Chapter 8
Which of the following came under heavy criticism following the attack in Benghazi?
Secretary Hilary Clinton, President Obama, and Representative John Boehner
The role of a bureaucracy is to turn political choices into policy realities.
True
The colonial experience with the king’s governors and other royal officials had which of the
following effects on the members of Congress?
They became wary of delegating too much authority to the executive.
Early government workers were primarily concerned with delivering the mail and
collecting duties and taxes.
True
President George Washington sought to address the problem of delegation in part by:
Appointing men of superior reputation, education, and means-as well as with financial incentives
such as giving customs officials a share of goods seized from smugglers.
A highly qualified member of the minority party receiving a prime government job is an
example of the spoils system at work.
False
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a bureaucratic institution?
Treating everyone as individuals (to create a personal feel)
Red tape is the term for the labyrinthine procedures, layers of paperwork, and strict
adherence to form for which bureaucracies are legendary.
True
Bureaucratic organization imposes heavy conformity costs on both bureaucrats and the
people they deal with in return for which of the following?
Reducing transaction costs and agency losses
The department of Justice was the first cabinet-level agency established by the executive
branch.
False
Which of the following is true about the Department of Homeland Security?
It is only behind Defense and Veterans Affairs in a number of personnel
NASA is an example of an independent executive agency.
True
Which of the following is an example of an independent regulatory commission?
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Congress delegates to independent agencies for many reasons, including to avoid
responsibility for an unpopular decision.
True
Which of the following is a major reason for delegating authority to an independent
executive agency?
To avoid placing bureaucratic layers between the president and the agency
An organization’s culture can be described as its “persistent, patterned way of thinking
about the central tasks of and human relationships within [the] organization. Culture is to
an organization what personality is to an individual. Like human culture generally, it is
passed on from one generation to the next. It changes slowly, if at all.”
True
Which of the following is a possible motive for bureaucratic behavior?
A quest for larger budgets
Savvy bureaucrats design and manage their programs in ways that enhance political
support in Congress.
True
Which of the following best explains the bitter infighting between the State and Defense
Departments over guidance of policy toward the war in Iraq?
Agencies with different missions, clienteles, skills, and ideologies compete for influence,
authority over policy, control...
