PUBLIC AFFAIRS 2110 EXAM 2 UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Describe two distinct reasons managing a public bureaucracy can be different than managing a private
bureaucracy. (5 points) Based on these differences, should we expect it to be more or less difficult to
manage in the public sector? (5 points) Be sure to explain in concrete terms.
Answer:
~ Two ways that public bureaucracy is different from private bureaucracy are; the first one, program
accountability, which make sure that managers are achieving it purpose and goals in accordance in the law,
whereas the private bureaucracy has laws but may fine hoop hole or other means in achieve the same goal.
The second is fiscal accountability, which ensure that agency officials spend money only on the program
they are in charge of managing. However, for private bureaucracy, they don't have to spend their funds
only in a particular program or project. Therefore, based on these difference, it can be concluded that it is
hard for pubic bureaucracy to operate than private. For example, it is hard for a public bureaucracy to
allocate funds into a different program when it is restricted only to its original purpose. For private
bureaucracy, they can move or use a particular fund in any program or project without restriction.
Question:
2. Describe Progressive Era attempts to reform public administration. (5 points) How have these reforms
affected public administration in terms of accountability and efficiency. Be sure to clearly articulate what
you mean by "accountability" and "efficiency." (5 points)
Answer:
Weber identified several characteristics and roles of the bureaucracy. The essential characteristic in
Weber's model was hierarchy. The principle of hierarchy means there is a tightly structured system of
supervision and subordination in which supervision of the lower offices is done by the higher ones. Weber
also believed in authority resting in the position, not in the person. Subordinates complied with their
superiors' orders because of the authoritative position they held, not because of who they were
President Woodrow Wilson, for one, agreed with this notion. He believed in a clear line of demarcation
between politics and administration. The broad plans of governmental action were political activities. The
detailed execution of those plans was an administrative function. Wilson argued that public administrators
should not involve themselves with general legislation, and legislators should not interfere with
administrative details. For Wilson there was a major distinction between politics and administration. He
believed that politics had no place in public service. His concern was that public appointments should be
based on merit, rather than partisanship. Thus, Wilson helped to craft the politics-administration
dichotomy that, while refuted by many scholars today, is still a matter of debate amongst some
practitioners.
Question:
3. Provide two distinct reasons why unelected bureaucrats in the federal executive branch might have
policymaking authority. (5 points) What challenges does this discretion present for U.S. democracy? (5
points)
, Answer:
1. Congress might have written a law that provides insufficient detail about how to accomplish a policy
goal, so administrators must make a lot of decisions to pursue that goal.
2. Because administrators are experts and sometimes Congress wants those experts making policy
decisions.
Presents the challenge of accountability versus efficiency
Question:
4. The American public's desire for bureaucratic accountability sometimes may conflict with its desire that
we administer public programs efficiently. Explain in concrete terms why there might be such a tradeoff.
(5 points) Be sure to clearly articulate what you mean by "accountability" and "efficiency." (5 points)
Answer:
-Accountability means that bureaucrats are doing what elected officials want them to do and, by extension,
what citizens want them to do
-Efficiency is the idea that bureaucrats and other decision makers have the expertise and freedom to make
decisions that are best for the organization.
-This tradeoff is largely due to the principal-agent problem. This problem arises when the principal and the
agent have different goals or preferences and information asymmetry. For instance, voters could be in
favor of a certain piece of legislation that congress knows will not be practical. If they disregard what the
majority of people want then they would be able to be efficient and make the decision that will have the
best results. However if they do this then they will not be acting accountable to the citizens.
Question:
5. Some argue that the design of the executive branch does not lend itself to presidential management.
Why not? (5 points) Describe two strategies that U.S. presidents have used to increase their ability to
manage/control the executive branch. (5 points)
Answer:
-When Congress enacts a law, they have a specific goal in mind and want to make sure that it is pursued
indefinitely
-This leads to the creation of an agency, which has a lot of rules to follow but then a similar agency can be
created a few years later that might have a slightly different set of goals to follow.
-Rules and regulations can pile up and it can be easy for the president to lose touch with what is going on
in the agencies or to tell them what to do because of all the red tape.
1. Executive Office of President
-Provides advice to the President, people with knowledge and expertise of the work that an agency is doing
but aren't actually doing the work itself.
2. Office of Management and Budget
-Puts together the president's budget and therefore is aware of what each agency is doing, easier for
president to keep track
-Agencies have to check with OMB before sending something to congress, so again there is more
accountability and easier for president to stay updated on managerial duties.
Question:
6. What are the potential advantages (5 points) and disadvantages (5 points) of contracting out to deliver
public services?
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Describe two distinct reasons managing a public bureaucracy can be different than managing a private
bureaucracy. (5 points) Based on these differences, should we expect it to be more or less difficult to
manage in the public sector? (5 points) Be sure to explain in concrete terms.
Answer:
~ Two ways that public bureaucracy is different from private bureaucracy are; the first one, program
accountability, which make sure that managers are achieving it purpose and goals in accordance in the law,
whereas the private bureaucracy has laws but may fine hoop hole or other means in achieve the same goal.
The second is fiscal accountability, which ensure that agency officials spend money only on the program
they are in charge of managing. However, for private bureaucracy, they don't have to spend their funds
only in a particular program or project. Therefore, based on these difference, it can be concluded that it is
hard for pubic bureaucracy to operate than private. For example, it is hard for a public bureaucracy to
allocate funds into a different program when it is restricted only to its original purpose. For private
bureaucracy, they can move or use a particular fund in any program or project without restriction.
Question:
2. Describe Progressive Era attempts to reform public administration. (5 points) How have these reforms
affected public administration in terms of accountability and efficiency. Be sure to clearly articulate what
you mean by "accountability" and "efficiency." (5 points)
Answer:
Weber identified several characteristics and roles of the bureaucracy. The essential characteristic in
Weber's model was hierarchy. The principle of hierarchy means there is a tightly structured system of
supervision and subordination in which supervision of the lower offices is done by the higher ones. Weber
also believed in authority resting in the position, not in the person. Subordinates complied with their
superiors' orders because of the authoritative position they held, not because of who they were
President Woodrow Wilson, for one, agreed with this notion. He believed in a clear line of demarcation
between politics and administration. The broad plans of governmental action were political activities. The
detailed execution of those plans was an administrative function. Wilson argued that public administrators
should not involve themselves with general legislation, and legislators should not interfere with
administrative details. For Wilson there was a major distinction between politics and administration. He
believed that politics had no place in public service. His concern was that public appointments should be
based on merit, rather than partisanship. Thus, Wilson helped to craft the politics-administration
dichotomy that, while refuted by many scholars today, is still a matter of debate amongst some
practitioners.
Question:
3. Provide two distinct reasons why unelected bureaucrats in the federal executive branch might have
policymaking authority. (5 points) What challenges does this discretion present for U.S. democracy? (5
points)
, Answer:
1. Congress might have written a law that provides insufficient detail about how to accomplish a policy
goal, so administrators must make a lot of decisions to pursue that goal.
2. Because administrators are experts and sometimes Congress wants those experts making policy
decisions.
Presents the challenge of accountability versus efficiency
Question:
4. The American public's desire for bureaucratic accountability sometimes may conflict with its desire that
we administer public programs efficiently. Explain in concrete terms why there might be such a tradeoff.
(5 points) Be sure to clearly articulate what you mean by "accountability" and "efficiency." (5 points)
Answer:
-Accountability means that bureaucrats are doing what elected officials want them to do and, by extension,
what citizens want them to do
-Efficiency is the idea that bureaucrats and other decision makers have the expertise and freedom to make
decisions that are best for the organization.
-This tradeoff is largely due to the principal-agent problem. This problem arises when the principal and the
agent have different goals or preferences and information asymmetry. For instance, voters could be in
favor of a certain piece of legislation that congress knows will not be practical. If they disregard what the
majority of people want then they would be able to be efficient and make the decision that will have the
best results. However if they do this then they will not be acting accountable to the citizens.
Question:
5. Some argue that the design of the executive branch does not lend itself to presidential management.
Why not? (5 points) Describe two strategies that U.S. presidents have used to increase their ability to
manage/control the executive branch. (5 points)
Answer:
-When Congress enacts a law, they have a specific goal in mind and want to make sure that it is pursued
indefinitely
-This leads to the creation of an agency, which has a lot of rules to follow but then a similar agency can be
created a few years later that might have a slightly different set of goals to follow.
-Rules and regulations can pile up and it can be easy for the president to lose touch with what is going on
in the agencies or to tell them what to do because of all the red tape.
1. Executive Office of President
-Provides advice to the President, people with knowledge and expertise of the work that an agency is doing
but aren't actually doing the work itself.
2. Office of Management and Budget
-Puts together the president's budget and therefore is aware of what each agency is doing, easier for
president to keep track
-Agencies have to check with OMB before sending something to congress, so again there is more
accountability and easier for president to stay updated on managerial duties.
Question:
6. What are the potential advantages (5 points) and disadvantages (5 points) of contracting out to deliver
public services?
