Governing States and Localities
Seventh Edition
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you will be able to
- Identify the five organizational characteristics of a bureaucracy,
- Explain how bureaucracy makes and implements policy,
- Describe why rural states with smaller populations often have more bureaucracy than urban states with larger populations,
- Relate the advantages and disadvantages of using a traditional bureaucracy to deliver public services,
- Explain how the key organizational characteristics of bureaucracy help ensure neutral competence,
- Compare the spoils system with the merit system,
- Discuss how public labor unions and affirmative action have changed the merit system, and
- Summarize new public management and identify attempts to incorporate private-sector management practices into the public sector.