Case Study #3
Dan R. Finley
Helms School of Government, Liberty University
PADM 475 Advanced Public Administration (B01)
Professor Jennifer Holmquist
October 3, 2023
Case Study #3
Facts
The recently elected president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, established the staff system as a means
to be more productive during his time in office. This was in response to the frustration that he
was enduring from trying to satisfy the public’s call for solutions to their problems after the war.
He was familiar with the staff system that the German Army used and the historical context
behind its success. Napoleon had not been successful with his small number of advisors. The
Prussian Some of the foundation for the general staff idea came from the French, but Prussia
added officers based on merit rather than social status (Shafritz & Borick, 2015).
Germany worked to build its second Reich through the absorption of the Prussian Army after
it finally defeated Napoleon. They expanded on the Prussian’s initial efforts at creating a general
staff function. The German staff system became the model for other militaries throughout the
twentieth century. The United States and England sought to mirror this system within their own
ranks. This system was also used during the height of the industrial revolution as businesses
began growing and needed to have a better leadership model.
Decision
The United States was working on what was termed as the “spoke and wheel” structure
(Shafritz & Borick, 2015). This system allowed each cabinet member to have direct access to the
President. President Eisenhower dismantled this structure soon after his inauguration and
replaced with the hierarchical system. He would use his military success against the Germans
and his influence as the United States commanding general to put his plan into place. His system
placed a buffer between the staff and the President. The newly created Chief of Staff position
would only survive to the end of his time as President.
Solution
President Eisenhower held to the belief that a successful executive required having effective
staffing model. He spent several years as a staff officer in the Army and was familiar with how
each staff position supported a commanding officer. He was determined that his staff would help
him succeed in leading the country. President Eisenhower was accused of not using this function
to its fullest potential (Sloan, 1990). The spoke and wheel system that he had replaced worked
better according to some critics. The system that was employed by Eisenhower gave the
impression that his powers were being delegated to his staff. This resulted in the view that the
President was not the decision maker but rather a figurehead to the general public.
The spoke and wheel model does provide that direct line to the person in charge whether it’s
the President, a commander, or a business owner. There are times when the information or
decision does not have to be made by the top person. They can empower their staff to solve the
day-to-day issues. It would be beneficial for general staff to have a direct line, but it may not be
the best model. There might be an opportunity to have a type of hybrid model that allows for
certain times that the staff may go directly to the leader for action. There are terms that are used
in the military that allow for this to take place. The commander establishes those instances and
notifies the staff when they can come speak directly to the commander.
Conclusion
President Eisenhower’s plan was used during his term as President, but his two successors
reverted back to the old system (Shafritz and Borick, 2015). There was another change back to
the Eisenhower model when Richard Nixon became President. The changes would continue
throughout the next several Presidential terms. The German influence was so pervasive that most
of the federal government offices created chief-of-staff positions (Shafritz & Borick, 2015). This
case study should remind us that we have a direct line to the Father because of what Jesus did on
the cross (Christian Standard Bible, 2020, Ephesians 2:18). There will always be different views
on how an organization should be structured, but there is only one way to access our Creator.
References
Christian Standard Bible. (2020). Nashville: B&H Publishing Group. (Original work published
2017).
Shafritz, Jay & Borick, Christopher. (2015). Cases in Public Policy and Administration: From
Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Routledge.
Sloan, J. W. (1990). The Management and Decision-Making Style of President Eisenhower.
Presidential Studies Quarterly, 20(2), 295–313. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27550616.
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