Revisiting the Information Technology Skills Gap in Master of Public Administration Programs

Christian, P. Cary; Davis, Thomas J.

doi:10.1080/15236803.2016.12002238

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…A survey of IT professionals and Masters of Public Administration (MPA) alumni conducted by Christian and Davis (2016) found a disconnect between what MPA students are learning about technology in their programs and what they need to know to be effective public managers. Given the importance of cybersecurity in public administration, we urge MPA programs to integrate it into their curricula better more effectively.…”

Section: Overcome Lack Of Cybersecurity Knowledge Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a role for Public Administration and Public Policy schools and associations in providing educational resources to both elected officials and managers in the public sector, especially those in local governments. A survey of IT professionals and Masters of Public Administration (MPA) alumni conducted by Christian and Davis (2016) found a disconnect between what MPA students are learning about technology in their programs and what they need to know to be effective public managers. Given the importance of cybersecurity in public administration, we urge MPA programs to integrate it into their curricula better more effectively.…”

Section: What To Do?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Local government cyber insecurity: Causes and recommendations for improvement

Norris,

Mateczun,

Hatcher

et al. 2023

Public Administration Review

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In this paper, we address several facets of the problem we call local government cyber insecurity – a problem that plagues such governments across the nation, if not the world. We describe this problem and discuss its manifestations in local governments. This is followed by our analysis of why, on average, local government cybersecurity is managed and practiced so poorly. Next, we discuss several constraints on local governments that may help to explain why so many of these governments are not able to provide highly effective cybersecurity. We then discuss steps that local governments can and should take to improve their cybersecurity, including adopting dedicated cybersecurity budgets, adopting several highly recommended cybersecurity policies, and following best cybersecurity practices.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Section: Overcome Lack Of Cybersecurity Knowledge Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: What To Do?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Local government cyber insecurity: Causes and recommendations for improvement

Norris,

Mateczun,

Hatcher

et al. 2023

Public Administration Review

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“…Other scholars to consider the link between MPA/MPP education and civil services skills include Larat (2017) and a further contribution by Reichard (2017) that focus on leadership skills; Taylor (2003) and Henderson and Chenowitch (2014) who consider the implications on civil service recruitment of MPA/MPP curriculum; Perry (2019) who considers how the academic discipline of public administration has adapted to transformations in government; Bouckaert (2013) who asks whether it is for civil services to be influenced by academic public administration rather than the reverse; and, finally, Howlett (2009) who observes an apparent gap between the content of Canadian MPA/MPP programmes and the practice of public administration in government. Taken together these contributions have implications for a discipline that straddles the line between professional degrees oriented to practice and academic degrees oriented towards teaching and research (CAPPA, 2018a;Christian and Davis, 2016;Oldfield, 2017;Schro ¨ter and Ro ¨ber, 2015).…”

Section: Public Administration Curriculum and The 'Future Of Work'mentioning

confidence: 99%

MPA/MPP programmes and the future of work: Does MPA curriculum align with civil service requirements

O'Neill

2021

Teaching Public Administration

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In recent decades civil services worldwide have experienced exogenous forces that are transforming their work and workplace. In turn, these changes are altering the skills set associated with civil service employment. As professional degrees oriented towards careers in civil service these changes can have important ramifications on the curriculum. Focusing on member schools of the Canadian Association of Programmes in Public Administration (CAPPA) our research explores whether and how the postgraduate public administration and public policy programmes (MPA and MPP) curriculum has adapted to changes in the natural labour market for their graduates. Our threefold findings are that: A lack of alignment exists between the MPA/MPP currently taught and the requirements of civil services; a recognition by programme heads that some degree of curriculum alignment is indeed necessary; and that engagement between schools and civils services exists, but is typically informal and conducted through intermediary bodies. Our findings further highlight the necessity for civil services to engage with MPA and MPP programmes to ensure that future civil servants possess the skills relevant at a time of significant change in the nature of work.

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“…Subsequent research supports this general assertion as it applies to IT. Christian and Davis (2016) surveyed managers of government organizations and found that IT needs were not being met through the hiring of recent MPA graduates. Miller (2019) analyzed undergraduate public administration programs, concluding that considerable variation existed between the coursework and skills taught to students in member schools of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NAS-PAA), the global accrediting body for public administration.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

E-Government and information technology coursework in public administration programs in Asia

McQuiston

Manoharan

2020

Teaching Public Administration

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New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain are changing how the public sector serves constituents. Academic programs in public administration and public policy must adapt their coursework to best serve students in an increasingly technology-based world. This qualitative research analyzed 84 Asian public administration graduate programs to determine the degree to which information technology was taught throughout the region. Our findings indicate that considerable variation existed between the number of information technology classes offered and the types of information discussed in the classes. A majority of public administration programs throughout Asia offered coursework in information technology; but, core classes and IT-specific specializations in public administration programs were observed at a much lower rate. Discussions of the tactics taken by programs to educate students in information technologies provide actionable suggestions for practitioners, educators, researchers, and administrators alike.

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Revisiting the Information Technology Skills Gap in Master of Public Administration Programs

Cited by 5 publications

References 10 publications

Local government cyber insecurity: Causes and recommendations for improvement

Local government cyber insecurity: Causes and recommendations for improvement

MPA/MPP programmes and the future of work: Does MPA curriculum align with civil service requirements

E-Government and information technology coursework in public administration programs in Asia

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