W2 - LITERATURE Flashcards
What concepts does the article combine to understand the business-government interface?
Institutional analysis in modern political economy and organizational behavior
What are formal constraints in the context of business-government interaction?
Rules that individuals devise
What are informal constraints in the context of business-government interaction?
Culture and norms of behavior
What can influence the type of economic policies adopted in different countries?
Institutions through which business and government interact
Name the three essential duties of government as described by Adam Smith.
- Protecting society from violence and invasion
- Establishing an exact administration of justice
- Erecting and maintaining public works and institutions
What is the ‘protective and productive’ role of government?
Government’s duties to protect society and facilitate economic activities
What is the ‘exploitive’ role of government?
Government protection from market forces for certain industries
True or False: The business-government interface is characterized by uniform institutional arrangements across countries.
False
What factors can affect the business-government interface in different democracies?
Political institutions, informal rules, customs, and practices
What influences the selection of policies in democracies?
Institutional settings within which political organizations interact
Fill in the blank: Institutions can affect the choice of public policies through _______.
[majority voting, party discipline, lobbying]
What is a negative sum game in the context of public policy?
Policies where benefits do not exceed the costs
What are examples of negative sum policies?
- Subsidies to uncompetitive industries
- Policies with benefits not in excess of costs
What does the term ‘market model’ refer to in the context of this article?
The interaction of demanders and suppliers of public policies
How does the interaction between business and government institutions influence policy outcomes?
Through the membership and behavior of individuals within those institutions
What is the significance of repeated dealings among political actors?
It affects future policy issues and elections
What impact can the business-government interface have on economic growth?
It can affect the rate, composition, and allocation of benefits and costs of economic growth
What is the role of political parties in the context of public policy choices?
They can influence the formulation and introduction of policies
What does the term ‘institutional arrangements’ refer to?
The formal and informal structures governing the interaction of business and government
What do managers typically assess when making public policy choices?
Benefit/cost assessment of public policy options
According to Olson (1982), what do firms in competitive settings tend to prioritize?
Private costs and benefits over social or public costs and benefits
In democracies, what is the primary process through which public policy decisions are made?
Collective decision making
How is public policy defined in the context of this article?
Any form of government action or inaction that expresses the intent of government actors
What are the two types of actors in the political process regarding public policies?
Demanders and suppliers
Who are considered suppliers of public policies?
Presidents, prime ministers, members of legislatures, government agency members, and members of the judiciary
True or False: All voters support the same public policies.
False
What do collections of voters, such as political parties and interest groups, typically have compared to individual voters?
Greater ability to influence government suppliers of public policies
What are the formal rules or constraints that comprise institutions?
Parliamentary versus presidential forms of government, differences among government agencies
What are informal constraints according to North (1990)?
Cultures, values, and norms that influence institutional settings
According to Schneider (1987), what determines organizational behavior?
The type of people in an organization
What does the ASA model stand for?
Attraction-Selection-Attrition model
What can affect the types of people attracted to government organizations?
Salary range, prestige, management practices, culture, and organizational goals
What happens to organizations with less attractive features over time?
They are likely to retain lower-quality employees
In political institutions, what is likely to differ among agencies with similar formal structures?
The behavior of individuals within those organizations
What is a key difference between parliamentary democracies and the U.S. political system?
The role of the executive branch in legislation formulation
In parliamentary systems, what usually happens if the governing party’s policies do not receive enough votes?
The government usually collapses and a new government is formed
What is the role of parliaments in policy-formulation processes in parliamentary systems?
Debate policies and develop specific details for proposals
Who typically develops a party’s general policy agenda before elections in parliamentary systems?
Each party
What percentage of legislation passed by the German parliament originated in the executive branch?
80 percent
What are the four substantially autonomous institutions in the U.S. public policy process?
Congress, the President, the judicial branch, and the bureaucracy
What is a central problem of governance in the United States according to some analysts?
Pursuit of coherent, consistent, and stable policies from autonomous institutions
True or False: Presidents in the U.S. have complete control over Congress.
False
Fill in the blank: Political institutions may begin with similar formal rules but develop very different _______ over time.
Organizational cultures and norms
What is the difference between setting the agenda and getting one’s way in the context of U.S. public policy?
Setting the agenda and getting one’s way are two very different things; the president cannot dominate alternatives or determine final outcomes of legislative proposals.
What complicates the U.S. public policy process?
The lack of strong party discipline and the influence of fragmented special interests complicate the U.S. public policy process.
What influences the coherence of policies originating in the U.S. legislature?
The absence of overarching directives, such as party positions, leads to incoherent and inconsistent policies.
How do civil service careers in parliamentary systems differ from those in the U.S.?
In parliamentary systems, civil service careers are prestigious and stable, whereas U.S. government positions are often filled by short-term political appointees.
What is the tenure of political appointees in U.S. cabinet agencies?
Political appointees often stay on the job for only 12 to 24 months.
What issue is associated with the recruitment of federal government employees in the U.S.?
There is an erosion of the ability to recruit and retain individuals with necessary education and skills.
What is the role of umbrella associations in parliamentary systems?
Umbrella associations represent broad business interests and consult with government ministries on public policy.
True or False: Members of Congress have longer time horizons than members of parliament.
False.
What is a significant aspect of the public policy process in leading parliamentary systems?
Business efforts to influence government policy are more focused on executive branch ministries than on parliaments.
What is the primary focus of interest group lobbying in the U.S.?
Interest groups primarily lobby members of Congress and the executive branch.
Fill in the blank: In the U.S., the multiplicity of interests has led to the formation of _______.
fragmented special interest groups.
What did Dahl argue regarding majority rule in U.S. institutions?
Majority rule is almost a myth due to uninformed and rationally ignorant voters.
What characterizes the influence of business interests on public policy in established parliamentary systems?
Business interests articulate net benefit/cost arguments for the positions they seek.
What is Proposition 3 regarding business interests in parliamentary systems?
Business interests will have their greatest influence on public policy when they can articulate net benefit/cost arguments.
What is Proposition 5 regarding the tactics of business interests in the U.S.?
Business interests will use more explicitly political tactics to influence public policy decisions.
What is the nature of the interaction between business and government in leading parliamentary systems?
The interaction will be more cooperative and less confrontational than in the United States.
What is a consequence of the lack of strong political parties in the U.S.?
Smaller distributional coalitions may pursue narrow, rent-seeking opportunities.
Fill in the blank: Inclusive umbrella associations are expected to adopt _______ positions.
centrist.
What is the significance of the credibility of arguments in parliamentary systems?
Credibility is valuable due to years of experience in consultations between business representatives and ministry officials.
How do time horizons differ between members of Congress and ministry officials in parliamentary systems?
Members of Congress face shorter time horizons due to more frequent elections.
What type of policies are expected to dominate in systems with inclusive umbrella organizations?
Positive sum policies that generate benefits in excess of their costs.
What is the role of umbrella associations in policy-making?
Umbrella associations provide an institutional context for trading support on issues and distributing benefits to members and subgroups.
What type of policies are likely to dominate in inclusive umbrella institutional arrangements?
Positive sum policies will dominate because they generate benefits in excess of their costs for the group as a whole.
What is the implication of inclusive umbrella institutional arrangements on business leaders’ decision-making?
They encourage the pursuit of positive sum policies and discourage negative sum policies.
What is a notable exception to the generalization about narrow interest groups in parliamentary systems?
Subsidies to steel, coal, shipbuilding, and agriculture in Germany.
How does the lack of broad-based associations in the United States affect public policy?
It may make it easier for narrow interests to influence public policy than in most parliamentary systems.
What common knowledge do many Americans lack regarding their representatives?
Many Americans know little more than the name of their member of the House of Representatives.
How many recorded votes does an average House representative make each year?
An average of four hundred recorded votes.
What is the role of strong parties in leading parliamentary systems concerning voter ignorance?
They develop a general platform of issues and values and ensure party discipline to support the platform.
What do umbrella associations resist to advance broader interests?
They resist narrow efforts of subgroups of their membership.
What is Proposition 7 regarding rent-seeking policies?
Rent-seeking, negative, or zero sum policies will be easier to pass in a system characterized by fragmented interest groups.
What is Proposition 8 regarding weak party discipline?
Rent-seeking, negative, or zero sum policies will be easier to pass in a system characterized by weak party discipline.
What are institutions comprised of beyond formal constraints?
Institutions also include informal constraints of society, organizational culture, and norms.
What can influence the operation of government agencies?
The type of individuals they attract, such as well-educated professionals or less qualified individuals.
What does the theoretical framework discussed provide insight into?
It provides insights into the business-government interface and the economic policies likely to be adopted in different countries.
Fill in the blank: Rent-seeking, negative, or zero sum policies will be easier to pass in a system characterized by _______.
fragmented interest groups.
Fill in the blank: Institutions include both formal constraints and _______.
informal constraints.
