Grading the State – Comparative Analysis
This assignment is designed for you to use your critical thinking skills analyzing and evaluating how different states address common governmental process and policy challenges. Utilize the Governing: Measuring Performance – The State Management Report Card for 2008 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts to conduct your critical analysis of the governing performance of three U.S. states.
Open the Governing: Measuring Performance – The State Management Report Card for 2008 report from the Pew Center on the States. Choose three states to compare, in which you identify one state that received an overall A or A-, one state that received a B- or C+, and one state that received a D+ or D. Compare the following performance criteria for each state: money, people, infrastructure, and information. In your comparison, you must analyze what these state leaders do well and not so well in managing the money, people, infrastructure, and information in their states. Next, based on this analysis, create a list of recommended ‘best practices’ (programs, processes and policies) on how states can effectively and efficiently manage their money, people, infrastructure, and information.
Use the following general outline as a guide to conduct your comparison:
- Introduction (half page):
- Overview:
- How does the Pew Report evaluate state governance performance?
- Which three states did you choose to contrast and compare and what was their overall grade?
- Thesis:
- Why are you comparing and contrasting and these three states’ governing performance?
- Overview:
- Contrast and Comparison (one to two Pages):
- Using examples and details from the report and other scholarly sources compare three states, one high performer (A or A-), one middle performer (B- or C+), and one low performer (D+ or D) using the following four performance criteria:
- Money
- People
- Infrastructure
- Information
- Using examples and details from the report and other scholarly sources compare three states, one high performer (A or A-), one middle performer (B- or C+), and one low performer (D+ or D) using the following four performance criteria:
- Recommendations (one to two pages):
- Based on your comparative analysis and supporting details and examples from the report and other scholarly sources, recommend ‘best practices’ (processes and policies) that states can pursue to manage their money, people, infrastructure, and information.
- Explain why and how these best practices will enable states to effectively and efficiently manage these variables (money, people, infrastructure, and information). Use examples and details from the report and other scholarly sources.
- Conclusion (half page):
- Review your main points.
- Review your overall thesis.
The paper must be four to six pages in length (not including cover page and reference page) and formatted according to APA style. Cite your resources in text and on the reference page.
