Bureaucratic Politics, Policy and Organizations



Bureaucratic Politics, Policy and Organizations

I. Golden Oldies:

II. Literary Map:

III. Grand Synthesis:

IV. Politics, Policy and Organization: Themes-

What kind of Comprehensive Question could come out of this week's Discussions?

1. Johnson- What are the characteristics of administrative guidance? Internationalization?

2. Barzeley The Contingency Approach to organizations? Can we reorganize government? (Osborne) and end hierarchy? (Thayer)

3. Peters- Characteristics of Public Organizations? Is organizational theory different in different parts of the world? How important is culture

4. Hummel- The nature of the political bureaucracy? Is it evil? (Kafka)

5. Greene vs.

Orwell Organizations and Society- (non-impact vs. human weakness)

V. Top Management: The Political Organization, the Bureaucracy and Civil Society- Overall Themes:

1. Political Implications of public organizations

2. Public vs. Private Personnel

3. Bureaucratic Power

4. Administrative Compassion vs. Administrative Neutrality

5. Issue: Critique of Bureaucracy?

VI. Alternative Structures at the Top

1. Cabinet- Secretary General/Director France, Francophone Africa, South Africa

2. Sectional Director- Political Head and Civil Service Bureaus

-much of Latin America, Parts of Asia and Ethiopia

3. Permanent Secretary- Imperial System: Strong civil service control

4. Political Penetration- Deep. US model

5. Boards and independent Bureaus- Sweden (Finland)

6. Party Leadership- China, Cuba, Vietnam

VII. Senior Management Functions:

a. Decision-Making- The importance of policy information

"The Role of the Non-Decision"

b. Information- Specialist to Generalist Translation

c. Communication- The Role of public information

d. Implementation- objective monitoring mechanisms

e. Liaison- other governments, other units

f. Personal Leadership- Traits

a. Capacity- intelligence and judgment

b. Achievement- the power of success

c. Responsibility- initiative and dependability

d. Adaptability- cooperative and social

VIII. Structures and Functions-

a. Imperial- Chief of Staff

b. Flat organization- work team approach

c. Kitchen Cabinet- informal advisors

d. Delegation- specialization

e. Micro-management

f. Mixed Scanning

IX. Senior Management Patterns

1. Styles-

a. Dictatorial- leader determines all policy, gives orders

b. Participatory- group discussion, joint decision-making l led and advised by the leader

c. Laissez-Faire- Let it alone

=complete freedom of workers, no leader participation

=anarchy, each does his/her own thing

2. Strategies-

a. Routine tasks- hierarchy of authority- "dictator"

b. Creative tasks- eg. planning- team spirit, democratic or participatory style of leadership- the committee or team.

c. The special problem of distances

1. Poor communication and a lack of spatial closeness

2. Need an organizational spirit or "esprit de corps" (spirit of organizational unity) between members of the central organization and those in the outlying area.

3. Field Administration and Offices

3. Management Issues:

a. Number of contact points- 10-15 direct

30-40 Occasional

b. Issue of Group Think

c. Palace Guard- Imperial style

d. Spoke and Wheel Problem

e. "Tribalism"- herd approach

f. Control of Expertise

g. Role of Cabinet/Collective Executive

h. Laissez-faire- let it alone

i. Organization at distance- geography as barrier

j. Travel- the field, touring, trips as an escape

k. Media Issues- interviews, radio, TV

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