Public Affairs Curriculum Governance Principles: Case Study of GIMPA

This assignment requires a thorough examination of governance principles within the context of the public affairs curriculum at GIMPA. Students are expected to analyze key concepts such as liberal principles of justice and political economy (Hayek), transformation of governance in the 21st century (Kettl), and contemporary public administration principles (Yuan et al.). Using the provided sources, students should discuss how these principles can be applied or are currently being implemented within GIMPA's curriculum.

PRINCIPLES OF ADMINISTRATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
1.1Explain the legal requirements relating to the management of office facilities.....................4
1.3 Explain how to establish office management procedures.....................................................4
1.4 Explain how to manage office resources..............................................................................5
1.5 Explain techniques to monitor and manage work flows.......................................................5
1.6 Explain typical support and welfare facilities for office workers.........................................5
2.1 Explain the legal obligations of the employer for health and safety in the workplace ........6
2.2 Explain an individual’s responsibilities for health and safety in the workplace...................6
2.3 Describe accident and emergency procedures......................................................................6
Understand how to chair, lead and manage meetings.....................................................................7
3.1Explain the purpose of different types of minutes and other meeting records.......................7
3.2Explain the legal requirements of formal minutes.................................................................7
3.3Describe organisational conventions for producing minutes.................................................7
3.4 Describe the responsibilities of the minute taker in a meeting.............................................8
3.5 Explain why it is important to maintain confidentiality of meetings, discussions and
actions.........................................................................................................................................8
4.1Explain the features and purpose of different types of formal and informal meeting...........8
4.2Explain the role and responsibilities of the chair...................................................................8
4.3Explain the role of others in a meeting..................................................................................9
4.4 Explain techniques to facilitate a meeting............................................................................9
4.5Explain the information requirements of a meeting before, during and after a meeting.......9
Understand how to supervise an administration team....................................................................9
5.1Explain the use of targets and budgets to manage workloads................................................9
4.2Explain how to allocate work to individual team members.................................................10
4.3 Explain different quality management techniques to manage the performance of an
administrative team...................................................................................................................10
4.4Explain the techniques used to identify the need for improvements in team outputs and
standards....................................................................................................................................10
Understand how to organise events..............................................................................................11

6.2Explain the characteristics, requirements and purposes of different types of event............11
6.3Explain the types of information and information sources needed to organise an event.....11
6.4Explain how to identify the right resources from an event plan..........................................11
6.5 Describe the likely types of information needed by delegates before, during and after an
event .........................................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
The legal requirements related to managing an office facility will depend on the size and
type of organisation. However, all organisations should issue a contract of employment to its
employees. It is important to have set procedures in an organisation in view of absence etc.
Procedures are needed for tasks that are complex, lengthy, have serious consequences if not
completed correctly or have to follow strict guidelines. Managing resources is the process of
making sure resources are used in the most efficient way. You have responsibilities for your own
health and safety at work, and also for maintaining a healthy and safe working environment.
Some of your responsibilities in the workplace are as follow. likely types of information needed
by delegates before, during and after an event
1.1Explain the legal requirements relating to the management of office facilities
Contracts aren’t necessarily legally binding, however employers should clearly state
which parts are/aren’t. In some organisations, it will be a legal requirement to possess a license
to operate. This applies to organisations selling alcohol, hiring a skip or installing CCTV systems
etc.(Obama, B., 2013). Organisations also have legal responsibilities to their employees which
are defined in legislation such as the Equality Act and the Employment Rights Act. As it is a
criminal offence to breach confidentiality, and organisations could face a fine, custodial sentence
or community service. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) should also be informed,
if any data protection laws are broken.
When selling products, it is useful to take out product liability insurance as this protects the
organisation if someone is injured by a defect in a product.
1.3 Explain how to establish office management procedures
An office manager has the responsibility of ensuring all staff have clear job descriptions
and that these are updated whenever a system or procedure changes, or when new tasks are
introduced. They also need to ensure their staff are well trained, and can carry out the procedures
required of them. All data and records kept within an office needs to be extremely accurate and
kept up to date at all times. Records should be updated regularly if possible. In my workplace, all
data about students is regularly checked as students are sent home with a Data Collection Sheet,
in which parents can change any necessary details and bring back into school to be updated on
SIMS. Any files kept on employees, and information about payroll, discipline and grievance also

need to be kept up to date, as these not only affect pay but can also be used as evidence in the
case of an unfair dismissal.
1.4 Explain how to manage office resources
Managing resources is the process of making sure resources are used in the most efficient
way. Office resources include materials, staff, information and equipment. Managing resources
includes making sure an organisation has enough physical resources, but not an overabundance,
and making sure employees are given tasks and duties that will keep them occupied throughout
the day. Using resources efficiently helps reduce costs to the organisation, as well as reducing
energy costs. Benefits from managing resources effectively include; longer working life for
equipment, greater mobility when using laptops instead of computers as well as less energy
being consumed, and reduced need for mechanical ventilation as energy-efficient equipment runs
at a lower temperature in standby mode, therefore creating lower carbon emissions with less
impact on the environment.
1.5 Explain techniques to monitor and manage work flows
Work flows are the processes in which tasks are completed, most processes include many
steps, exchanging and passing on information, and interactions between different people in
different departments. Workflow management is important as organisations need to be able to
understand and determine what tasks need to be executed, what order they need to be completed
in, who’s involved, what systems are being used and if the rules are being followed.
Organisations need to adjust quickly when it comes to optimising operations in order to figure
out new ways to raise productivity technology and lower costs.
1.6 Explain typical support and welfare facilities for office workers
All workplaces should offer appropriate support facilities for its employees. This support
may include advice and guidance to anyone affected by a personal or work-related problem, by
helping them reach a positive solution. Support could also include providing advice on issues
surrounding healthy lifestyles, addiction, drug dependence, retirement, redundancy and
bereavement. In my workplace, all issues should first be reported to the line manager/head of
department who will try to provide advice or some sort of advice service for their employees.
One example of support comes under the Stress Policy.

2.1 Explain the legal obligations of the employer for health and safety in the workplace
In order to help employees fulfill their legal obligations with legislation such as the
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, many employers set workplace policies. These often
combine the legal requirements with any additional measures and services that the employer
chooses to provide for its employees. Some common workplace policies include the
following(Yuan and Xiaoyi, 2012).
2.2 Explain an individual’s responsibilities for health and safety in the workplace.
You have responsibilities for your own health and safety at work, and also for
maintaining a healthy and safe working environment. Some of your responsibilities in the
workplace are as follows.•Take reasonable care within the workplace: this means you need to
minimize health and safety risks(Harun and Kannae, 2013). For example, you should make sure
there are no trailing wires around your workstation and that you do not create any trip hazards in
walkways.•Make proper use of equipment: your employer should provide training for you to use
any specialist equipment. It is your responsibility to make sure you use the equipment in a proper
and safe manner.
2.3 Describe accident and emergency procedures
There is a critical incident plan put in place by Derbyshire County Council for all
schools, this is following the Dunblane School Massacre in 1996 in which 16 children and 1
teacher were tragically killed(Blanco, Shen and Ferrari, 2015). Each school is expected to tailor
this plan to suit individual needs. This plan outlines some examples of critical incidents, these
include; a serious accident involving students or staff on or off school site, a violent intrusion
onto the school site (an armed intruder/bomb alert etc), a school fire, flood or explosion or the
release of a hazardous substance. During any emergency situation, the line manager/head of
department is always responsible for their team; in my role it would be the Assistant Business
Manager of the school(Smith, 2014).
In the case of a fire, two designated members of staff (one upstairs/one downstairs) from
each block makes sure the building is clear of all staff, students and visitors.

Understand how to chair, lead and manage meetings
3.1Explain the purpose of different types of minutes and other meeting records
Minutes can be written in two ways; agenda-based minutes or informal meeting minutes.
The format of the minutes will all depend on the type of meeting being held and the nature of the
organisation or group.
Agenda-based minutes are the traditional type of minutes. These minutes are taken at scheduled
meetings which are called to address a particular topic with an agenda(Becker. and Shane, 2012).
This agenda may be distributed to the members prior to the meeting, or simply announced at the
start of the meeting by the chairperson. The meeting will then follow a framework set by the
agenda.
3.2Explain the legal requirements of formal minutes
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, some minutes are legally required due to
the nature of the meeting; this is so information can be accessed by the public. This applies to
governmental bodies (both local and central), police authorities, health and education
departments etc(Hambleton and Swaminathan, 2013). However, there are some exemptions
where minutes are not required and cannot be divulged to the public. Examples include meetings
with the intelligence service or if information disclosed could compromise the safety and
security of the nation.
3.3Describe organisational conventions for producing minutes
Organisational conventions are put in place in order to ensure structure, fairness and
responsibility in a meeting. These set procedures are to be followed by all members of the
meeting, including the chairperson and the minute taker. Having structure in a meeting is helpful
as it ensures all items on the agenda are addressed before the meeting is adjourned, as well as
guaranteeing all members of the meeting have an equal chance to debate and contribute their
opinion.
Legal conventions are guidelines which, by law, have to be followed. These could include; the
preparation of an agenda, the presence of a chairperson or the production of minutes(Henry,
2015). Informal conventions are usually decided by the group and are individual to the
organisation and type of meeting.

3.4 Describe the responsibilities of the minute taker in a meeting
Usually, the minute taker is already appointed before the meeting, this role is normally
given to the meeting’s secretary, who is not involved in the discussion and acts as a source of
neutrality; this ensures the minutes are objective and free from bias(Kettl, 2015). Regardless of
this, even though the minute taker is not actively participating in the meeting, it is important they
understand what is taking place in order to accurately document the discussion.
3.5 Explain why it is important to maintain confidentiality of meetings, discussions and actions
As minutes of meetings can be used as legal evidence in employment/workplace disputes,
minutes need to be kept confidential, and kept undisclosed unless requested under the Freedom
of Information Act. With this act, minutes of official meetings can be requested and disclosed to
the public, however there does need to be suitable public interest to do so(Kaplan and Saccuzzo,
2017). Sometimes, members of the meeting will give their consent for the minutes to be released.
4.1Explain the features and purpose of different types of formal and informal meeting
Organisations hold meetings for a number of reasons, and the type of meeting depends on
this. Meetings allow employees within an organisation to communicate, share information, and
improve their performance. Sometimes, suppliers, customers and partners from other
organisations may also be involved in meetings.
4.2Explain the role and responsibilities of the chair
Role and responsibilities of the chair At committee meetings
 Conduct business in the order set out in the agenda
 Keep discussion focused on the item as set by the agenda(Blanco, Shen and Ferrari,
2015).
 Make sure that a decision has been reached before going onto the next item on the agenda
Role and responsibilities of the chair Between committee meetings
 Know of all work that the community association is doing so that he/she is well informed
about all matters that may arise at committee meetings
 Keep in touch with other committee members and how their work is coming along, which
means supporting people, not ordering them about

4.3Explain the role of others in a meeting
The chair of the meeting has a number of the responsibilities; they are there to guide and
lead the meeting, making sure they remain impartial and seeking to avoid conflict between other
individuals in the meeting. The chair ensures the meeting is well-run, productive and engaging.
Prior to the meeting, the chair needs to plan all aspects; this includes determining the
purpose of the meeting, who needs to attend, where the meeting will be held, and whether
holding a meeting is appropriate(Frederickson, 2015) (this means deciding whether another
means of communication would be more suitable e.g. via email).
4.4 Explain techniques to facilitate a meeting
Facilitating a meeting is about ensuring the meeting is efficient and inclusive. It is the
chair’s responsibility to ensure the meeting is effective, however all participants should try and
keep the meeting focussed and flowing. The chair should ask questions to each member to ensure
they are kept involved; doing so regulates the flow of the meeting and help clarify points of
discussion.
The person facilitating a meeting needs to possess a number of skills to be successful,
these include; being an active listener (this means strategically questioning items and being
open-minded), having a clear understanding of the aim and long-term goals, staying neutral on
all issues, and having the ability to be assertive but not overbearing (this means knowing when to
intervene and offer direction and guidance).
4.5Explain the information requirements of a meeting before, during and after a meeting
Before a meeting, the chairperson will prepare, this includes creating a list of people they
would like to attend the meeting and then choosing a venue/room suitable to accommodate the
maximum number of attendees, taking into account any catering and accommodation
requirements. The chair will also create and distribute an agenda; in some cases they may need to
practice their speeches as well(Matłok, Pędziwiat and Małczak, 2015). Sometimes the
chairperson will have their own agenda in addition to the meeting agenda; this will also need to
be drafted before the meeting. I
Understand how to supervise an administration team.
5.1Explain the use of targets and budgets to manage workloads
Within all organisations, it is important that each individual understands their own role
and how their performance affects the results of the business. Line managers have a

responsibility to supervise a team of employees; it is their role to allocate work and tasks to these
employees depending on their strengths and weaknesses.
Individual targets should follow the SMART technique (specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant, time-bound); this will make it easier to achieve them, as well as ensuring
cohesion with colleagues when working together on the same task.
4.2Explain how to allocate work to individual team members
When allocating tasks, it is important for line managers/supervisors to communicate with
all team members as this clarifies details of the task (who is completing it/when it is to be
completed etc) as well as whose skills are better suited to the task. This is why it is important
each employee understands and can identify their own strengths and what their responsibilities
within the organisation are. Managing a team also involves planning ahead, and scheduling tasks
and resources in order to meet agreed targets and deadlines.
4.3 Explain different quality management techniques to manage the performance of an
administrative team
In my admin role, all team members thoroughly communicate together, expressing ideas
on how to improve work processes, and giving comments regarding things that went well, and
things that require attention. My line manager also gives feedback on work, which is something I
would put emphasis on when supervising a team. Queries within my team can always be
discussed in regular progress meetings. The Six Sigma approach includes a similar method with
several key elements; define, measure, analyse, improve and control. This system is used to help
improve existing processes in the organisation which are falling below the required standard.
4.4Explain the techniques used to identify the need for improvements in team outputs and
standards
Quality management is used in all organisations and is the act of ensuring products and services
are consistent and maintained to a high standard, as well as how to achieve these aims. To carry
out quality management, there are four main areas; planning, control, assurance and
improvement. Quality planning involves identifying standards and practices to be used when
carrying out tasks. Planning is important as it allows employees to understand their role within
their department and how they affect the organisation as a whole.

Understand how to organise events
6.2Explain the characteristics, requirements and purposes of different types of event.
All types of business events need to be planned and organised thoroughly. The planning
committee/organisers need to ensure they look at all aspects of the event in great detail, and
consider possible outcomes eg the worst case scenario. They need to be knowledgeable about
public relations and have good interpersonal skills. Organising events may also require
innovation and knowledge about technology.
6.3Explain the types of information and information sources needed to organise an event
Preferably, event organisers need to know how many people will be attending the event
as this will making it easier when planning, for example events need to be able to accommodate
all participants and therefore the organiser needs to be aware of any special mobility/dietary
requirements in order to choose the most suitable venue, and this information would be provided
by the people wanting to attend. the attendees during the event;
6.4Explain how to identify the right resources from an event plan
When planning an event, it is important to know exactly the correct resources and
facilities you will need to carry out a successful event, these include accommodation, catering,
equipment and car parking. The easiest way to do this is to try and accumulate a figure of how
many will be attending, and ask them for any requirements they may need, this information can
then be transferred to the venue.
6.5 Describe the likely types of information needed by delegates before, during and after an
event
People attending the event will need to know a number of things before they arrive, this
includes where the venue is and date/time, how to arrive to the event and the dress code,
approximate duration, whether there will be refreshments/meal and the cost of the event if any.
Attendees may also need to know an approximate schedule of the day/night(Hambleton and
Swaminathan, 2013). This information could be given either prior to or during the event, in the
form of an email (this is probably the quickest and cheapest way to distribute information), or
leaflets could be produced however this could be expensive, especially with big events.
CONCLUSION
From the report principles of administration it can be concluded that legal requirement for
companies to adhere to the legislation surrounding data protection, this is especially important

when working in a school as some information about children needs to be kept confidential, even
sometimes from their family members The event organiser needs to be skilled in communication
and negotiation, as well as managing staff and budgets; they also need to be creative and
flexible..the members will probably be given the agenda before attending the
meeting/conference.
Alternatively, for smaller events, a short meeting could be held by the organiser briefly outlining
the event.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Becker, J. and Shane, S., 2012. Secret ‘kill list’proves a test of Obama’s principles and will. New
York Times, 29, p.5.
Blanco, E., Shen, H. and Ferrari, M., 2015. Principles of nanoparticle design for overcoming
biological barriers to drug delivery. Nature biotechnology, 33(9), p.941.
Frederickson, H.G., 2015. Social equity and public administration: Origins, developments, and
applications. Routledge.
Frederickson, H.G., Smith, K.B., Larimer, C.W. and Licari, M.J., 2015. The public
administration theory primer. Westview Press.
Hambleton, R.K. and Swaminathan, H., 2013. Item response theory: Principles and applications.
Springer Science & Business Media.
Haruna, P.F. and Kannae, L.A., 2013. Connecting good governance principles to the public
affairs curriculum: The case of Ghana Institute of Management and Public
Administration. Journal of Public Affairs Education, pp.493-514.
Hayek, F.A., 2012. Law, legislation and liberty: a new statement of the liberal principles of
justice and political economy. Routledge.
Henry, N., 2015. Public administration and public affairs. Routledge.
Hiscox, E.T., 2015. Principles and Practices for Baptist Churches: A Guide to the
Administration of Baptist Churches. Kregel Publications.
Hughes, O.E., 2012. Public management and administration: An introduction. Palgrave
Macmillan.
Juárez, F., 2014. Review of the principles of complexity in business administration and
application in financial statements. African Journal of Business Management, 8(2), p.48.
Kaplan, R.M. and Saccuzzo, D.P., 2017. Psychological testing: Principles, applications, and
issues. Nelson Education.
Kettl, D.F., 2015. The transformation of governance: Public administration for the twenty-first
century. JHU Press.
Matłok, M., Pędziwiatr, M., Major, P., Kłęk, S., and Małczak, P., 2015. One hundred seventy-
nine consecutive bariatric operations after introduction of protocol inspired by the principles of
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enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) in bariatric surgery. Medical science monitor:
international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 21, p.791.
Obama, B., 2013. Statement by the President. whitehouse. Gov, 7.
Rios, M.C., McConnell, C.R. and Brue, S.L., 2013. Economics: Principles, problems, and
policies. McGraw-Hill.
Shafritz, J.M. and Hyde, A.C., 2016. Classics of public administration. Nelson Education.
Smith, M.C., 2014. Principles of pharmaceutical marketing. Routledge.
Willis, N., Chavkin, N. and Leung, P., 2016. Finding “health” and “meaning” in Texas-sized
turnover: Application of seminal management principles for administration and research in US
public child welfare agencies. Advances in Social Work, 17(2), pp.116-133.
Yuan, L., Xi, C. and Xiaoyi, W., 2012. Evaluating the readiness of government portal websites in
China to adopt contemporary public administration principles. Government Information
Quarterly, 29(3), pp.403-412.
Zevenbergen, J., Augustinus, C., Antonio, D. and Bennett, R., 2013. Pro-poor land
administration: Principles for recording the land rights of the underrepresented. Land use
policy, 31, pp.595-604.
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