Understanding Bureaucracy in Government

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to bureaucracy in government, including definitions of various models and their implications.

Bureaucracy

A system of government or business that has many complicated rules and ways of doing things.

Specialization

The process in which individuals focus on a narrow area of expertise within a larger organization.

Division of Labor

The assignment of different parts of a task to different people to improve efficiency.

Max Weber

A German sociologist who developed a model of bureaucracy outlining how bureaucracies should function for efficiency.

Acquisitive Model

A model stating that bureaucracies compete with each other for resources and power.

Monopolistic Model

A model suggesting that bureaucracies function like monopolies and can become inefficient due to lack of competition.

Garbage Can Model

A model that argues bureaucracies make decisions not through careful planning but as a reaction to crises, creating policies that remain in place due to tradition.

Public Bureaucracy

Government organizations that provide public services and implement government policies.

Private Bureaucracy

Organizations within the corporate sector that also utilize bureaucratic structures for efficiency.

Federal Bureaucracy

The administrative system governing the federal government, made up of various departments and agencies.

Cabinet Departments

The main organizations within the federal bureaucracy that provide direct services to citizens.

Hierarchy

A system in which members of an organization are ranked according to levels of authority.

Red Tape

Excessive bureaucratic regulation and procedures that hinder action.