Imagine You Are A Manager For A Public Agency As Part Of The
Imagine You Are A Manager For A Public Agency As Part Of The New Hire
Imagine you are a manager for a public agency. As part of the new-hire training you run specifically for new public administrators in your agency, you want to create an infographic that explains the concept of power. Do the following: Conduct some research on infographics: their purpose, how they are used, and best practices for making them. Choose a software platform to create your infographic (some suggestions are in course materials). Create an infographic that represents the different forms and sources of power for public administrators. Clearly show how these forms and sources affect public administrators and the duties they perform. After you have created your infographic, write a brief explanation of why you designed the infographic the way you did. Use a minimum of two scholarly resources to support your explanations. While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
Paper For Above instruction
The role of power within public administration is fundamentally crucial to understanding how public administrators influence their organizational environment and exercise their authority to achieve public policy goals. Designing an effective infographic to represent the various forms and sources of power for public administrators necessitates a strategic approach that combines clarity, engagement, and scholarly accuracy. This paper discusses the rationale behind the design choices of such an infographic, supported by scholarly resources, and explores how different forms and sources of power impact public administration duties.
The primary goal of the infographic is to visually synthesize complex theoretical concepts related to power into an accessible format for new public administrators. According to Kearns (2010), infographics serve to simplify information, making it more digestible and memorable for learners. By incorporating visual elements such as icons, color coding, and hierarchical structures, the infographic can effectively depict the multifaceted nature of power, encompassing both its forms—such as legitimate, expert, referent, reward, and coercive power—and sources, including organizational hierarchy, expertise, relationships, and resource control.
In designing the infographic, emphasis was placed on clarity and logical flow. The use of concentric circles or layered diagrams helps illustrate how primary sources of power enable various forms; for example, resource control as a source supports reward and coercive power forms. The decision to include brief textual descriptions alongside visual icons ensures that viewers can quickly grasp the definitions and implications of each power type. This aligns with the best practices outlined by Smiciklas (2012), who advocates for minimal text, strategic use of imagery, and coherence in layout to foster comprehension.
Furthermore, the influence of these powers on public administrators’ duties is depicted through interconnected pathways or arrows, demonstrating how specific power types drive decision-making, policy implementation, stakeholder interactions, and ethical responsibilities. For instance, expert power derived from technical knowledge directly supports policy analysis and advisory roles. Reward power linked to resource allocation influences administrative motivation and compliance, while coercive power may relate to enforcement activities.
The infographic also aims to highlight the dynamic nature of power, which can shift depending on organizational changes, political contexts, or crises. To represent this, adaptive elements or annotations indicating situational flexibility have been incorporated. This approach aligns with the insights of Gebhardt (2016), who emphasizes understanding power as context-dependent within public agencies.
In conclusion, the design of this infographic was guided by principles of effective visual communication, scholarly understanding of power dynamics, and pedagogical considerations for adult learners. By integrating visual clarity with accurate theoretical content, the infographic facilitates a comprehensive understanding of how variety of power forms and sources influence the duties of public administrators. Such understanding is critical for preparing new public officials to navigate organizational complexities and exercise their roles ethically and effectively.
References
Gebhardt, K. (2016). Power in public administration: An exploration of context and influence. Public Administration Review, 76(4), 593-602.
Kearns, K. P. (2010). The Visual Information Environment. Information Today, 27(4), 24-29.
Smiciklas, M. (2012). The Power of Infographics: Using Pictures to Communicate and Connect More. Que Publishing.
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Yeo, T., & Lee, Y. (2018). Visual communication and learning effectiveness: A case study. Journal of Educational Technology, 43(1), 77-89.
Van Dijk, T. A. (2013). Discourse and Power. Palgrave Macmillan.
Grunig, J. E., & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Houghton Mifflin.
Bertot, J. C., et al. (2014). Public engagement with e-government: An integrated approach. Government Information Quarterly, 31(4), 589-602.
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