public administration & bureaucracy

main view of public administration

as the implementer and enforcer of policy decisions made by others - i.e., passive role

4 faces of public admin (hierarchy)

1. top layer = ministerial departments

2. state agencies

3. different levels - national, regional, local

4. street level bureaucrats

impartiality vs flexibility trade off of public admin

= should there be special consideration or exact requirements?
--> two views: process v outcome
--> law v management

accountability to elected officials vs autonomy trade off

= how much control should public admin have? to what extent should it be politicized?

6 things public admin does

1. policy formation and execution
2. delivery
3. taxation
4. regulation
5. contracting
6. trading

2 interests of public administration

1. interests of individuals
2. interests of the organizational unit

2 interests of individuals

1. job security, workload
2. policy

3 interests of the organizational unit

1. budget + survival
2. political power
3. policy

3 types of agency problems in public admin

1. leisure shirking --> does everyone do their job?
2. policy shirking --> will people implement the policies they care about personally more than others?
3. political sabotage

Weberian bureaucracy definition

specific way of organizing the public administration

4 key characteristics of bureaucracy

1. meritocracy in appointment
2. job protection against political pressure
3. hierarchical command structure
4. standardized procedures

bureaucracy + agency perspective

1. emphasizes ex ante selection
   --> weak ex post incentives can lead to agency problems

alternative style: political recruitment

incoming govt changes administrative staff - dismisses old + replaces
which is better, expertise, or loyalty?
--> more common for top level positions like ministers