PPMN90056: ace the report, not just read the notes
Your complete guide to University of Melbourne's business and government unit. See where the marks are, work real practice questions, and study with an AI tutor that knows PPMN90056.
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Sharpen your argument
In the Mining Tax case study, large mining companies ran a major public-advertising and lobbying campaign that helped force the Rudd government to wind back its proposed resources rent tax. A student writing the case study analysis must explain WHY the campaign was so effective. Which thesis statement is the strongest, given how the subject distinguishes instrumental and structural power?
Recall the two concepts: instrumental power is the deliberate, strategic use of resources (advertising, donations, formal lobbying), while structural power is the advantage business gets because the rules of the game favour it given its economic position, even without overt effort.
Option A is too narrow: it ignores why a heavy campaign found an open door, which is the miners' structural position (disinvestment and lost jobs and royalties are credible threats).
Option B is too deterministic: the subject explicitly rejects the early view that structural power works automatically and pre-determines outcomes; the miners still had to mobilise a deliberate campaign, and government kept strategic resources.
Option D abandons the analytical task entirely; the case study is explicitly an exercise in applying power concepts.
Option C captures the interaction (structural cards plus instrumental play, against a government with its own resources), which is exactly the framing the structural-power module builds toward, so it is the strongest thesis.
The weaker choice: Treating instrumental and structural power as rival, either-or explanations and picking one. The subject's whole point is that they interact: structural power amplifies instrumental lobbying (you push on an open door), and the strongest analyses show how the two combine in the specific case rather than crowning a single cause. watch this!
One report decides 40% of your grade. The single heaviest task: where most of your grade comes from. This whole page is built around that.
Overview
What PPMN90056 is, and where it sits
PPMN90056 Business and Government is a postgraduate subject in the University of Melbourne's Master of Public Policy and Management (Faculty of Arts, School of Social and Political Sciences). It examines the roles, responsibilities and sources of power that characterise relationships between business and government, and how those relationships shape public policy, public service delivery and regulation within and between countries. The approach is comparative and international: much of the foundational literature is centred on the US and Europe, and the subject deliberately works to broaden that lens across different political and economic systems.
The subject is organised around three cross-cutting questions that recur in every topic: what roles do contemporary businesses play in the work of government, what sources of social and political power they draw on, and what the practical implications are for how those roles should be facilitated and regulated. These questions are then applied across three thematic clusters: the role of business in public policy making (lobbying, structural power, the power of ideas), in public service delivery (privatisation, business-community partnerships), and in public interest regulation (business self-regulation and multi-stakeholder regulation). A normative concern with the public interest and democratic legitimacy runs through all of it.
Delivery and assessment make this a writing-and-argument subject, not an exam subject. Eight weekly online modules carry the readings and concepts, and you complete each one before a two-hour Wednesday seminar in the first eight weeks; four fortnightly Expert Dialogue panels add practitioner perspectives. There is no final exam. Instead, the bulk of your grade is one linked chain of tasks built on a single self-chosen real-world case: a case study analysis, then a policy report, then an oral defence of that report. Choosing a workable case early is the single most consequential decision in the subject.
Difficulty & time commitment
Is PPMN90056 hard, and how much time does it take?
PPMN90056 is manageable if you keep a weekly rhythm and treat the back half as the main event. Across student reviews the pattern is consistent: it starts gently and steepens, and the heaviest assessment is the part that separates grades.
The difficulty curve and the assessment weighting point the same way: the back half is harder and worth more. Front-loading effort there is the highest-return decision in the unit.
Is this unit for you
Who tends to do well, and who tends to struggle
You will likely do well if
- You can build and sustain a clear argument in writing, since 70% of the mark is two linked essays (the 1500-word case study and the 2000-word policy report) graded on the quality of your reasoning, not a right answer.
- You choose a focused, workable case early. Assessments 2 to 4 all build on one self-chosen case, so a sharp, well-scoped choice with a clear jurisdiction, sector and evaluative angle pays off three times.
- You engage critically with theory and apply it to real controversies, comfortably moving between concepts (instrumental, structural and ideational power; legitimacy; the public interest) and concrete cases.
- You keep up with the weekly modules before each seminar, because the discussion posts are assessed and the seminars assume you have done the reading.
You may struggle if
- You prefer problem sets with definite answers; this subject is qualitative, argument-driven and normative, with no exam and no calculation to fall back on.
- You leave the case study choice or the policy report to the last minute. The tasks are cumulative, the report is 40% on its own, and a weak early case choice limits everything that follows.
- You rely on generative AI to draft your analysis. The subject prohibits submitting AI-generated substantive content or text and requires any permitted use to be declared.
- You skip seminars or fall behind on modules; there is an 80% attendance hurdle and the participation mark depends on weekly posts submitted before each seminar.
- Lock in a specific, contestable case study by Week 3 to 4: name the jurisdiction, the policy or sector, the form of business influence, and the exact evaluative question (public interest, democratic accountability, effectiveness or legitimacy).
- Apply the power toolkit explicitly. The strongest case studies show how instrumental, structural and ideational power interact in the case, rather than asserting that business is simply powerful.
- Treat the three linked tasks as one project: write the case study so its analysis sets up the policy report's recommendations, and prepare the oral defence by anticipating the hardest objections to your report.
- Use the Expert Dialogue panels and the comparative, international framing to bring in evidence beyond the US and European cases, which is exactly the breadth the subject rewards.
Syllabus
The 8 topics, week by week
The exam-weight marker on each topic shows where the marks concentrate. The amber topics carry the highest exam weight.
W1 · Business and the work of government
Week 1 module + readingsThe three cross-cutting questions (roles, power, practical implications) and the three thematic clusters (public policy making, public service delivery, public interest regulation); business and government as an interdisciplinary field drawing on public policy, political economy, sociology, international relations and law; key evaluative concepts of the public interest and democratic legitimacy.
W2 · The power of business lobbying
Week 2 module + readings; Expert Dialogue 1What lobbying is (persuasion directed at officials with authority over legislation, regulation, policy or contracts) and who counts as a lobbyist; six lobbying strategies (donations, political advertising, formal lobbying, revolving doors, research and expertise, court challenges); when lobbying succeeds or fails; the Australian Mining Tax case study; voluntary versus regulatory approaches to controlling lobbying.
W3 · Policy influence and structural power
Week 3 module + readingsStructural power as business getting favourable policy without overt lobbying because the rules of the game favour it (Lindblom, Politics and Markets); how structural and instrumental power interact and amplify each other (the Culpepper and Reinke poker analogy); the evolution of debates about structural power; a banking and finance case study.
W4 · Policy influence and the power of ideas
Week 4 module + readings; Expert Dialogue 2Ideational (discursive) power of business: shaping how problems and solutions are framed; how ideational power interacts with instrumental and structural power; refining the conceptual tools; the consequences of ideational power and what can be done about it.
W5 · Private business and public service delivery
Week 5 module + readingsPrivate business in the delivery of public services and infrastructure; a diversity of approaches (contracting, privatisation, public-private partnerships); rationales and drivers for privatised approaches; risks and controversies; regulation and oversight in the public interest.
W6 · Business-community partnerships
Week 6 module + readings; Expert Dialogue 3Mapping business social responsibility and community partnerships; what motivates businesses to engage in corporate responsibility; building legitimate community partnerships and the conditions for them to serve the public interest and democratic accountability.
W7 · Business as a regulator (self-regulation)
Week 7 module + readingsVarieties of business self-regulation (voluntary standards, ethical labelling, codes of conduct); rationales for self-regulation; critiques and debates about effectiveness; what effectiveness depends on; government oversight and co-regulation.
W8 · Collaborative (multi-stakeholder) business regulation
Week 8 module + readings; Expert Dialogue 4What multi-stakeholder business regulation is and why it matters; conceptualising it; debating its effectiveness; challenges and critiques; evaluating the accountability and procedural legitimacy of multi-stakeholder initiatives; practical implications for strengthening their effectiveness.
How it's assessed
Assessment structure
| Component | Weight | Format & timing |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Class Preparation Activities | 10% | Eight weekly assessed discussion-board posts (one short paragraph each, no references required) completed as preparation for the seminar, integrated into the weekly modules. 500 words equivalent in total; marked on thoughtfulness, depth and full response to the prompt. Weekly, throughout the teaching period (each post due before that week's seminar). Each of the eight discussions is worth 12.5 points; you must post before your weekly seminar to receive that week's marks. |
| Assessment 2: Case Study Analysis | 30% | 1500-word written analysis of a single self-chosen real-world case about the role of business in policy making, service delivery or regulation. The case you choose here carries through into Assessments 3 and 4. Due April 8 (during the non-teaching break). First link in the chain: your topic choice here sets up the policy report and oral defence. |
| Assessment 3: Policy Report | 40% | 2000-word policy report that builds cumulatively on the Assessment 2 case, designing a policy or regulatory response to the business-government dilemma you analysed. Due May 13 (Week 10). The single heaviest task: where most of your grade comes from. |
| Assessment 4: Oral Defence of Policy Report | 20% | Oral defence of your policy report, 1000 words equivalent, building on Assessments 2 and 3. Provisionally scheduled for May 18 to May 29. Final link in the chain; defends the report you submitted. |
- Pass is an overall mark of at least 50%. Two hurdles apply: a minimum 80% attendance at seminars, and ALL pieces of assessment must be submitted (each a genuine, complete attempt) to pass the subject.
- No final exam. The grade is one linked chain of written and oral tasks: a 1500-word case study analysis, a 2000-word policy report and a 1000-word-equivalent oral defence, all built on a single self-chosen case, plus 10% weekly discussion-board participation.
- Calculator policy: Not applicable: there is no exam and no quantitative assessment in this subject. A subject-specific GenAI policy applies instead, and no AI-generated substantive content or text may be submitted in the assessed work (brainstorming use must be declared).
This is a coursework unit. Coursework carries 100% of the grade and the assessment 3: policy report is the single heaviest piece at 40%, so steady work across the semester decides your result more than any one sitting. The single heaviest task: where most of your grade comes from.
Final exam timing: No final exam in this subject; assessment is by coursework only (case study, policy report and oral defence). Confirm the exact date and venue on the official exam timetable.
How to actually pass it
A weekly rhythm, two checklists, and the traps to avoid
The unit rewards consistency over cramming, and practice over re-reading. Here is the loop that works, then what to have nailed before each exam.
The weekly loop
Before the mid-semester checklist
- Choose and tightly scope your case study against the six thematic topic options before the April 8 deadline.
- Check the case fits the brief: a real controversy about enabling or limiting business influence, or defining business roles and responsibilities, with a clear evaluative question.
- Apply the relevant week's concepts (lobbying strategies, structural and instrumental power, ideational power) explicitly in the 1500-word analysis.
- Keep posting the weekly discussion paragraph before each seminar and maintain at least 80% seminar attendance.
Before the final heaviest topics
- Build the Policy Report (40%, due May 13) directly on your case study analysis: diagnose the problem, then design a concrete policy or regulatory response.
- Make the recommendations follow from the power analysis, addressing how to enable, limit or regulate business influence in the public interest.
- Prepare the Oral Defence (May 18 to 29) by rehearsing answers to the toughest objections to your report's recommendations.
- Confirm every assessment has been submitted as a genuine, complete attempt, since all tasks must be submitted to pass, and add any required GenAI-use declaration.
The mistakes that cost marks
Choosing too broad a case. A sprawling topic (for example all of mining policy, or business influence in general) cannot be analysed in 1500 words. The strongest case studies fix one jurisdiction, one policy or sector, and one evaluative question, then go deep.
Treating the three tasks as separate. Assessments 2 to 4 are one cumulative chain on a single case. Writing the case study without thinking ahead to the policy report and oral defence wastes the design and forces a harder pivot later.
Asserting power instead of analysing it. Saying business is powerful is not analysis. The subject wants you to distinguish and connect instrumental, structural and ideational power and show how they operate in your specific case.
Submitting AI-generated content. The subject prohibits submitting AI-generated substantive content or text, including wholesale AI translation or editing. Permitted uses such as brainstorming must be declared at the end of the assessment.
Neglecting the attendance and participation hurdle. There is an 80% seminar attendance requirement and the 10% participation mark depends on a weekly post submitted before each seminar, so skipping weeks costs marks twice over.
Teaching team
Who teaches PPMN90056
The bios below are factual. The star ratings are not ours: they are impressions from students who have taken the unit, so you can hear from people who sat in the lectures.
Associate Professor Kate Macdonald
Associate Professor who has taught in the Master of Public Policy and Management since joining the University of Melbourne in 2009; her research explores the legitimacy and effectiveness of social, environmental and human rights governance in the global economy, including transnational business regulation and corporate accountability.
Dr Nuri Veronika
Practitioner, researcher and teaching specialist with regional expertise in the Asia Pacific and a PhD from Monash University; previously a public policy analyst at Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs.
Dr Ruby O'Connor
Researcher with public-sector experience in New Zealand and Australia whose PhD examined policy narratives around artificial intelligence and the relationships these embed between states, businesses and society.
Teaching team as listed in the unit materials reviewed. AskSia does not rate lecturers; star ratings are submitted by students who have taken PPMN90056.
Where it fits
Prerequisites, related units & why it matters
Postgraduate subject in the Master of Public Policy and Management. Check the official University of Melbourne Handbook for the current prerequisites, corequisites and any prohibitions, as these are not asserted from the materials reviewed here. The subject is delivered in the first eight weeks of the semester with weekly Wednesday seminars.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is there a final exam in PPMN90056?
No. There is no final exam. The grade comes from four assessments: weekly discussion-board participation (10%), a 1500-word Case Study Analysis (30%), a 2000-word Policy Report (40%) and an Oral Defence of that report (20%).
How are the assessments connected?
Assessments 2 to 4 are one cumulative chain built on a single self-chosen case. You analyse a real-world business-government controversy in the case study, design a policy response to it in the policy report, then defend that report orally. Choosing a workable case early is the most important decision in the subject.
What case should I choose for the assignments?
A specific real controversy, debate or dilemma about how the influence of business over government should be enabled or limited, or how the roles and responsibilities of business should be defined. The subject gives six thematic options (lobbying, structural or discursive power, private service delivery, corporate responsibility and partnerships, self-regulation, and multi-stakeholder regulation), each tied to a week's readings. Specify a jurisdiction, a sector or policy area, and the evaluative angle (public interest, democratic accountability, effectiveness, legitimacy).
What are the hurdle requirements?
Two. There is a minimum 80% attendance requirement at seminars, and all pieces of assessment must be submitted (each a genuine, complete attempt) to pass the subject. Late work without an approved extension is penalised 5% of the available marks per day.
How is the subject delivered?
Through eight weekly online modules plus a two-hour seminar each Wednesday for the first eight weeks of semester (you attend one of two seminar streams). You must complete each online module, including the assessed discussion post, before your seminar. There are also four fortnightly one-hour Expert Dialogue panels with practitioners in Weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8.
What is the AI policy?
GenAI may be used for brainstorming or preliminary exploration, but no AI-generated substantive content or text may be submitted as part of your assessed work, and that restriction also covers AI translation and editing tools used for wholesale rewriting. Any permitted use (such as brainstorming) must be declared at the end of the assessment, and that declaration does not count toward the word limit.
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