats.

MODE A – Written Exam

• Duration: 75 minutes
• Format: 4 open-ended questions
• Material covered:
  • Course slides
  • Assigned papers/readings
  • Guest speaker presentations

The exam evaluates your ability to:

• Summarize theories of public network governance and management.
• Apply those theories to short cases or incidents.

MODE B – Individual Paper

• Length: 15–20 pages
• Topic: A self-selected public policy network case (or comparison of multiple networks).
• You may choose:
  • Any public sector
  • Any country
  • A single network or multiple networks for comparison

The paper must include:

1. Description of the current (AS-IS) situation
2. SWOT analysis
   • Strengths
   • Weaknesses
   • Opportunities
   • Threats
3. Suggestions for improvement

Finally, the paper is:

• Presented to the instructor
• Discussed during an oral session

Strategic Advice

If you are comfortable studying a broad range of theories and taking a timed exam, Mode A is usually the more straightforward option.

If you prefer independent research, case analysis, and writing, Mode B allows you to focus on a topic that interests you and often provides more flexibility to demonstrate deeper understanding. It may be also a starting point for a future thesis on this topic.

 

Written Exam

• Duration: 75 minutes
• Format: 4 open-ended questions
• Material covered:
  • Course text book
  • Assigned papers/readings
  •  

The exam evaluates your ability to:

• Summarize theories of public network governance and management.
• Apply those theories to short cases or incidents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slides

A list of selected papers

Guest spekers presentations (slides)

A textbook

A list of selected papers