kumba, station

Option 1

The bureaucracy is a big, intricate organization with a hierarchy of offices, each with a specific role and governed by a transparent chain of command. (Greenberg et al., 2020). A variety of aspects of people's lives are impacted by bureaucracy. Analyzing accomplishments and figuring out the root causes of bureaucratic failures are necessary to improve the systems already in place. Studies have linked clear goals to enhanced performance, proving that specific characteristics are crucial to the effectiveness of bureaucracies. (Stazyk et al., 2011). This makes sense because even in the traditional bureaucracy definition, particular activities within a hierarchy are covered. (Greenberg et al., 2020). A task or job is more likely to be completed following specified procedures if they are more explicit and less confusing.

Political backing ("financial backing, social support and legitimacy, and policy commitments and direction") can help determine the goal focus and lead to success. (Stazyk et al., 2011). This makes sense, given how the president and Congress depend on federal agencies for funding requests, for instance. (Greenberg et al., 2020). Insecurity brought on by a lack of governmental backing may result in subpar performance. (Stazyk et al., 2011).

A bureaucracy should logically expand the levels of hierarchical organization. A diverse hierarchy also improves the clarity of the goals. Senior management may formalize rules and processes, modify reporting methods, and enhance communication flow systems to add clarity and certainty for the employees who report to them. However, these may contradict the idea of "cutting the fat" many presidents promise, needing more significant resources to achieve better performance and outcomes. (Greenberg et al., 2020)

References: 

Greenberg, E.S., Page, B.I., Doherty, D. Minkoff, S.L., & Ryan, J. M. (2020). The struggle for democracy. (2018 elections and updates ed.). Pearson.

Stazyk, E. C., & Goerdel, H. T. (2011). The Benefits of Bureaucracy: Public Managers' Perceptions of Political Support, Goal Ambiguity, and Organizational Effectiveness Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 21 (4), 645–672.  https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muq047