OPM and Bureaucracy

Question 1

 Webers Bureaucracy Model:

Answer 1

o Protection for the citizens against the despotism of the ones in power
o Guarantees the rule of law, equality & transparency -> government predictability
o Machine type of organization
o 3 types of legitimate control:
 Traditional (patriarchic) control
 Charismatic control
 Legal control -> bureaucracy

Question 2

 Characteristics of bureaucratic organizations:

Answer 2

o Fixed jurisdictional areas
o Office operation segregates between private property of the official vs. public money and equipment
o Office holders have to have gone through special training
o Offices are full time and main activities of office holders

Question 3

 Elements of ideal-type bureaucracy (Weber):

Answer 3

o	De-personalizing decisions
o	Internal regulation
o	Principle of files
o	Hierarchy
o	Chain of command
o	Specialization
o	Equal treatment of all cases

Question 4

 Categories of types of political administrative systems:

Answer 4

o	State Structure:
o	Form of Government:
o	Minister mandarin relationship
o	Administrative culture 
o	Variety of policy advice

Question 5

 Comparison Weber vs. NPM

 Relation Politics vs. Administration:

Answer 5

o Weber:
 Relation is question of dominion (Herrschaft)
 Administration is a staff function of the ruler
 Administration carries out what is prescribed
 Knowledge = advantage of the administration
o NPM:
 Relation is a question of cooperation
 Competences are divided between Politics and Administration
 Parliament -> responsible for strategic goals
 Government -> responsible for implementation
 Administration is independent
 Administration is active in policy making

Question 6

 Comparison Weber vs. NPM

 Justification of the relation:

Answer 6

o Weber:
 Only strict legal adherence can limit the power of the ruler
 Rational administration guarantees -> predictability; expert knowledge; clear responsibility order
o NPM:
 Regulation in every detail is not possible
 Intrinsic motivation of the civil servant
 NPM seeks to achieve -> dynamic and open administration; holistic knowledge; customer orientation

Question 7

 Comparison Weber vs. NPM

 Relation Administration vs. Citizens:

Answer 7

o Weber:
 Citizen as an obedient
o NPM:
 Citizen as a customer

Question 8

Administration Dichotomy

Answer 8

 The question “to what extent should officials be involved in the political process”
 Dichotomy (Weber): Strict separation
 This model was dominant until the 1940s
 Afterwards -> officials should be given an active role in the political process
 Also, different argument from the pluralist perspective: Employees should be seen as further stakeholders

Question 9

Administration and politics in Switzerland

Answer 9

 Heterogenous structure (Bund – Kantone – Gemeinden)
 Konkordanzsystem: Parliament more as a supervisory organ; executive and administration act in concert
 Kollegialitätsprinzip: The executive decides as a whole
 Departamental principle: Each member of the executive is also responsible for a branch of administration
 Administration is politically neutral
 Direct democracy
 Swiss Version of NPM: Outcome orientated public management

Question 10

 Sources of legitimacy

Answer 10

o	Utilitarism
	Logic of results “useful”
	“Rules” of the market
	Primacy (Vorrang) of use
o	Deontology 
	Logic of inputs “democratic”
	Politically passed laws
	Primacy of Politics

Question 11

Principle of bureaucracy

Answer 11

De-personalizing decisions
Internal regulation
Principle of files
Hierarchy 
Chain of command
Specialization
Equal case treatment

Question 12

Goal of bureaucracy

Answer 12

Undermine corruption
Clear guidelines
Traceable decisions
Accountability 
Knowledge management
Reduction of risk & failure
Equal rights

Question 13

Problems of bureaucracy

Answer 13

Inhuman administration
Over regulation
Rise of paperwork
No decisions at the front
Slow processes
Loss of holistic perspective
No ability to respond to needs

Question 14

3-E Model

Answer 14

-

Question 15

political administrative systems State Structure:

Answer 15

Federal – Unitary; Coordinated – Fragmented

Question 16

political administrative systems Form of Government:

Answer 16

Majoritarian – consensual

Question 17

political administrative systems Minister mandarin relationship

Answer 17

Separated – integrated; Not politized – Politized

Question 18

political administrative systems Administrative culture

Answer 18

Rule of Law – Public Interest

Question 19

political administrative systems Variety of policy advice

Answer 19

Civil servants – Academics – think tanks – consultants