SECOND ANNUAL Teaching Case and Simulation Competition

Collaborative Public Management, Networks and Public Management, Collaborative Governance, and Collaborative Problem Solving

Competition winners: $5,000 prize for best teaching case, $5,000 for best teaching simulation, and up to ten additional $1,000 honorable mention prizes

Public managers who work in networks often find themselves not solely as unitary leaders of unitary organizations.  Instead, they often find themselves collaborating in multiorganizational networked arrangements and with the public to solve problems that cannot be solved, or solved easily, by single organizations. Collaborative public management, networks and public management, collaborative governance, and collaborative problem solving are fast becoming essential topics in many public management and public policy programs.  But collaboration is not simply a body of substantive knowledge; it is also a set of skills. We believe that one of the best ways to prepare students to operate in networks is through the use of case studies, simulations and negotiation exercises.


To further stimulate the creation of effective and innovative teaching cases and simulations in this area, the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts (PARC) at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University is sponsoring a second annual competition.   The competition seeks to encourage the development of new cases and new simulations to be used in teaching collaborative public management, collaborative governance and/or collaborative problem solving.  The competition will provide one $5,000 prize for best teaching case, one $5,000 prize for best teaching simulation, and up to ten $1,000 honorable mention prizes. 


Case studies should be approximately 15-25 type-written pages (double-spaced).  Simulations should include a minimum of 6 players.  All entries must include a teaching note.  To access last year’s award-winning cases and simulations, please go to www.maxwell.syr.edu/parc/eparc


The work of all winners will be published online and will be downloadable free of charge at E-PARC (www.maxwell.syr.edu/parc/eparc).  E-PARC is a new endeavor of the Maxwell School’s “Collaborative Governance Initiative” launched in the summer of 2007.  E-PARC provides free on-line resources for those who teach collaborative public management, networks and public management, collaborative governance, and collaborative problem solving around the world.


Selection of the winners will be made by a committee of scholars and practitioners in the field chaired by PARC co-directors Rosemary O’Leary and Catherine Gerard.   All cases and simulations must be original and not yet published elsewhere. 

To enter: Submit original teaching case studies and teaching simulations no later than October 1, 2008.  Finalists will be notified by November 1, 2008.


All entries should be submitted electronically to PARC@maxwell.syr.edu.

Questions should be directed to:
Rosemary O’Leary, Distinguished Professor
The Maxwell School of Syracuse University
roleary@maxwell.syr.edu