1. Bureaucracy
What is a Bureaucracy?

3. Read Chapter 15 section 1, pp. 414-418
Homework
Read Chapter 15 section 1, pp

4. Questions to Think About
What is a bureaucracy?
What are the major elements of the federal bureaucracy?
How are groups within the federal bureaucracy named?
What is the difference between a staff agency and a line agency?

5. Elements Major Elements of the Federal Bureaucracy:
The federal bureaucracy is all of the agencies, people, and procedures through which the Federal government operates. It is the means by which the government makes and administers public policy.
The Framer’s intended for administrative agencies to be created. Without an administration – the government’s many administrators and agencies – even the best policies would amount to just so many words.

6. Three features of Bureaucracies
Hierarchical authority. Bureaucracies are based on a pyramid structure with a chain of command running from top to bottom.
Job specialization. Each bureaucrat, or person who works for the organization, has certain defined duties and responsibilities.
Formalized rules. The bureaucracy does its work according to a set of established regulations and procedures.

7. Red Tape
The term “red tape” comes from red ribbon used by British bureaucrats to hold their paperwork together.

8. Bureaucracy
What is a Bureaucracy?

9. Structure of a Bureaucracy
Hierarchical authority
Job Specialization
Formalized Rules

10. Three features of Bureaucracies
Hierarchical authority. Bureaucracies are based on a pyramid structure with a chain of command running from top to bottom.
Job specialization. Each bureaucrat, or person who works for the organization, has certain defined duties and responsibilities.
Formalized rules. The bureaucracy does its work according to a set of established regulations and procedures.

11. Hierarchy example
A hierarchy simply lets you know who works for whom: who is the boss, and where you fit on the chain of command. This hierarchy is a simplified diagram of how a business chain of command works.

12. Job Specialization
Simply means that every job is classified with specific knowledge skills and abilities and filled by someone who knows how to do that job.

13. Formalized Rules
Informal Rule example: holding the door for other people. In addition to men holding the door for women, it is expected that all people hold the door when the time is appropriate, including for an elderly person or someone who is carrying groceries or shopping bags.
Formal Rule Examples: Major League Baseball Rules; Major League Football Rules.
Rules have to be made clearly and concisely in order to make sense. Structures exist to ensure that rules are respected, enforced and understood.

14. What might be some benefits of a bureaucracy?

16. Benefits 1. Faster because people know their one specific job
2. Power lines are clear (easy for decision making)
3. Rules make it easier to replace a worker when one leaves

17. The Federal Bureaucracy
The President is the chief administrator of the Federal Government.
In order to enact and enforce policy, Congress and the President have created an administration—the government’s many administrators and agencies.
The chief organizational feature of the federal bureaucracy is its division into areas of specialization

18. Yesterday, I asked “Where does the Power to set up agencies and departments come from?”

20. Presidential (Executive) Power comes from:
Article 2 of the Constitution:
Clause 1:
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

21. What is clear about this statement? What is unclear?

23. The Executive Office of the President
Every officer, employee, and agency in the executive branch of the Federal Government is legally subordinate to the President. They all exist to help the President in the exercise of the executive power. The Executive Office of the President (several agencies staffed by the President’s Advisors) is the President’s right arm.

24. Ideally: Free of political accountability (non-partisan)
– Still affected by Congressional budget and oversight
• Ideal scenario: members apply specific rules of action to each case in a rational, nondiscretionary, predictable, and impersonal way

25. Growth Growth of the Federal Bureaucracy
• – 50 federal government employees
• – 2.8 million (excluding military, subcontractors, and consultants who also work for federal government)
• Growth mainly at state and local level since 1970
– Federal government began devolving powers and services to state and local government
• Total federal, state, local employees – roughly 21 million people

26. Three features of Bureaucracies
Hierarchical authority. Bureaucracies are based on a pyramid structure with a chain of command running from top to bottom.
Job specialization. Each bureaucrat, or person who works for the organization, has certain defined duties and responsibilities.
Formalized rules. The bureaucracy does its work according to a set of established regulations and procedures.

28. Let’s use the handout!

31. US Embassy Paris

33. The Legislative Branch has fewest
The Executive Branch has the most.

37. The Federal Bureaucracy
The Name Game
Department
Administration or Agency
Commission
Corporation or Authority

38. The Federal Bureaucracy
The Name Game
Department
The term "department" is reserved for agencies of cabinet rank
Examples: Department of State, Department of the Interior

39. The Federal Bureaucracy
The Name Game
Administration or Agency
The terms "administration" or "agency" are used to refer to any governmental body or, more particularly, to a major unit headed by a single administrator of near-cabinet rank
The terms agency and administration are used interchangeably
Examples: NASA; NARA

40. The Federal Bureaucracy
The Name Game
Commission
The term "commission" is reserved for agencies charged with the regulation of business activities
Commissions are headed by varying numbers of top-ranking officers, or commissioners
Example: Interstate Commerce Commission

41. The Federal Bureaucracy
The Name Game
Corporation or Authority
The terms "corporation" and "authority" are used for agencies that have a board and a manager and that is designed to conduct business-like activities
Example: National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)

42. The Federal Bureaucracy
The Name Game
While the above terms have precise definitions, they are not used consistently!
There is little uniformity in the use of terms describing units within the executive branch and the lines are now blurred

43. Types of Agencies LINE STAFF Staff Agencies
Staff agencies serve in a support capacity.
They aid the chief executive and other administrators by offering advice and other assistance in the management of the organization.
Line agencies perform tasks for which the organization exists.
Congress and the President give the line agencies goals to accomplish, and staff agencies help the line agencies accomplish them.

44. The Federal Bureaucracy
Major Elements of the Federal Bureaucracy
The administration consists of the officials and agencies of the executive branch that carry out public policies
These administrators impact public policy in the following ways:
Through delaying the implementation of policy dictated either by the legislative or executive branches
By writing rules and regulations;
By enforcing such rules, regulations and laws
Adjudicating conflicting interests

45. Questions to Think About
What is a bureaucracy?
What are the major elements of the federal bureaucracy?
How are groups within the federal bureaucracy named?
What is the difference between a staff agency and a line agency?

46. Vocabulary
1. Bureaucracy: a large complex structure that handles the everyday business of an administration
2. Administration: the government’s many offices and administrators
3. Bureaucrat: a person who works in a bureaucracy
4. Staff Agency: they aid the President by giving advice and help
5. Line Agency: actually perform the task for the organization

47. Review
1. All of the following are characteristics of bureaucracies EXCEPT
(a) hierarchical authority.
(b) formalized rules.
(c) lack of formal organization.
(d) job specialization.
2. Staff agencies are created to
(a) act as congressional watchdogs on executive agencies.
(b) aid other agencies in completing their goals.
(c) serve as a check on the Supreme Court.
(d) fulfill a specific task or function.