Public Administration

What does it mean to centralize or decentralize government services? What are the advantages of centralization? Disadvantages?

Decentralization refers to the delegating of authority to lower levels in an organization, while centralization refers to the action of higher levels of an organization assuming authority. Some advantages of centralization include better coordination, more expertise and specialization by staff, and broader supervisor and managers. A few disadvantages of centralization more distance from users of service, time delays as decisions are relayed through different levels of the organization, and the inflexibility of policies and procedures.

Why is defining system purpose difficult for public organizations?

Defining system purpose may be challenging for public organizations because a public organization's purpose can multiply often and sometimes contradict itself. For example, is a state's environmental agency's purpose to encourage conservative consumption or to promote the efficient use of resources to advance industrial growth. Its purpose is both but contradictory.

What is Dillon's rule, and how does it affect the role of local governments?

Dillon's rule was the solution adopted by the supreme court in the 1860s when local government powers were being defined. The court decided in favor of this solution because local governments were not mentioned in the United States Constitution. Dillon's rule states that a municipal government has the authority to act when power was explicitly granted to them by their state government. It makes local government very dependent on the state government.

What role does economic forecasting play in budget preparation?

Economic forecasting plays a monumental role in budget preparation. Federal economists may make predictions about the economy in the future, which will then alter policy makers' decisions about how and where to budget appropriately. This can vastly alter what a politician's platform may state and what their positions are on federal spending

What are field offices, and what is their general role in public administration?

Field offices are positions held by federal employees that do not operate in a single headquarters. Seven of eight federal employees work in the field, in positions away from Washington DC, or a department command center. Their general role in public administration is to enforce legislation in the public. These field offices include fire departments, police departments, and highway patrol departments.

What are government grants? What is the public administrator's role in this form of service provision?

Government grants provide financial assistance to different levels of government in order to encourage governments to do what they would not have been able to do had they not received financial aid to pay for it. The administrator's role in this form of service provision is to oversee the implementation and result of whatever it is the providing administrator is attempting to help with.

How would you characterize the division of labor between national, state, and local governments? Is there a difference in the nature of services each provides?

I would characterize the division of labor between national, state, and local governments as well defined and well-proportioned. At the local level, government is responsible for providing basic, public services such as fire protection, police and local education. At the state level, government is responsible for higher-responsibilities such as higher education, highways, prisons, and welfare. At the national level, government is responsible for national security, space exploration, postal service, and veteran's services to name a few. There is a wide difference of services each provides, as the area for which a government is responsible for increases, so does its responsibilities, thus creating a very balanced division of labor.

In Keynesian economics, what is government's role in the economy? According to the textbook, how is Keynesian economics playing out in practice?

In Keynesian economics, the government has a role in which they may use spending and taxing to moderate the cycle of economic growth which is referred to as the Real Business Cycle theory. This theory states that national economies will naturally fluctuate in cycles of inflation and wage increases. In good times, the government runs a surplus to offset growth deemed too rapid. In hard times, it runs a deficit so the economy doesn't become too sluggish. While elected officials have power to debate the allocation of taxes on corporations, which can take several months in congress, the Federal Reserve has the ability to act more timely to control the money supply and interest rates. According to the textbook, Keynesian economics has lost most of its power in practice, considering the overwhelming pattern of deficits.

What is a government corporation, and what makes them different than other independent or cabinet agencies? What is the advantage of this type of agency?

A government corporation is an organization wholly or partially owned by the federal government, but functions as a business. They are different from other independent agencies or cabinet agencies because they handle more business-like operations such as lending, and insurance. Some are non-profit, some are meant to profit. The advantage of this type of agency is true political independence from the branches of government.

What are independent agencies? How have they changed over time?

Independent agencies are governmental organizations that were designed to remain independent from the political oscillation of power in the executive and legislative branches. These agencies are widely diverse in function, some are utilized to regulate broadcasting (FCC) others are used to provide services such as the Tennessee Valley Authority. Over time, independent agencies have become less and less politically autonomous. Chief executives now regularly appoint commission heads who share comparable policy goals.

According to the reading, when is it desirable to delegate authority to local government?

It is desirable to delegate authority to the local government when the government wishes to customize its services to the citizens in the local jurisdiction, when it is more cost effective to operate a service at the local level, and when a sense of community and participation is being encouraged.

What level of government are most public administrators located? List three examples of the different types of professions (besides the stereotypical bureaucrat) that are also considered public administrators at this level?

Most public administrators are located at the local government level. Three examples of different types of professions that are also considered public administrators at the local level include librarians, teachers, and firemen.

Before this class, what was your impression of bureaucracy? Is this impression consistent with the book's (Kettl Chapter 3) definition and characterization?

My impression of bureaucracy before this class was consistent with that of the general public's. I believed bureaucracy was a wasteful, bloated, lethargic and unresponsive portion of our government and that it could be freed from waste and inefficiency under correct leadership. My impression was not consistent with Kettl's definition and characterization of a neutral organizational structure of public or private establishments.

What are private goods? Public goods? What is the difference?

Private goods are goods and services distributed or purchased through the capitalist market and meant for a specific user. Examples include personal computers, apples, and socks. A public good is a good or service offered by the government and is funded by the American tax payer, examples include national defense, the postal service and public education. The difference is public goods are not exclusively for the people who pay for it, everyone uses these goods.

What role does public administration play in our daily lives? List and very briefly describe at least three ways public administration affects your daily life.

Public administration plays an important role in our daily lives. They are responsible for the implementation and coordination of policies invented by the democratically elected leaders who represent the people who will reap the benefits of these polices. Therefore, in a roundabout way, public administrators represent the people in which they serve and protect. In my daily life, public administrators are responsible for safely bringing electricity to my apartment so I may turn on my lights and start my day, they are responsible for the regulation of my clean drinking water I fill from my tap each and every day, they allow me to drive from my off campus apartment to Miami each day by maintaining public roads so that they are safe.

Why is structure considered the basic building block of organizations?

Structure is considered to be the basic building block of organizations because it is a formal arrangement among the people that involve the organizations mission, therefore it is the dominant method for organizing complex work. It shapes the fundamental tasks, relationships and expectations working in the administration, and also involves the fundamental concept of an operating hierarchy by delegating authority.

In systems theory, what is a "closed system?" An open system? What is the difference?

System's theory consists of two sub-theories, closed-system and open-system. The latter views organizations as machine with input and output that is not substantially affected by outside factors. The open-system views an organization much like a biological organism and these theorists often look to nature for methods of restoring normalcy.

How does taxing authority conform to type of service provided? i.e., is there a connection between the type of tax chosen to raise revenue and service provision? If so, what is it?

Tax authority conforms to the types of services provided at each level of government. Local governments provide property services, such as the maintenance of public streets and building safety. Therefore, local governments have a right to property tax. Broader, more general services that the states provide are funded by a statewide sales tax.

What role do tax incentives/tax credits and loans/loan guarantees play in service provision?

Tax incentives/credits and loan/loan guarantees play an important role in service provision by incentivizing citizens and governments to promote economic and social development, and avoid promoting others.

What is "systems theory," and how does it view organizations?

The "systems theory" views organizational work as a set of related parts, all necessary to complete a common objective, it also seeks to generalize all organizations. Each part of the organization plays an important role in completing a specific task and completing long term goals.

What are the "top-down" and "bottom-up" elements of budget making?

The "top-down" element of budget making are defined as broad targets for overall revenue and budget performance set by policy makers. These goals naturally align with the officials basic policy goals. The "bottom up" element is based on the theory of incrementalism, that policies should be shaped by a "fair share" mentality of sharing budget surpluses and deficits.

What is the Congressional Budgeting Act, and how did it change Congressional budget making?

The Congressional Budgeting Act of 1974 was passed to allow congress to gain more control of the budgeting process. The act essentially allowed congress to spend more time working on the fiscal budget by pushing the start of the fiscal year from July 1st to October 1st. It changed congressional budget making by giving each house new budget committees to further communicate their goals and aspirations for the upcoming fiscal year

What are the "bumps" in the Federal budget process?

The bumps in the federal budget process are challenges that the process faces every year consistently. One bump in the budget process is the existence of the black budget which does not receive the same level of control and oversight as others do. Because congress has essentially no control over this budget, elected officials may not be able to keep some of the promises that they supported under their platform while running.

According to the textbook, the chief executive's (President, Governor, Mayor) capability is often overestimated. Why? What are some of the challenges stated in the book that hinder the chief executive's ability to lead the executive branch?

The chief executive's capability is often overestimated by their constituents. In the case of the President of the United States, he/she is capable of selecting specific people for cabinet offices, the structure of most of these offices are products of the legislative branch, which also controls the budgets of these agencies.

What is the difference between the classical and bureaucratic models of the structural approach?

The difference between classical and bureaucratic models of the structural approach focuses on different methods of relying on the values of power, legitimacy, and rationality. The classical model of structural approach focuses on clearly defining jurisdictions of authority and responsibility, jurisdiction is then divided down the chain of command to the lowest levels, with the key goal of efficiency in mind. Argument are made that critique the method's extreme attention to authority and how it relies too much on defining boundries. The bureaucratic model is closely related to the classical model, however it is based less on formal structure and focuses more on authority within the organization. The theory is based on the obedience of a subordinate and their sense of self-interest when completing assigned tasks. It claims the subordinates understanding of the organizations legitimacy and it's intentionally considered actions is what makes that subordinate obedient.

What is the difference between the Humanist Approach and the structural model?

The difference between the humanist approach and the structural model is a debate concerning the life of individual workers inside of an organization. The Humanist approach focuses on the correlation between happiness and productivity, and also charges the structural model with being too authoritarian, claiming the structure stifles the creativity of the worker.

What are the four concepts discussed by classical management theory?

The four concepts discussed by classical management theory are responsibility should come with adequate authority, subordinates should have one supervisor, supervisors should have a limited number of subordinates to sufficiently monitor and guide their activities, and line personnel should have primary authority.

What is the free rider problem in provision of public goods? Why is the government well suited to solve this free-rider problem?

The free rider problem is exhibited when public goods are used by people who did not contribute to their creation. For example, visitors of a city benefit from traffic lights and public parks even though they did not pay for them, considering they live in another jurisdiction. Government is well suited to solve this free-rider problem because of their broad tax base, who pay property taxes and property related assessments.

Choose one type of operating budget format, and explain its strengths and weaknesses.

The most common form of an operating budget is the line-item budget. It can be understood by most readers, it is also detailed enough to match financial records so it is easy to account for all resources, and it provides those allocating said resources the ability to operate with a high level of control. A weakness of this type is that it can be, at times, too detailed and therefore distract from the overall goals attempting to be achieved. They also focus on the means rather than the ends or outcomes of the budget.

How does the pluralist model of organizations challenge the structural model?

The pluralist model of organizations challenge the structural model by conveying the structural model paints an unrealistic, ideal picture of the political system, the executive branch, and the systems conflict with democratic values

What is the role of local governments in our Federalist system of government?

The role of local government is not explicitly stated in the United States Constitution. This left the supreme court to decide to adopt Dillon's rule in the 1860s. This rule essentially gives power to the local government to act when the state specifically grants them jurisdiction over a responsibility.

What is the "tragedy of the commons?"

The tragedy of the commons is described as the action of citizens not paying for public goods, then treating the same public goods like private goods. People use public parks (public goods) as if they own them (private goods) but then maintain them as if they belong to someone else, thus shedding responsibility.

According to systems theory, what are the two requirements for system survival?

The two requirements for system survival are its capacity to manipulate or adapt to its external environment and its capacity to suppress or moderate internal threats. By adapting to changing environmental facts, an organization can ensure its longevity. Neutralizing internal threats is important because internal threats have a greater chance of expanding within an organization than external threats.

What are the two strategies for organizing field offices? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

The two strategies for organizing field offices are the function system and the perfectoral or aeriel system. The function system utilizes task specialization to organize functions of field offices. It allows for easy coordination but may fall prey to specialization. The aerial system is a structure utilized by the ancient Romans and colonial French, in which one officer maintains all the federal offices' operations in a given area. This model allows for unity to thrive, but they may not be able to control complex functions

What are the four local government models and their primary distinctions?

There are four basic local government models. The oldest is the town-meeting model where citizens meet periodically to pass budgets, elect officers, discuss the needs of the community, and set/discuss policy. The citizen is their own primary representative in this model. Another model is the mayor and council system, which is utilized when a population becomes larger and there is a need for a representative system. Council members are elected from different geographical areas and represent their constituency or elected at large, representing the entire area at large. These officials have budgetary responsibilities and administrative authority. In a mayor/council system, the elected mayor holds somewhat of a limited authoritative title, acting as the commencer of ceremonial events for their city. The final system of local government is commissioner or council members. In this system, the officials serve in both a legislative and administrative capacity.

What are the three types of operating budget formats? What are the major differences in the way they report budget information?

There are three different types of operating budget formats. The most traditional of which is the line-item budget which presents types of expenditures on a separate line in a spreadsheet. Another approach is the performance budget, this type organizes the budget around the yielded results or outcomes. This type of operating budget uses the allocation of resources that produce the desired results of the firm. The final type of operating budget is the program budget which categorizes departments into programs. This is useful for focusing attention on organizational units seeking to achieve a common goal

What are the three questions framed by budget decisions?

There are three questions that define how a budget should be created. The first being "what should the government do?" This question proposes perpetual conflict because it is in this question, governments decide how to allocate scarce recourses among its people. The second is "who in government should make these decisions?" This is asked to create a distinction of budgeting powers utilized by the national and subnational governments. These decisions are a strong indicator of the source of who holds the most governmental power. The final question is "how should citizens and public officials make these decisions?" This process is about making the best decisions to benefit the community in the best way possible.

What is the difference between direct and indirect tools of government?

There is an important distinction to be made between direct and indirect tools of government. A direct tool of government is defined as a device used to directly implement policies such as fire departments, BMVs, and educational facilities. Indirect policies concerns itself more with contracting responsibilities to nongovernment partners such as handing out vouchers to citizens they may exchange for private goods.

What are the two major categories of government functions (think the types of work administrators perform rather than the field or policy area)? What is their major distinction?

Two major categories of government functions are public safety and law enforcement. The major distinction between these two categories is the implementation of these policies from an administrative stand point. While legislature is passed to enhance both government functions, the manner in which these functions are carried out vary greatly.

What are bureaus, and what role do they play in government agencies?

Bureaus are the principle operating organizations within government agencies. They specifically operate some of the functions that their organizations provide. Examples include the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Crime Scene Investigation Bureau

What are "cabinet" agencies, and what makes them different than other agencies?

Cabinet agencies are the highest-ranking offices in government that gather to directly meet with and assist the President of the United States, in what has been come to be known as the president's "cabinet." There are currently fifteen cabinet agencies ranging from Education to Energy. These agencies are different than other agencies because these agency executives meet regularly in the cabinet to guide the president's decisions and support their agencies interests.

What is contracting? What is government's role in this form of service provision?

Contracting is a way the government can sign a formal agreement with private companies paying them in exchange for a good or service. Government's role in this form of service provision is to set the standard for these contractors, oversee their implementation and results in order to serve the public's best interest in the best way possible.

In previous weeks, we've talked about how structure is the building block of organizations. Why is coordination a critical compliment to structure in facilitating successful organizational performance?

Coordination is a critical compliment to structure in facilitating successful organizational performance because often times, a problem will need to be addressed that will require clear, and concise direction among many different organizations. For instance, before September 11th 2001, airports would hire third-party contractors to screen passengers to safely fly. After the attacks the Department of Transportation made airport safety a federal government function, forcing concise coordination between airports and the TFA.

According to Emerson, et al (Understanding the Context for Public Administration), what are the consequences of the federal system of government?

According to Emerson, there are numerous consequences of the federal system of government. A federal system of government encourages participation, teaches patience, prudence and self-reliance. It teaches citizens about cause-and affect, and logical reasoning. The diversity in climate, resources and demographics will cause diversity in policies, programs, and laws. Policies designed for a specific, local jurisdiction will be more efficient and less wasteful than a policies designed by the federal government. Accountability is much clearer at the local level than the federal level because of the proximity of administrators. Another consequence is the inevitable friction between state and federal government which results in unfunded mandates, crossover mandates and federal preemption.

According to Kettl, what is the real source of frustration with bureaucracy?

According to Kettl, the real source of frustration with bureaucracy is the amount of work and time that goes into providing citizens with complex goods and services which they expect and take for granted. People protest bureaucratic instruments such as red tape and high taxes, but expect safety and services to benefit them.

According to Kettl, what are the five myths of "big government?" List the five and very briefly describe one, and explain why Kettl thinks it's a myth.

According to Kettl, there are five major myths of "big government". They are; 1) Washington is the center of the "big government problem 2) Let's take government back to the Reagan "small government days," 3) Let's cut government by cutting back on the number of federal employees, 4) Let's cut waste, fraud, and abuse, 5) Abolishing agencies will shrink the government. The last big myth "abolishing agencies will shrink the government" is popular in the current political discussion, and under the current white house administration. Kettle believes it is a myth because without government agencies often targeted for reduction, there would be essential administrative responsibilities that would no longer be supervised or carried out causing more harm than good to the public.

8. According to Kettl, what distinguishes the public sector from the private sector?

According to Kettl, there are two major distinctions between the public and private sector. The first being, the public sector administers the public's business, administer law, and do what the law requires them to do. Private officials can do as they please as long as the law does not forbid it. The second being the fundamentally different environment between public and private sectors.

How do checks and balances challenge application of these principles of classical management theory in the public sector?

Because of the system of checks and balances system designed to hold branches of government in check, principles of the classical management theory are challenged in the public sector. At the local level, governments have a legislative and executive branch meaning the heads of these branches must report to a city manager/mayor and a city council.