Public Administration in Southeast Asia (POL353)

Efficient public administration is a key component of good government. This course examines the public administration of countries in Southeast Asia. It serves to provide students with an understanding of the different public administration styles that are prevalent. More importantly, it seeks to provide students with an opportunity to identify best practices within each country. It also seeks to show how an efficient public administration system allows finite resources to be better allocated to the relevant stakeholders.

• History and Context of Public Administration
• Public Administration and Governance
• Political Culture and Public Administration
• Issues and Challenges of Public Personnel Recruitment
• Public Service Ethics and Corruption
• Performances Management Reforms
• Civil Service Systems
• Central Government Agencies
• Federal and Local Government
• Case Study (1): Singapore
• Case Study (2): Malaysia
• Case Study (3): Indonesia

• Show knowledge of comparative public administration.
• Examine the main theoretical models with regard to public administration.
• Compare and contrast the different public administrations within the Southeast Asian region.
• Identify and propose best practices that may be applicable across all public administrations across countries in the Southeast Asian region.
• Formulate a coherent discussion with regard to how public administrations in the different countries have been shaped by the socio-political and cultural forces that are specific to individual countries.
• Critique from a comparative perspective the advantages and disadvantages of each unique form of public administration in each country.