Chapter 8: Bureaucratic politics in states and communities

Bureaucracy

Departments, agencies, bureaus, and offices that perform the functions of government.

Chain of Command

A bureaucratic structure where authority flows downward through levels of organization.

Division of Labor

Specialization of workers in specific tasks within a bureaucracy.

Clear Lines of Responsibility

Defined duties and accountability within bureaucratic organizations.

Specific Organizational Goals

Clearly established objectives bureaucracies are expected to achieve.

Impersonal Treatment

Bureaucratic practice of treating all individuals equally according to rules.

Bureaucrat

A nonelected person employed by government within a bureaucracy.

Implementation

Development of procedures and activities to carry out laws enacted by legislatures.

Regulation

Development of formal rules by bureaucracies to implement legislation.

Adjudication

Bureaucratic decision making about whether individuals or organizations violated laws or regulations.

Discretion

The ability of bureaucrats to make judgments when applying rules.

Bureaucratic Goals

Efforts by bureaucrats to expand authority, budgets, and programs while advancing agency missions.

Incrementalism

Budgeting tendency to focus on increases and new programs while rarely reevaluating existing ones.

Decrementalism

Across-the-board cuts in spending and personnel during recessions instead of eliminating programs.

Organizational Disarray

Fragmented and confusing executive branch structures caused by multiple elected officials and boards.

Executive Reorganization

Reform effort to centralize authority under governors and consolidate agencies.

Bureaucratization

The size of government measured through spending and employment levels.

Patronage System

Hiring government employees based on political loyalty and support.

Political Machine

A party organization using patronage and political favors to maintain power.

Merit System

Hiring government employees based on competence rather than politics.

Pendleton Act of 1883

Federal law establishing the merit-based civil service system.

Office of Personnel Management

Federal agency administering the merit system and civil service employment.

Civil Service

Government employment system based on merit and protected from political interference.

Bureaucratic Culture

Strong support within agencies for their programs, employees, and clients.

Productivity

Producing desired government results at the lowest possible cost.

Representative Bureaucracy

A workforce that reflects the demographics and interests of the public it serves.

Representativeness

Extent to which bureaucratic employees reflect society’s social characteristics.

Affirmative Action Programs

Policies promoting hiring and promotion of women and minorities to increase workforce diversity.

Equal Protection Clause

Fourteenth Amendment clause used in challenges involving discrimination and affirmative action.

Collective Bargaining

Negotiation process between unions and government employers over wages and working conditions.

AFSCME

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; largest public employee union.

Right-to-Work Laws

Laws allowing unions while prohibiting mandatory union membership or dues.

Arbitration

Use of a neutral third party to settle labor disputes.

NEA

National Education Association, a major teachers’ union.

AFT

American Federation of Teachers, a major public employee teachers’ union.

Clout

Informal political influence and power.

Defined-Benefit Plan

Pension system guaranteeing retirement income based on salary and years worked.

Defined-Contribution Plan

Retirement system where employees invest fixed contributions themselves.

Regulatory Policy

Government use of rules and regulations to influence behavior instead of direct spending.

Federal Preemption

Principle that federal laws override conflicting state laws.

Privatization

Transfer of government service production to private firms or nonprofits.

Load Shedding

Government selling public enterprises to private organizations.

Contracting

Government hiring private or nonprofit organizations to provide services.

Franchising

Government granting exclusive contracts to private firms for services.

Grants

Government funding to private groups or nonprofits to provide services.

Vouchers

Government-issued aid allowing citizens to choose service providers themselves.

Pros of Privatization

Claimed benefits include lower costs, greater innovation, efficiency, and responsiveness.

Cons of Privatization

Criticisms include reduced accountability, lower quality, and threats to public employee jobs.

Reinventing Government

Reform movement promoting entrepreneurial, decentralized, and customer-focused government.

Entrepreneurial Government

Government emphasizing innovation, efficiency, competition, and flexibility.

Customer-Driven Government

Government focused on responding to citizens like customers.

Mission-Driven Government

Government emphasizing goals and outcomes instead of rigid rules.

Market-Oriented Government

Government relying on market incentives rather than command-and-control regulation.

Management by Objectives (MBO)

Management system based on achieving measurable goals.

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Continuous improvement management philosophy focused on quality.

Performance-Based Management (PBM)

Management strategy emphasizing measurable outcomes and efficiency.

Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB)

Budgeting requiring justification for every expense each cycle.

Balanced Scorecard (BSC)

Management system considering both human and financial costs in decisions.

Whistle-Blower Protection Laws

Laws protecting employees who report illegal or unethical conduct.

Budget

Executive document estimating revenues and proposing expenditures for legislative approval.

Fiscal Year

Government accounting year, usually July 1 through June 30.

Budget Message

Governor or mayor’s explanation and defense of the proposed budget.

Appropriation

Legislative authorization allowing agencies to spend money.

Appropriations Bill

Legislative bill approving government spending.

Agency Pressure

Pressure from agencies seeking larger budgets and expanded programs.

Zero Sum Game

Theory that one side’s gain means another side’s loss.

Spend It All Strategy

Budget tactic where agencies spend all funds to avoid future cuts.

Hide New Programs in the Base

Budget tactic of disguising new programs within existing spending categories.

Give Them Something to Cut

Budget tactic of requesting extra increases so officials can appear to reduce spending.

Earmarking

Assigning specific revenue sources to specific programs.

General Fund Expenditures

Government spending not tied to earmarked revenues.

Uncontrollables

Spending increases caused by mandates, entitlement programs, or court rulings.

Line-Item Budget

Budget listing expenditures by categories such as personnel or equipment.

Performance Budgeting

Budgeting linking spending to program goals and outcomes.

Benchmarking

Comparing government performance and spending to other successful governments.

Balanced Budget Requirement

Requirement that state and local governments match expenditures to revenues.

Revenue Shortfalls

Situations where revenues fall below estimates and require spending cuts.

Blue Smoke and Mirrors

Accounting tricks used to work around balanced budget requirements.

Great Recession

Economic downturn that slowed bureaucratic growth and forced budget cuts.