Bureaucracy and the Evolution of Public Administration

bureaucracy an administrative group of nonelected officials charged with carrying out functions connected to a series of policies and programs

bureaucrats the civil servants or political appointees who fill nonelected positions in government and make up the bureaucracy

civil servants the individuals who fill nonelected positions in government and make up the bureaucracy; also known as bureaucrats

merit system a system of filling civil service positions by using competitive examinations to value experience and competence over political loyalties

patronage the use of government positions to reward individuals for their political support

public administration the implementation of public policy as well as the academic study that prepares civil servants to work in government

spoils system a system that rewards political loyalties or party support during elections with bureaucratic appointments after victory

Toward a Merit-Based Civil Service

pay schedule a chart that shows salary ranges for different levels of positions vertically and for different ranks of seniority horizontally

Understanding Bureaucracies and their Types

government corporation a corporation that fulfills an important public interest and is therefore overseen by government authorities to a much larger degree than private businesses

red tape the mechanisms, procedures, and rules that must be followed to get something done

Controlling the Bureaucracy

negotiated rulemaking a rulemaking process in which neutral advisors convene a committee of those who have vested interests in the proposed rules and help the committee reach a consensus on them

privatization measures that incorporate the market forces of the private sector into the function of government to varying degrees

whistleblower a person who publicizes misdeeds committed within a bureaucracy or other organization