Are Public Organizations Really So Different and Distinct?

Are Public Organizations Really So Different and Distinct?
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2]
According to Rainey (2014), it is sometimes challenging to determine how public and private organizations are different, and we must “avoid oversimplifying the issue and jumping to conclusions about sharp distinctions between public and private” (p. 61). Many of the roles, structures, and processes are similar, but the environment, intrinsic motivation of personnel and outcomes may be distinctly different. In this context, environment may mean political, social, expectations, among other elements. For this assignment, you will be looking at key areas to determine if and how public and private organizations might be different or similar.
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read or review the following:
Chapters 3 and 4 in Understanding and Managing Public Organizations (5th ed.)
Chapter 32 in Handbook of Public Administration
Comparing Public and Private Organizations: An Exploratory Analysis of Three Frameworks
Sleepless in City Hall
(Links to an external site.)
Public Service
(Links to an external site.)
Select one private or corporate organization and one government or nonprofit organization to research. You will compare and contrast key aspects of public and private organizations to determine whether there are similarities and or differences. For additional support, see the Compare and Contrast Assignments
(Links to an external site.)
page in the Ashford Writing Center. After researching each of the organizations, you will compare and contrast the mission, organizational structure, organizational culture, leadership, expected outcomes, financial model, and environment under which each operates to determine how these organizations are similar and how they are different.
In your paper,
Identify the private or corporate organization and the government or nonprofit organizations selected for this analysis.
Compare and contrast the mission of the private or corporate organization to the government or nonprofit organization.
Compare and contrast the organizational structure and culture of the private or corporate organization to the government or nonprofit organization.
Compare and contrast the expected outcomes and financial model of the private or corporate organization to the government or nonprofit organization.
Compare and contrast the operating environment of the private or corporate organization to the government or nonprofit organization.
Analyze the information to determine if public organizations are different and distinct from private organizations.
The Are Public Organizations Really So Different and Distinct? paper
Must be a minimum of 750 words in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Style
(Links to an external site.)
as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Word 2013
(Links to an external site.)
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice
(Links to an external site.)
resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions
(Links to an external site.)
as well as Writing a Thesis Statement
(Links to an external site.)
, refer to the Ashford Writing Center resources.
Must use at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed, or credible sources other than the required resources.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources
(Links to an external site.)
table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view this Ashford University Library Quick ‘n’ Dirty
(Links to an external site.)
tutorial, which introduces the Ashford University Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper
(Links to an external site.)
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List
(Links to an external site.)
resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric
(Links to an external site.)
for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Last Completed Projects