ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of Business Administration)
WARNING
1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE
ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF
DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENT(S) BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM
OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN
“AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.
Course: Technology Policy and Administration (5014) Semester: Spring, 2023
Level: MSc
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 50
ASSIGNMENT No. 1
(Units: 1–5)
Note: Attempt all questions.
Q. 1 What are the key characteristics of Information Technology? How does it impact
Public Administration? (20)
Q. 2 What do you think is the role of E-Government in maintaining a feasible environment
for information technology in public sector? Discuss. (20)
Q. 3 Write the significance of Information Resources Management. Give examples. (20)
Q. 4 How does Leading-Edge Technology Impact Local Governments? (20)
Q. 5 How does Information Technology evolve at the Federal level? (20)
ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(Units 1–9)
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 50
This assignment is a research-oriented activity. You are required to obtain information
from a business/commercial organization and prepare a report of about 1000 words on
the topic allotted to you to be submitted to your teacher for evaluation.
You are required to select one of the following topics according to the last digit of your
roll number. For example, if your roll number is P-3427180 then you will select topic # 0
(the last digit): -
Topics:
0) Information Technology and Public Administration
1) Information Technology and Politics
2) Evolution of Information Technology
3) Information Resources Management Characteristics
4) Role of Digital Government
5) Leading-Edge Information Technology
6) Information Technology and Results-Based Management
7) Focus Groups and Information Technology
8) Importance of World Wide Web in Public Workplace
9) Future Research Agenda for Public Administration
The report should follow the following format:
1) Title page
2) Acknowledgements
3) An abstract (one page summary of the paper)
4) Table of contents
5) Introduction to the topic (brief history & significance of topic assigned)
6) Practical study of the organization (with respect to the topic)
7) Data collection methods
8) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats) relevant to the
topic assigned
9) Conclusion (one page brief covering important aspects of your report)
10) Recommendations (specific recommendations relevant to topic assigned)
11) References (as per APA format)
12) Annexes (if any)
GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT # 2:
1.5 line spacing
Use headers and subheads throughout all sections
Organization of ideas
Writing skills (spelling, grammar, punctuation)
Professionalism (readability and general appearance)
Do more than repeat the text
Express a point of view and defend it.
2
WORKSHOPS
The workshop presentations provide students opportunity to express their communication
skills, knowledge & understanding of concepts learned during practical study assigned in
assignment # 2.
You should use transparencies and any other material for effective presentation. The
transparencies are not the presentation, but only a tool; the presentation is the
combination of the transparencies and your speech. Workshop presentation
transparencies should only be in typed format.
The transparencies should follow the following format:
1) Title page
2) An abstract (one page summary of the paper)
3) Introduction to the topic (brief history & significance of topic assigned)
4) Practical study of the organization (with respect to the topic)
5) Data collection methods
6) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats) relevant to the
topic assigned
7) Conclusion (one page brief covering important aspects of your report)
8) Recommendations (specific recommendations relevant to topic assigned)
GUIDELINES FOR WORKSHOP PRESENTATION:
Make eye contact and react to the audience. Don't read from the transparencies or
from report, and don't look too much at the transparencies (occasional glances are
acceptable to help in recalling the topic to cover).
A 15-minute presentation can be practiced several times in advance, so do that until
you are confident enough. Some people also use a mirror when rehearsing as a
substitute for an audience.
WEIGHTAGE OF THEORY & PRACTICAL ASPECTS IN ASSIGNMENT # 2 &
WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS
Assignment # 2 & workshop presentations are evaluated on the basis of theory & its
applicability. The weightage of each aspect would be:
Theory: 60%
Applicability (practical study of the organization): 40%
3
TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
COURSE OUTLINE (5014)
Block-1: Technology and Administration
Information Technology and Public Administration: The View
from the Profession
Politics, Accountability, and Governmental Information
Systems
Block-2: Evolution of Information Technology Management
The Evolution of Information Technology Management at the
Federal Level: Implications for Public Administration
The Realities of the Paperwork Reduction
Block-3: Information Resources Management
Information Resources Management – key factors
Block-4: Digital Government
Mediating the Tension between Information Privacy and
Information Access: The Role of Digital Government
E-Government: An Overview
Block-5: Leading-Edge Information Technologies
Leading-Edge Information Technologies and Local
Governments
Block-6: Information Technology - Results-Based Management
Information Technology as a Facilitator of Results-Based
Management in Government
Computer Tools for Better Public Sector Management
Block-7: Information Technology in Research and Practice
Survey Research, Focus Groups, and Information Technology
in Research and Practice
Geographic Information Systems in the Public Sector
Block-8: Issues of Privacy and Public Disclosure
Electronic Mail in the Public Workplace: Issues of Privacy and
Public Disclosure
World Wide Web Site Design and Use in Public Management
4
Block-9: Future Challenges for Technology Policy and Administration
Toward an Information Technology Research Agenda for
Public Administration
Text Books and Readings
1) Toward an Information Technology Research Agenda for Public
Administration by G. David Garson (North Carolina State University,
USA), Publisher: McGraw Hill, latest edition.
2) Policy Practice and Digital Science: Integrating Complex Systems, Social
Simulation and Public Administration by Marijn Janssen and Maria A.
Wimmer, Publisher: Springer, latest edition.