OASV4000 Financial Management in Public Sector Course description

Measuring and managing performance are important for the public sector. Policy makers, managers and professionals in the public sector require knowledge and skills in the design, implementation, use and assessment of performance management systems. Such knowledge and skills are important for the managers' responsibility for selecting, adapting, using, and maintaining performance management systems, either by making these mandatory by regulation or voluntary by self-regulation. Managers also need knowledge on how to integrate performance management in the overall management control systems and complement these systems with other management tools and processes, such as strategic planning, budgeting, risk management, and performance audit and evaluation. This course draws on research and cases from both the international and national contexts.

The course requires basic knowledge of micro economic theory, financial and management accounting, and public sector accounting. Students who lack these will receive a mandatory additional seminar and ca. 200 pages supplementary readings. (These lectures will be given in Norwegian only.)

Knowledge:

The student has

• Advanced knowledge in management control in the public sector
• Advanced knowledge in performance management in the public sector and is able to utilise this knowledge in new areas of public management
• Advanced knowledge on measuring, analysing and reporting public service performance and its impact on organisational behaviour

Skills:

The student can

• Analyse and critically assess information from different sources and utilise this information for structuring and formulating relevant issues in performance management in the public sector
• Utilise existing theories, methods and interpretations of performance management in the public sector and work independently to solve theoretical and practical issues that are relevant for public policy and management
• Conduct an independent, limited research and development project with supervision in accordance to ethical research norms and academic standards

General competence

The student

• Can contribute to public sector innovation and reforms

The course will consist of two-day seminars with lectures, presentations, discussions, and group assignments. The course demands that students are active during the seminars, work assignments, and the writing of the course paper.

None.

The students are to write a 10-15 pages course paper (+/- 10%), individually or in groups of two students, which will be used for the formal assessment. The students will be able to submit a draft paper for comments within a given date.

All, as long as the rules for source referencing are followed

A grade scale with grades from A to E for pass and F for fail is used.

The course paper is assessed by an internal and an external examiner. The external examiner will grade a random sample consisting of approx. 25 per cent of the written exams. The grades given for this sample provide a basis for the internal examiner's assessment. The external examiner will also grade papers where there is doubt about giving a grade of pass.

Åge Johnsen

This course overlaps with MSLV4300 Økonomi-, budsjett- og resultatstyring.