Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950 Flashcards
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
The New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. The New Deal was to cover as many issues as could be imagined - be they social, economic, financial etc. It involved the passing of several acts and the creation of several agencies. New agencies meant new jobs and the devising of strategies to manage employees and attain efficiency. The Republicans were split, with conservatives opposing the entire New Deal as an enemy of business and growth, and liberals accepting some of it and promising to make it more efficient.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
*Promotes a centralization of executive authority to generate better efficiency. In the science of administration efficiency is the basic good. Proper coordination is achieved through a satisfactory division of labor, developing appropriate means of coordination and control. In this sense the problems of public organizations are viewed as similar to that of private organizations.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
Promotes the vital role of strong executive leadership (centralization) in leading an organization to attain greater efficiency in administration. A single executive should be tasked with overseeing the work of the organization. Other values such as politics (democracy) can interfere with efficiency. Nonetheless efficiency should be the value that a science of administration should be built on.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
Primary strategies promoted are span of control, unity of command, technical efficiency (intra-organization task homogeneity to attain single purpose and efficiency). The role of the executive as suggested by Gulick is POSDCORB
- Planning what needs to be done
- Organizing the formal structure of authority through which work subdivisions are arranged.
- Staffing or bringing in and training staff
- Directing or making decisions for the organization
- CO-ordination or interrelating the various parts of the work
- Reporting or keeping those to which the executive is responsible informed
- Budgeting or fiscal planning
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
Division of work is needed because individuals within an organization are limited in their capacity, it encourages specialization, and eliminates time lost while increasing efficiency. Gulick wrote about the division of work within an organization and the need for organization to create greater efficiency in accomplishing tasks.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
Organization of work and division of specialized tasks should be handled by those at the top of the organizational hierarchy who will in turn relay orders to subordinates. The formulation of a single idea by an individual in a power of authority will ensure that all workers are of the mindset and share the same end goal. The problem is that the larger a single public agency will make it more difficult to foster this coordination. A larger agency makes it more likely that individual/departments will lose sight of the end goal while focusing solely on their narrow duties. The larger the agency the more work will be divided thus leading to greater confusion and the need for more stringent supervision and coordination.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
Gulick proposes that en executive of an organization (in PA’s case a bureaucracy) can only be effective in monitoring subdivisions based on the span of control
Unity of command relates to a single executive (as opposed to multiple) providing orders/direction to individuals so as to reduce confusion. [SIDE NOTE] Fine tunes Taylor’s Scientific Management by stating that one manager as opposed to multiple should be involved in supervision. Technical efficiency or homogeneity in organizational work divisions and purpose to generate greater efficiency. Combining differing tasks (example health care and tax) within a single organization is nonhomogeneous and can lead to inefficiency.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Gulick, Luther (1937)- Notes on the Theory of Organization
Gulick CAUTIONS that there can be two primary pitfalls with the issue of technical efficiency and homogeneity. For one, the technical expert within the organization can become too narrowly focused on his and only his area of expertise thus being unable to see the bigger picture. Secondly, the technical expert can become a know it all who believes they know best about all matters including those in which they are not fluent in. This may compel the technical expert within the public agency to foray into areas in which they are not proficient thus leading to an infringement of democracy where the expert believes he knows what is best for society. In a democratic society, the common man is a better expert on his own needs that the technical bureaucrat. If efficiency is allowed to take precedence democracy may be impacted. [SIDE NOTE] Similar to Weber’s concern of the self-serving bureaucrat. Thus, supervision is needed by the executive. Also CAUTIONED is to ensure that executive management does not lose sight of organizational effectiveness in lieu of efficiency and those at the bottom of the organization does not place effectiveness above co-ordination.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Willoughby, W.E. (1927)
Advocates for the adherence to the principles of administration which is adopted from business organizations. The first step in making the administrative branch a single, integrated piece of administrative machinery is to vest in a single agency executive the powers to carry out the work assigned. Various departments performing similar missions and frequent working missions should be are grouped close together (i.e. principle of grouping). This ensures simplicity, avoids jurisdictional conflicts, and permits better efficiency and economy. No reference is given to democracy or citizen participation.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Brownlow, L., Merriam, C.E., Gulick, L. (1937)-Report of the President’s Committee on Administrative Management
*Promotes a centralization of executive authority.
The American president unites three important functions-leader of a political party, leader of Congress, and leader of the people.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Brownlow, L., Merriam, C.E., Gulick, L. (1937)-Report of the President’s Committee on Administrative Management
Good government efficiency is predicated on good management. Foundations of effective management in public affairs are similar to that of private organization. Government efficiency requires the leadership from a strong executive to provide energy and direction to administrative management. Good administrative management in democracy requires executive leader duties such as organization of personnel and the fiscal system. The effectiveness of the chief executive (president) is found to be limited and restricted. The chief executive does not have adequate resources (agencies and personnel) to truly be effective. The chief executive office is not current on sound business and government practices. As executive duties are increasing, the tools, resources, and strategies at the disposal of the executive should be reorganized. The chief executive should not be constrained by rules and procedures. Government should be reorganized to achieve objectives beyond efficiency as well as eliminate duplication and contradicting policies. The chief executive should be permitted to have a small contingent of executive assistants who interact on his behalf (with agencies, Congress, and the public) and provide the president with information so that he makes more informed decisions that promotes better democracy.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Brownlow, L., Merriam, C.E., Gulick, L. (1937)-Report of the President’s Committee on Administrative Management
Strong leadership in the American system of government will require more empowerment of the President (chief executive). The Office of the President should be reorganized with the President being less constrained by rules so that he may do his job more effectively. The President should be allowed to select a staff of close-knit assistants (STAFFING) that will interact with agencies, Congress, and the public on his behalf so that he may be able to make more informed decisions. The President should be granted the resources, personnel, and decision-making discretionary power to make important decisions so that he may directly control and lead the great managerial functions of government (which encompasses all administrative departments).
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
The Hoover Commission Report (1949)-The report of the Commission on Organization of the Executive branch of Government
*Promotes a centralization of executive authority in order to attain efficiency.
Without first organizing the executive branch of government, any other steps to improve other facets of organization and administrative management will be futile. Responsibility and accountability would not be possible if there was not a person in charge-at the very top-to hold agency heads accountable. A systematic effort to improve organization and administration in the federal government must begin with reorganizing the executive branch of government. Steps needing to be taken include ordering grouping based on the functions of government in a more orderly manner under the president, establishing clear lines of control between the agency heads and the President so as to promote accountability, provide the President and agency heads with better and more competent staff and more discretion to select their immediate advisors, develop a higher number of capable staff in the public service, relax guidelines and legislation which are in place and only serves to constrain the decision making of the executive and agency heads.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
White, Leonard 1948-
There is an increasing trend towards executive initiative in public policy which occurs when administrators exercise discretion in carrying out vague or genera legislation and as the advice and counsel of permanent civil servants are sought in the development of policy. There is an advantage of employing administrative personnel in policy formulation because the impartiality and technical skill of administrators may equip them to make especially good recommendations. Administrators may be the best-equipped branch of government to make genuinely public policy free from overwhelming favoritism on to one particular pressure group.
Expansion of Federal Government: The New Deal to Mid-Century 1933-1950
CENTRALIZATION AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
DEMOCRACY
Waldo, Dwight (1948)-The Administrative State
*Promotes democracy is administration
Third, PA needs to address the possibility of a theory of democratic administration and not focus solely on efficiency and technical matters.
For too long scholars have attempted the unrealistic objective of avoiding questions of values/morality by solely focusing on technical and scientific matters. Politics provides the policies, rules, and action plans by which administration can act. Therefore, administration should be viewed as political theory in action.
