7: Power, Decisions, Strategy Flashcards

1
Q

In the rational decision making model, decision makers:

A
  1. Know all relevant goals clearly
  2. Know how to apply values in order to rank goals
  3. Examine all alternatives
  4. Choose most efficient option to maximize goal
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2
Q

When consultants analyze work processes to improve efficiency/effectiveness, they are using this theory

A

Scientific Management

Example: bar codes on social security files

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3
Q

Linear programming

A

Uses math formulas to determine how many outputs can be produced with given inputs

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4
Q

PPBS

A

Planning and program budgeting system.

Presidential directive issued by Lyndon Johnson. Budget requests had to be tied to objectives.

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5
Q

Which president proposed zero based budgeting?

A

Jimmy Carter

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6
Q

GPRA is a version of the ___________ process.

A

Rational

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7
Q

Rational process has been less effective in the public sector because of these factors

A

Political

Institutional

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8
Q

External power and politics influence

A

internal power and politics

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9
Q

Early theory said that manager’s choices were based on rational choices and optimal alternatives. Newer theories account for

A

political environment.

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10
Q

These things weaken executive power

A
  1. Rules & controls
  2. Political alliances (agencies, interest groups, legislators)
  3. Influence
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11
Q

Agency power is enhanced by

A
  1. well organized constituencies
  2. skillful leadership
  3. organizational cohesion
  4. expertise-specialized knowledge needed to deliver a service the public wants.
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12
Q

Who developed the Bases of Power model?

A

John French & Bertram Raven (1968)

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13
Q

Reward power

A

Power to give or withhold rewards such as pay

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14
Q

Coercive power

A

To take forceful action against another person

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15
Q

Referent power

A

Emulating others

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16
Q

Expert power

A

Control of knowledge, information or skills that others need

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17
Q

Legitimate power

A

Formal authority to issue direction

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18
Q

What are the five types of power in the Bases of Power model?

A
Reward
Coercive
Referent
Expert
Legitimate
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19
Q

Three sources of power

A

Position (authority over decisions)
Allocation of resources
Network (brings information, loyalty & resources)

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20
Q

Rosabeth Moss Kanter said that higher level managers can empower middle managers by

A

relaxing rules
increasing participation
delegation
providing innovative rewards

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21
Q

Management or leadership approach that increases job performance and innovation

A

employee empowerment

22
Q

What factor complicates empowerment approaches in government?

A

Accountability pressures

23
Q

Decision making = power because

A

power determines who gets to decide.

24
Q

Public organizations need specific decision making processes because of

A

political intervention
constraints in environment
diverse & diffuse objectives

25
Q

Public sector decision making is different from private sector because of

A

complexity
dynamism
intervention
interruption

26
Q

A key challenge for public managers related to decision making

A

when to standardize and and rationalize decision-making processes

27
Q

Systematic, rational review of commitments and reallocations

A

Zero-based budgeting

28
Q

Management style that focuses on setting objectives for individuals and units and tying them to performance appraisals & rewards

A

Management by Objective (MBO)

29
Q

Public choice economists argue that

A

voters vote in their own self interest and that officials try to buy votes by providing services the public wants.

30
Q

Criticism of public decision making

A

governments strive for greater budgets
tend toward rigidity
distort information

31
Q

Although managers intend to be rational, cognitive limits, uncertainties and time limits result in

A

bounded rationality

32
Q

Satisfice

A

The most satisfactory choice among limited alternatives

33
Q

James Thompson’s contingency theory says that decision-making contexts vary along two major dimensions:

A
  1. the degree to which decision makers agree on goals

2. the degree to which they understand means-end or cause-effect relationships

34
Q

According to Contingency Theory, very rational decision making occurs when both of these are high

A

technical knowledge

goal agreement

35
Q

When goals are unclear and knowledge is limited, managers rely on

A

intuition

political maneuvering

36
Q

Incrementalism is

A

making limited changes to polices, budgets, etc.

37
Q

Positive aspect of incrementalism

A

It allows for input, bargaining and some change while guarding against radical change.

38
Q

Criticism of incrementalism

A

Makes policymaking and budgeting too conservative.

39
Q

Who wrote “The Science of Muddling Through” in 1958?

A

Charles Lindbloom

40
Q

Lindbloom wrote that political consensus and compromise result in

A

vague goals and evaluation criteria.

This occurs because politicians and the public don’t totally understand the work and will push back on goals, timelines and desired outcomes that are too specific.

41
Q

Etzioni’s Mixed Scanning model is a compromise between

A

rational decision making and incrementalism

42
Q

Three phases in Mintzberg, Raisinghani and Theoret’s incremental model

A
  1. identification (information gathering)
  2. development (designing a solution)
  3. selection (committing to a decision)
43
Q

Decision making model that’s commonly used when there is ambiguity, uncertainty or rapid change

A

Garbage can model

44
Q

Analyzing how stakeholders evaluate an organization and then forming strategies to deal with them

A

Stakeholder management

45
Q

Analysis of forces acting on an industry in order to gain competitive advantage

A

Competitive analysis

46
Q

Strategic issues management

A

Identifying crucial issues to an organization’s ability to achieve its objectives

47
Q

Strategic negotiation

A

strategic decision making is highly political and will require established methods for bargaining with stakeholders

48
Q

Logical incrementalism uses small steps to

A

guide along a strategic path.

49
Q

Who said that managers formulate strategies congruent with the external environment that their organizations confront?

A

Miles and Snow, 1978

50
Q

Four orientations described in Miles and Snow Typlology

A
  1. Prospectors-seek opportunities
  2. Defenders-don’t seek new ideas, little employee empowerment
  3. Analyzers-balance efficiency and learning (combo of prospector + defender)
  4. Reactor-lack of strategy, dysfunctional