It is nearly impossible to look at the implementation of any policy—from testing at an elementary school to testing of a pharmaceutical drug—and avoid seeing the impact and influence of public bureaucracies. Given the importance of their work, and the accountability they owe to the American public, the performance of public bureaucracies must be assessed in a systematic manner. Working through four key perspectives—bounded rationality, principal-agent theory, interest group mobilization, and network theory—Gormley and Balla give students the analytic power needed to comprehensively evaluate performance, or the give-and-take between decision makers, managers, elected officials, organized interests, and individuals.
In addition to updating the book to account for recent developments and new scholarship—from the No Child Left Behind Act and presidential appointments to the Program Assessment Rating Tool and changes to the rulemaking process—the authors apply their working theories in a new chapter on the politics of disaster. With in-depth coverage of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the avian flu, students can learn important lessons from looking at similar events and crises through the same analytical lenses.
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Bureaucracy and Democracy: Accountability and Performance, 2nd Edition Formats Available from CQ Press
New to this Edition It is nearly impossible to look at the implementation of any policy—from testing at an elementary school to testing of a pharmaceutical drug—and avoid seeing the impact and influence of public bureaucracies. Given the importance of their work, and the accountability they owe to the American public, the performance of public bureaucracies must be assessed in a systematic manner. Working through four key perspectives—bounded rationality, principal-agent theory, interest group mobilization, and network theory—Gormley and Balla give students the analytic power needed to comprehensively evaluate performance, or the give-and-take between decision makers, managers, elected officials, organized interests, and individuals.In addition to updating the book to account for recent developments and new scholarship—from the No Child Left Behind Act and presidential appointments to the Program Assessment Rating Tool and changes to the rulemaking process—the authors apply their working theories in a new chapter on the politics of disaster. With in-depth coverage of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the avian flu, students can learn important lessons from looking at similar events and crises through the same analytical lenses. Previous Editions
1st Edition ©2004
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Table of Contents 1. Bureaucracies as Policymaking Organizations Testimonials “In an era when the demand for performance has come to rival the enduring quest for political accountability, William T. Gormley and Steven J. Balla provide an effective introduction for understanding the complex yet positive role that the public bureaucracy performs in American democracy. Drawing from contemporary theoretical approaches, they explain not only internal bureaucratic behavior but also how the public bureaucracy interacts with and responds to constitutional actors, citizens, and other organizations. Case studies of several national and state government organizations illustrate the value of theory for understanding how performance and accountability can be achieved in public bureaucracies. The accessible style makes this text well suited for either introductory or advanced study of political science and public administration.” - David Houston, University of Tennessee“I am very favorably impressed with Gormley and Balla’s Bureaucracy and Democracy, and I will continue to use it in the future. It offers a unique blend of updated scholarship and analytical treatment in a format that is understandable to a wide student population (both undergraduate and graduate). I like how its approach emphasizes accountability and performance from various frameworks, and it works well for students when analyzing current events that cry out for answers to performance and accountability questions.” - Richard Ghere, University of Dayton“Gormley and Balla’s Bureaucracy and Democracy is a good, easy to understand overview of bureaucracy and democracy. It is well written, well organized, and contains many applicable and entertaining examples. I particularly like how the authors use the four lenses – or frameworks – to understand and analyze bureaucracies, and I find that these frameworks make the book particularly attractive and adoptable.” - Lorenda A. Naylor, University of BaltimoreBio(s)
William T. Gormley, Jr., Georgetown University William T. Gormley Jr. is University Professor and professor of government and public policy at Georgetown University. He is the author of several books, including Organizational Report Cards, with David Weimer and Everybody’s Children: Child Care as a Public Problem. Steven J. Balla, George Washington University Steven J. Balla is associate professor of political science, public policy and public administration, and international affairs at George Washington University. He is also a research associate at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, and a member of the International Working Group on Online Consultation and Public Policy Making. |
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