101 Glossary
Bureaucracy and the Evolution of Public Administration
bureaucracy an administrative group of nonelected officials charged with carrying out functions connected to a series of policies and programs
bureaucrats the civil servants or political appointees who fill nonelected positions in government and make up the bureaucracy
civil servants the individuals who fill nonelected positions in government and make up the bureaucracy; also known as bureaucrats
merit system a system of filling civil service positions by using competitive examinations to value experience and competence over political loyalties
patronage the use of government positions to reward individuals for their political support
public administration the implementation of public policy as well as the academic study that prepares civil servants to work in government
spoils system a system that rewards political loyalties or party support during elections with bureaucratic appointments after victory
Toward a Merit-Based Civil Service
pay schedule a chart that shows salary ranges for different levels of positions vertically and for different ranks of seniority horizontally
Understanding Bureaucracies and their Types
government corporation a corporation that fulfills an important public interest and is therefore overseen by government authorities to a much larger degree than private businesses
red tape the mechanisms, procedures, and rules that must be followed to get something done
Controlling the Bureaucracy
negotiated rulemaking a rulemaking process in which neutral advisors convene a committee of those who have vested interests in the proposed rules and help the committee reach a consensus on them
privatization measures that incorporate the market forces of the private sector into the function of government to varying degrees
whistleblower a person who publicizes misdeeds committed within a bureaucracy or other organization