ch 14 gov vocab

bureaucracy

according to max weber, a hierarchical authority structure that uses task specialization, operates on the merit principle, and behaves with impersonality

patronage

one of the key inducements used by party machines, a patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone

pendleton civil service act

passed in 1883, an act that created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage

civil service

a system of hiring and promotion based on the merit principle and the desire to create a nonpartisan government service

merit principle

the idea that hiring should be based on entrance exams and promotion ratings to produce administration by people with talent and skill

hatch act

a federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan policies while on duty or for employees in sensitive positions at any time

office of personnel management

the office in change of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process

gs (general schedule) rating

a schedule for federal employees, ranging from GS 1 to S 19, by which salaries can be keyed to rating and experience

senior executive service

an elite cadre of about 9000 federal government managers at the top of the civil service system

independent regulatory commission

a government agency with responsibility for making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest in some sector of the economy and for judging disputes over these rules

government corporation

a government organization that, like business corporations, provides a service that could be delivered by the private sector and typically charges for its services (ex. US postal service)

independent executive agency

the government agencies not accounted for by cabinet departments; their administrators are appointed by the president and serve at the president’s pleasure (ex. NASA)

policy implementation

stage of policymaking between the establishment of a policy and the consequences of the policy for the people affected; implementation involves translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program

standard operating procedures

these procedures for everyday decision making enable bureaucrats to bring efficiency and uniformity to the running of complex organizations; uniformity promotes fairness and maes personnel interchangeable

administrative decision

the authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem; discretion is greatest when routines, or standard operating procedures, do not fit a case

street level bureaucrats

a phrase referring to those bureaucrats who are in constant contact with the public and have considerable administrative discretion

regulation

the use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector

command and control policy

typical system of regulation whereby government tells businesses how to reach certain goals, checks that these commands are followed, and punishes offenders

incentive system

an alternative to command and control, with market like strategies such as rewards used to manage public policy

deregulation

the lifting of government restrictions on business, industry, and professional activities

executive orders

regulations originating with the executive branch; executive orders are one method presidents can use to control the bureaucracy

iron triangles (subgovernments)

mutually dependent, mutually advantageous relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interst groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees; iron triangles dominate some areas of domestic policymaking