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Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy. U3, C15. What is a Bureaucracy? What are the benefits of a Bureaucracy?. Large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization Features and benefits: Hierarchical authority Chain of command Speed action, reduce conflicts

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Bureaucracy

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  1. Bureaucracy U3, C15

  2. What is a Bureaucracy?What are the benefits of a Bureaucracy? Large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization Features and benefits: • Hierarchical authority • Chain of command • Speed action, reduce conflicts • Job specialization • Each bureaucrat has certain defined duties and responsibilities; division of labor • Efficiency: each person focus on particular job; special skills and knowledge • Formalized rules • Established regulations and procedures • Workers act with some speed and precision, decisions based on set of known standards; allow for efficient turnover

  3. What’s in a name? Department: reserved for agencies of Cabinet rank (Department of Education) Agency and Administration: any government body (EPA and NASA) Commission: Agencies charged with regulation of business activities (FCC) and investigative, advisory, and reporting bodies (FEC) Corporation or Authority: Agencies that conduct business-like activities (TVA) Staff agencies: serve in support capacity; aid chief executive and other administrators (Executive Office of the President) Line agencies: perform the tasks for which organization exists (EPA)

  4. Executive Office of the President • President’s right arm; advisors and assistants • Includes several major agencies: • The White House Office: “nerve center”, key personal and political staff • National Security Council: offer advice on domestic, foreign, and military matters that relate to nation’s security • Office of Homeland Security: protect country against all acts of terrorism • Other EOP agencies: • Office of Management and Budget • Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives • Office of National Drug Control Policy • Council of Economic Advisors • Other units

  5. Executive Departments • Traditional units of federal administration; Cabinet departments (15) • Department head (secretary) primary link between presidential policy and his or her own department • Subunits (staff and line); structured geographically • 80% of men and women who head bureaus, divisions, and other major units of executive departments are career people • See chart on page 426-27 for list of these departments and their duties

  6. The Cabinet • Informal advisory body brought together by President to serve his needs • Cabinet members appointed by president and confirmed by Senate • Factors that influence President’s Cabinet choices • Party • Professional qualifications and political experience • Geography • Interest groups • Gender • Race • Role • Each Cabinet member is an administrative head of one of the executive departments • Together they are advisors to the President

  7. Independent Agencies • Administer programs similar to those of the Cabinet departments but are located outside of them • Do not fit well within any department • Protect from influence of partisan and political pressures • Accident • Peculiar and sensitive nature (independent regulatory commissions) • Executive Agencies • Do not have Cabinet status but organized much like them • Few employees, small budgets, little attention • Regulatory Commissions • Beyond the reach of presidential direction and control • Board of commission • Quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial • Government Corporations • Business-like activities

  8. Civil Service • Civilian employees who perform administrative work in government • Beginnings • Washington: party and qualified • Jefferson: political acceptability • Spoils system • Andrew Jackson • Patronage

  9. Civil Service – Movement to Reform and Today • Pendleton Act – the Civil Service Act 1883 • Make merit (quality of one’s work) the basis for hiring • Measured by independent agency – Civil Service Commission • Recruiting and keeping best available people in the federal work force • Office of Personnel Management • Pay and Benefits • Political Activities • The Hatch Act 1939 and Employees Political Activities Act 1993

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