Robin Hood and Public Administration

Of all the questions that children ask, perhaps the most common question is how can the story of Robin Hood be made into a thrilling public administration-style adventure. Thankfully, in the administrative world of our hero, action and intrigue is just as plentiful as in the ordinary fantasy world. However, Robin hood now battles against the burgeoning size of his band of Merrymen, and how he can fully provide and feed all of them. Robin Hood also faces such issues as to how he is going to provide for his troop, and if he should accomplish this by creating transit taxes. Robin Hood also knows that the Sheriff's administration is a strong one, and that he will soon be able to overcome Robin Hood and his men; thus, the campaign must be completed as soon as possible. However, Robin also has the option of trying the court method, and attempting to release the imprisoned King Richard from jail by siding with the barons. What is Robin Hood to do, and how can he possibly solve the problems surrounding him?

Of course, the first thing that Robin Hood should do is to make a suitable plan of action. A plan will allow him to weigh and count his options and decide which problems he should tackle first. The first thing Robin Hood should do is to conduct a process evaluation. Robin should figure out whether or not he and his group are operating as they were originally intended to operate. If Robin and his Merrymen have fallen from the path they originally intended to take, and are failing to accomplish any sort of goal, than it is likely that major reorganization and planning is needed in order fix the problem.

After evaluating whether or not he is on the right track, Robin may then want to do a cost-benefit analysis. Basically, Robin's goal is to steal from the rich and give to the poor. However, if Robin must begin taxing the poor so that he can support himself and his Merrymen, than there is clearly a problem with Robin's administration. Robin must strive so that he and his group are capable of making enough money to sustain themselves, and yet can still accomplish their major aims, such as returning wealth to the poor.

After getting his finances in order, Robin hood must look at an impact evaluation. How effective are Robin's techniques in accomplishing their goal. Considering all that has changed for him, it is important to consider if he is even still capable of operating as he is now. Does the money that he steals mean anything more than food? How can he continue his campaign when travelers are well aware of his presence and no longer travel through his woods? Is he even able to still give back to the people of Nottingham? Robin must figure out if his campaign against the sheriff is even worth sustaining, or if there is any foreseeable benefit that may arise from continuing to work.

Now that Robin has figured out if he should continue his operations or not, he must consider the outcome evaluation. What are Robin's eventual goals? Does he simply seek revenge against the sheriff, which he could accomplish by killing him? Or does he really want life to improve for the people of Nottingham, in which case it may be better to pursue a political angle and attempt to get King Richard released from his prison in Austria. Robin Hood must at the same time consider other variables that may arise. What will the increased visibility of he and his men mean? If the sheriff attempts to crush Robin Hood, what can be done to prevent it from happening. Robin must figure out what his long term goals are and then strive to solve them one step at a time.

However, if Robin Hood is to look at his problems in sequence, then there is likely a method which he should follow in order to sort everything out as quickly and efficiently as possible. The first thing Robin Hood must deal with is his men, and how he feels about the status of his organization. If he feels that he is unable to operate with the forces he has, or that the amount of Merrymen is hindering him, than that issue must be taken care of first, as it is impossible to do anything without the proper support and strength behind him. Next, Robin Hood should consult with his top lieutenants and seek their wisdom on how the campaign should best be ended. In order to prepare and still accomplish his mission of giving back to the poor, Robin Hood should perhaps expand his campaign to nearby roads and trails, and attempt to garner further support and resources for himself before attempting any major action. Robin Hood should then figure out what his eventual goal is. Until he knows what he wants to do, it will be impossible for him to organize things in the manner in which they should be accomplished. After his goals are set forward, Robin must figure out a way to do everything that he seeks to do.