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America’s alphabet soup
THE BUREAUCRACY
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McDonald’s vs. DMVRules of Operation
Workers
Goals (measuring those goals)
Acquiring and Using the Factors of ProductionExternal vs. Internal factors
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The Weberian Model of Bureaucracy The five characteristics of bureaucracy.
Division of laborHierarchy-pyramidFormal rulesMaintenance of files
and records-Freedom of InformationAct (1974)ProfessionalizationGoals-promote the “public good”, but how is
that measured? This causes many people to believe the bureaucracy is wasteful.
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Benefits
Hierarchy: can speed action by reducing conflicts over decisions
Specialization: promote efficiency because workers focus on one job (become skill)
Formal rules: workers act with speed and precision because decisions based on rules
They are large unwieldy organization that can create endless paperwork and delays (red tape)
Bureaucrats are unelected public-policy makers
Bureaucracies are expensive and sometimes uncontrollable
Cost vs. Benefits
Costs
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Neutral CompetenceThe idea of neutral competence
• Despite stereotypes, most government employees work efficiently and inexpensively.
• Roughly 2.9 million people work for the government bureaucracy-2nd to Wal-Mart
• The bureaucracy is largely staffed by people hired for their skills, not their political leanings.
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The Merit System The spoils system
Assassination of GarfieldThe Pendleton Actmerit system and
the civil service
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Functions of BureaucracyPolicy ImplementationMaking Policy-delegated legislative
authority because what Congress passes is to vague to be effective
Regulation-establish standards and impose restrictions on violations of those standards
Collecting Data and Doing ResearchProvide Continuity-elected officials come
and go, bureaucrats never leave which provides for continuity and professionalization
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Organization of the U.S. Government
No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan, 1964
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The Structure of American Bureaucracies
The Executive Office of the President (President’s closest advisors)
White House Staff (the “nerve center”)Cabinet Departments-directly responsible to
President, but also responsible to their department
Independent Agencies-not part of Cabinet, report to President, perform specialized functions (NASA, CIA, EPA); or they regulate the economy and protect the public (FED, SEC, FCC)
Government Corporations-work off its profits, not funded by Congress (Post Office, TVA, FDIC, AMTRAK)
Other Bureaus
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Privatization-Advantages and Disadvantages
AdvantagesLess red tape and
bureaucracyMore competitionCan obtain special
skillsImprove service
qualityIdeology-less
government is better
More choices for people (school vouchers)
DisadvantagesIncentives to reduce
qualityReduced access to
service for the disadvantaged
Resulting cost savings directed away from taxpayer