(PS 6440) Vocabulary of Public Administration

Bounded Rationality

The idea that when individuals make decisions, their rationality is limited by the information they have, the cognitive limitations of their minds, and the time available to make the decision.

Parkinson's Law

The observation that "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion."

Budget Deficit

Shortfall that occurs when expenses are higher than revenue over a given period of time.

Ethics

(1) A set of principles of right conduct. (2) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession.

Accountability

(1) The duty of a professional to notify the public about its functions and methods and to provide assurances to its consumers that members of the profession meet certain standards of competence. (2) The condition of being answerable to the community, to one's consumers, or to supervisory groups (e.g., a board of directors).

Hierarchy

(n.) any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.

Conflict of Interest

1. A situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the person's self-interest and professional interest or public interest. 2. A situation in which a party's responsibility to a second-party limits its ability to discharge its responsibility to a third-party.

Heuristics

A simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgment and solve problems efficiently; usually speedier, but more error-prone than algorithms.

Pendleton Act

1883 law that created a Civil Service Commission and stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds nor be fired for political reasons.

Hatch Act

1939 law limiting the political involvement of civil servants in order to protect them from political pressure and keep politics out of the bureaucracy.

Abilene Paradox

A circumstance where a group of individuals agree to a course of action based on the theory it is best for the group, despite going against the preferences of members of the group. This occurs when individuals feel their objections are not strong enough to support changing the minds of others in their group. Commonly referred to as "rocking the boat".

Fiscal Year

A 12-month period, October through September, for planning the federal budget.

Public Policy

A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem.

Garbage Can Theory

A collection of choices looking for problems, issues and feelings looking for decision situations in which they might be aired, solutions looking for issues to which they might be the answer, and decision makers looking for work". Problems, solutions, participants, and choice opportunities flow in and out of a garbage can, and which problems get attached to solutions is largely due to chance.

Civil Service

A collective term for the body of employees working for the government. Generally, civil service is understood to apply to all those who gain government employment through a merit system.

Public-Private Partnerships

A combined effort of government and a for-profit entity, generally intended to use the efficiency of the private sector to help achieve a public policy goal.

Mandate

A command or authorization to act in a particular way on a public issue given by the electorate to its representative.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

A comparison of the marginal costs of a government project or program with the marginal benefits to decide whether or not to employ resources in that project or program and to what extent.

Civil Society

A complex network of voluntary associations, economic groups, religious organizations, and many other kinds of groups that exist independently from the government.

Bureaucracy

A complex structure of offices, tasks, and rules in which employees have specific responsibilities and work within a hierarchy of authority. Government beauracracies are charged with implementing policies.

Policy

A course of action decided upon by a government—or by any organization, group, or individual—that usually involves a choice among competing alternatives.

Preemption

A doctrine adopted by the U.S. Supreme Court that certain matters are of such a national, as opposed to local, character that federal laws preempt or take precedence over state laws. As such, a state law inconsistent with that of the federal law will be held invalid.

Effectiveness

A measure of the appropriateness of the goals an organization is pursuing and of the degree to which the organization achieves those goals.

Line vs. Staff Functions

A military-type organizational structure, commonly employed in large, centralized corporations. Line and staff management has two separate hierarchies: (1) the line hierarchy in which the departments are revenue generators (manufacturing, selling), and their managers are responsible for achieving the organization's main objectives by executing the key functions (such as policy making, target setting, decision making); (2) the staff hierarchy, in which the departments are revenue consumers, and their managers are responsible for activities that support line functions (such as accounting, maintenance, personnel management). While both hierarchies have their own chains of command, a line manager may have direct control over staff employees but a staff manager may have no such power over the line employees. In modern practice, however, the difference in the two hierarchies is not so clear-cut and jobs often have elements of the both types of functions.

Groupthink

A pattern of faulty and biased decision making that occurs in groups whose members strive for agreement among themselves at the expense of accurately assessing information relevant to a decision.

Pay Plan

A pay schedule in which the grades, steps, and related pay is determined. in reality, most jurisdictions have numerous schedules as a part of their pay plan for different occupational clusters, often based on union representation of different occupational groups.

Fiduciary

A person having a legal relationship of trust and confidence to another and having a duty to act primarily for the others benefit, e.g., a guardian, trustee, or executor.

Iron Triangle

A powerful alliance of mutual benefit among an agency or unit of the government, an interest group, and a committee or subcommittee of Congress. Also called a triangle or a subgovernment.

Collective Bargaining

A process of negotiations between employers and a group of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions, used with Labor Union negotiations.

Benchmarking

A process which identifies best practices and performance standards, to create normative or comparative standards as a measurement tool. By comparing an organization against a national or regional standards, providers are able to establish measurable goals as part of the strategic planning and Total Quality Management (TQM) processes

Budget

A quantitative expression of a plan for a defined period of time. It may include planned sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities, costs and expenses, assets, liabilities and cash flows. It expresses strategic plans of business units, organizations, activities or events in measurable terms.

Efficiency

A ratio of output to input. Economic efficiency refers to the ratio of output value to output cost. Production efficiency refers to the ratio of output quantity to input quantity.

Hawthorne Experiments

A series of experiments conducted in the 1920s at the Hawthorne plant had a profound influence on thinking about management. the expirements suggested that the mere attention of supervisors had an influence on the performance of co workers. That suggested that social and psychological factors might be importat in creating a more productive workforce.

Hollow Government

A state which is generally considered to have the appearance of a properly functioning democratic nation or state. This state or nation has democratic elections, government laws, rules, regulations and standards. It has an agencies, police, taxation, ministries and a military. What it does not have are the aforementioned acting in the best interest of the public but rather supporting the interests of autocracies, dictators, oligopolies, special interest groups and kleptocracies.

Job Description

A summary of the objectives of a job, the type of work to be done, the responsibilities and duties, the working conditions, and the relationship of the job to other functions.

Economy

A system for producing and distributing goods, and services to fulfill people's wants.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is distributed among certain geographical territories rather than concentrated within a central government.

Cooperative Federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly. Also called "marble cake federalism."

Merit System

A system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.

Antistatism

A term describing opposition to state intervention into personal, social, and economic affairs. Some anti-statist views reject the state completely and in some cases rulership in general (e.g., anarchism).

Public Service Motivation

A theorized attribute of government employees that provides them with a desire to serve the public. The existence and extent of this service ethic have been examined many times in scholarly literature. PSM is important because it explains why some people choose careers in the government and non-profit sectors despite the potential for more financially lucrative careers in the private sector.

Pluralism

A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

Authorizing Environment

Actors From Whom Manager Needs Authorization and Resources to Survive and Be Effective.

Integrity

Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

Governance

All processes of governing, whether undertaken by a government, market or network, whether over a family, tribe, formal or informal organization or territory and whether through laws, norms, power or language.

Informal Groups

Alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined. Natural formations in the work environment in response to need for social contact. e.g. three employees who eat lunch together regularly.

Due Process

An administrative agency decision-making, notice of charges or potential rule making coupled with opportunity to appear, present evidence, and confront witnesses if warranted.

Performance Measurement

An approved integrated scope-schedule-cost plan for the project work against which project execution is compared to measure and manage performance. Technical and quality parameters may also be included.

Principle-Agent Theory

An arrangement in which one entity legally appoints another to act on its behalf. In a principal-agent relationship, the agent acts on behalf of the principal and should not have a conflict of interest in carrying out the act.

Public Choice Theory

An economic theory that the public officials who set economic policies and regulate the players act in their own self-interest, just as firms do.

Devolution

An effort to shift responsibility of domestic programs to the states in order to decrease the size & activities of the fed. govt; some states have attempted to shift responsibilities further to local govts.

Collaboration

An honest, active, transparent commitment to both assertion and cooperation in working with others. It "involves an attempt to work with the other person to find some solution which fully satisfies the concerns of both persons.

Classification Plan

An orderly arrangement of classes to which positions are allocated and for which thereare written specifications describing the duties,responsibilities, and qualifications of each class.

Nonprofit

An organization that exists to achieve some goal other than the usual business goals of profit, market share, or return on investment.

Deontological

Any theory that evaluates the rightness or wrongness of proposed actions in accordance with whether or not they conform to certain principles one feels bound to obey or follow regardless of their consequences.

Policy Analysis

Appraisal of a policy and how it was developed (e.g. is the policy fair, legal, feasible). According to Gilbert and Specht (1986), three ways of analyzing policies are: (1) study the process (the sociopolitical variables related to policy formulation), (2) study the product (the values and assumptions that underlie policy choices, and (3) study performance (cost-benefit outcomes of a policy after it has been implemented).

Interest Groups

Are aggregates of individuals based on a limited range of shared concerns. They promote their policy agenda, in large part by providing legislators and policy makers with specialized information in issues.

Revenue

Companies earn this from the sale of a good or service to a customer. They are normally reported for goods or services that have been sold to a customer whether or not they have yet been paid for. They are an increase in assets or settlements of liabilities from on going operations.

Collaborative Networks

Companies, departments, teams, and/or individuals organizing themselves into inter and intra organizational networks to achieve outcomes that may or may not be achievable individually. The understanding however, is that this linking through 'network-based' organizing allows participants to leverage their strengths, and overcome weaknesses by accessing other parties who may have strengths in those areas.

Issue Networks

Complex systems of relationships between groups that influence policy, including elected leaders, interest groups, specialists, consultants, and research institutes.

Discretion

Good judgment; care in speech and action; freedom to judge or choose.

Progressive Movement

Early 20th century reform movement, seeking to return control of the government to the people, to restore economic opportunities, and to correct injustices in American life. Progressive reformers shared the following goals: 1. Protecting social welfare 2. Promoting moral improvement 3. Creating Economic reform 4. Fostering efficiency.

Outsourcing

Flexible staffing option in which an independent organization with expertise in operating a specific function contracts with an organization to assume full operational responsibility for the function.

FTE

Full Time Equivalent. A regular building occupant who spends 8 hours/day, 5 days/week in project building. Part time = hours per day / 8. Identify by: full time staff, part time staff, peak transients, residents.

Patronage

Granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support.

Incrementalism

In public policy, this describes how policies usually change slowly, not radically. In budget formulation, this describes the process of giving each agency last year's spending allowance "plus a little bit more".

Network Governance

Interfirm coordination that is characterized by organic or informal social system, in contrast to bureaucratic structures within firms and formal contractual relationships between them. The concepts of privatization, public private partnership, and contracting are defined in this context. Network governance constitutes a "distinct form of coordinating economic activity". which contrasts and competes with markets and hierarchies. As such, governance networks distinguish themselves from the hierarchical control of the state and the competitive regulation of the market in at least three ways: In terms of the relationship between the actors, governance networks can be described as a pluricentric governance system as opposed to the unicentric system of state rule and the multicentric system of market competition. In contrast to state rule and competitive market regulation, governance networks involve a large number of interdependent actors who interact in order to produce public purpose. In terms of decision making, governance networks are based on negotiation rationality as opposed to the substantial rationality that governs state rule and the procedural rationality that governs market competition Compliance is ensured through trust and political obligation which, over time, becomes sustained by self-constituted rules and norms.

Legitimacy

Involves the acceptance of the decisions of government officials by the public on the grounds that the leaders' acquisition and exercise of power has been in accordance with the society's generally accepted procedures and political values. Ex/ A citizen views the government as legitimate, a law may be unpopular, but it will still garner popular acceptance.

Public Administration

Is thought of as the accomplishing side of government carrying out policies and development of policies.

Dillon's Rule

Legal principle that states that a unit of local goverment has only as much authority as the state legislature grants to the local goverment or that can be implied as a result of the grant of power.

Jeffersonian Democracy

Named after its leading advocate Thomas Jefferson, was one of two dominant political outlooks and movements in the United States from the 1790s to the 1820s. The term was commonly used to refer to the Democratic-Republican Party which Jefferson founded in opposition to the Federalist Party of Alexander Hamilton. The Jeffersonians believed in democracy and equality of political opportunity, with a priority for the "yeoman farmer" and the "plain folk". They were antagonistic to the aristocratic elitism of merchants and manufacturers, distrusted factory workers, and were on the watch for supporters of the dreaded British system of government. Above all, the Jeffersonians were devoted to the principles of Republicanism, especially civic duty and opposition to privilege, aristocracy and corruption.

NASPAA

Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration or NASPAA is the global standard in public service education. It is the membership organization of graduate education programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and public & nonprofit management. Its nearly 300 members - located across the U.S. and in 14 countries around the globe - award MPA, MPP, MPAff, and similar degrees. NASPAA is the recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in these fields. NASPAA's twofold mission is to ensure excellence in education and training for public service and to promote the ideal of public service.

Bureaucrat

One who works for the civil service and deals with details of administrative procedure.

Opportunistic Federalism

Opportunistic federalism is allowing or encouraging the individual interest with disregard to impact on larger system. IGR provides a broad array of services to the public and state local and tribal governments. It supports couties municipalities, citizens and business by providing support services in many different ways. It analyzes federal initiatives to ensure a state recieves a fair return on the tax dollars they send to the Washington.

Citizen Engagement

Participation of citizens in government via public council hearings, surveys to gauge local opinions on the quality and quantity of public service, focus groups, and neighborhood forums and town hall meetings.

Eminent Domain

Power of a government to take private property for public use; the U.S. Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken.

NGOs

Private, voluntary organizations whose members are individuals or associations that come together for a common purpose (Red Cross, Green Peace, Amnesty.)

Entitlements

Programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.

PAR

Public Administration Review (PAR) is the preeminent professional journal in the field of public administration research, theory and practice. It is the only journal in public administration that serves both academics and practitioners interested in the public sector and public sector management. Articles identify and analyze current trends, provide a factual basis for decision making, stimulate discussion, and make the leading literature in the field available in an easily accessible format.

Pareto's Rule

Quality Management pioneer, Dr. Joseph Juran, working in the US in the 1930s and 40s recognized a universal principle he called the "vital few and trivial many" and reduced it to writing. In an early work, a lack of precision on Juran's part made it appear that he was applying Pareto's observations about economics to a broader body of work. The name Pareto's Principle stuck, probably because it sounded better than Juran's Principle. As a result, Dr. Juran's observation of the "vital few and trivial many", the principle that 20 percent of something always are responsible for 80 percent of the results, became known as Pareto's Principle or the 80/20 Rule.

Organizational Culture

Shared set of beliefs, expectations, values, norms, and work routines that influence how members of an organization relate to one another and work together to achieve organizational goals.

Nepotism

Showing favoritism to friends or family in business or politics.

Paradigm

Something that serves as a model, example, or pattern; the framework of assumptions and understandings shared by a group or discipline that shapes its worldview.

POSDCORB

The 7 principles of the science of administration: planning, organizing, staffing, direction, coordination, reporting, budgeting.

Athenian Oath

The Athenian Oath was recited by the citizens of Athens, Greece over 2,000 years ago. It is frequently referenced by civic leaders in modern times as a timeless code of civic responsibility. The Oath "We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice. We will fight for the ideals and Sacred Things of the City both alone and with many. We will revere and obey the City's laws, and will do our best to incite a like reverence and respect in those above us who are prone to annul them or set them at naught. We will strive unceasingly to quicken the public's sense of civic duty. Thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this City not only, not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us."

Executive Budget

The annual budget prepared and submitted to Congress by the President of the United States, based upon the projections to the Oval Office by the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Department.

Intergovernmental

The complex and interdependent relationships among those at various levels of govt as they seek to develop and implement public programs.

Politics-Administration Dichotomy

The concept that elected government officials, who are accountable to the voters, create and approve public policy, and then competent, politically neutral bureaucrats implement the public policy.

Public Interest

The idea that there are some interest superior to the private interest of groups and individuals, interests we all have in common.

Human Resources

The set of individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, or economy. "Human capital" is sometimes used synonymously with human resources, although human capital typically refers to a more narrow view (i.e., the knowledge the individuals embody and can contribute to an organization). Likewise, other terms sometimes used include "manpower", "talent", "labour", or simply "people". The professional discipline and business function that oversees an organization's human resources is called human resource management (HRM, or simply HR.)

Equity

The state of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is fair.

E-Government

The use of electronic commerce to deliver information and public services to citizens, business partners, and suppliers of government entities, and those working in the public sector.

Intergovernmental Relations

The workings of the federal system- the entire set of interactions among national, state and local governments, including regulations, transfers of funds, and the sharing of information.

New Public Management

Theory of reform of bureaucracies that argues for the privatizing of many government services so that they are provided by the market creating competition among agencies and subagencies within the bureaucracy to stimulate a market, focusing on customer satisfaction and flattening administrative hierarchies to encourage more team-based activity and creativity.

High-Reliability Systems

There are five characteristics of HROs that have been identified as responsible for the "mindfulness" that keeps them working well when facing unexpected situations. Preoccupation with failure Reluctance to simplify interpretations Sensitivity to operations Commitment to resilience Deference to expertise Practitioners in HROs work in recognized high risk occupations and environments. Wildfires create complex and very dynamic mega-crisis situations across the globe every year. U.S. wildland firefighters, often organized using the Incident Command System into flexible interagency incident management teams, are not only called upon to "bring order to chaos" in today's huge mega-fires, they also are requested on "all-hazard events" like hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. The U.S. Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center has been providing education and training to the wildland fire community on high reliability since 2002. HRO behaviors can be recognized and further developed into high-functioning skills of anticipation and resilience. Learning organizations that strive for high performance in things they can plan for, can become HROs that are able to better manage unexpected events that by definition cannot be planned for.

Block Grants

These are broad state grants to states for prescribed activities—welfare, child care, education, social services, preventive health care, and health services—with only a few strings attached. States have greater flexibility in deciding how to spend block grant dollars, but when the federal funds for any fiscal year are gone, there are no more matching federal dollars.

Privatization

To change from government or public ownership or control to private ownership or control.

Council-Manager Government

a modification of the mayor-council government, it consists of a strong council of members elected on a non-partisan ballot, a weak mayor, elected by the people, and a manager, named by the council.

GS Rating

a schedule for federal employees, ranging from GS 1 to GS 18, by which salaries can be keyed to rating and experience.

Hamiltonianism

the political principles and ideas held by or associated with Alexander Hamilton that center around a belief in a strong central government