The focus this week is on structural evolution and then structural
reorganization. The first occurs slowly over time. To illustrate structural
evolution, we will trace the historical evolution of the federal bureaucracy and highlight
the interrelationships among an agency's environment, the complexity of its tasks, and its
structure. Then we will examine contemporary efforts of executives to structurally
reorganize government. We will analyze the models used, the technical
considerations, and the politics that often overwhelm such efforts.
Reading Assignment
James Q. Wilson's article "The Rise of the Bureaucratic State."
The case "Dilemma in Juvenile Court."
After completing the assigned readings, write a one page essay analyzing the case - "Dilemma in Juvenile Court." Use the following questions as guidelines in your analysis:
What is the nature of Judge Smith's dilemma?
How has the environment of the agency changed?
How has the structure changed?
What are the competing structural designs?
What are the political implications of any structural change?
What are the psychological perspectives of each of the major players?
Why are they in conflict?
What structural change would you recommend? Why?
E-mail your one page essay as an attachment. Use WebCT's private mail system. My e-mail address is PAPA_501. When filling in the To: box, hit the Browse button and my e-mail address is listed for you. After selecting it, hit the Pick button.
Be prepared to discuss the following questions in class.
When should an organization change their structure?
Why is structural reorganization so controversial?
What is the best justification for structural changes?
How would you describe any reorganization efforts with which you have been directly involved?
Anthony Downs, Inside Bureaucracy (Little Brown and Company, 1967), Chapter 2 - The Life Cycle of Bureaus, pp. 5 - 23.
Herbert Kaufman, Are Government Organizations Immortal? (The Brookings Institution, 1976).
Herbert Kaufman, Red Tape: Its Origins, Uses, and Abuses (The Brookings Institution, 1977).
See more recent extensions of Kaufman's work by Mark Daniels and by Robert Bern.
created by Dennis Hostetler dhostet@siue.edu
last updated: January 8, 2002
