The Historical Development of the Bureaucracy Essay

The Historical Development of the Bureaucracy - Essay Example Political scientists have identified four major periods in the history of American bureaucracy. The first, called the Government by Gentlemen (1789 - 1820), was marked by the dominance of people from elite families in the professional bureaucracy. In the next period (1830-1870), the bureaucratic positions were filled up by members of the major political parties that were lucky to win the presidential elections. In this connection, the number of people from middle and lower strata of society among the officials has dramatically increased. Many progressive changes were introduced into bureaucracy in 1880-1920 - it was reformed with the focus on balanced, rational administration. The fourth period that coincided with the period of contemporary history deepened depoliticization and professionalization of the bureaucracy. Its formation is now conditioned by competitive selection (Merit System). At the end of the 20th century, the number of federal employees in the United States has reache d 3 million people. 90% of all job positions were filled solely through a competitive process. In recent times the bureaucracy is regulated by a number of decrees and laws imposing specific legal and ethical standards, for instance, the U.S. President’s Executive Order of October 17, 1990 - Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees. One of the provisions runs that public service is a sphere of activity that excludes any personal or other financial interests that can prevent acting in good faith.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 11

Management - Essay Example This paper identifies how increased competitiveness creates opportunities for change and how it impacts the manager’s role. One particular management theorist suggests that contemporary managers, in the face of rising competition, must be results-oriented by identifying specific goals as part of the planning process, measure whether these goals have been achieved, and determine whether or not the end results led to peak effectiveness and efficiency (McLean, 2006: 16). This suggests a manager who must make careful use of internal strategy whereby goals are identified and internal staff members are aligned to meet business needs as part of a planning model. Effective measurement of whether goals have been attained could include a total performance management system which provides employees with reward for maximum contribution toward meeting goals or offering criticism or training in the face of subordinate inability to assist the business. As one example, it would seem that in an environment where a business has a great deal of external competition, the manager must remain focused on achieving maximum prod uctivity by effectively controlling the activities of workers and assessing their progress. Additionally, employees seem to be a considerable resource for making a company more competitive. McHenry (2008) identifies that increased competition also comes in the form of whether or not a business sustains top talent under a talent management model. This model suggests that managers must consistently assess the business structure to look for opportunities to motivate staff members to meet long-term goals. The author identifies that effective talent management, as part of management planning, involves maximising career opportunities for workers and also assessing whether the current recruitment and selection criteria is designed to bring the business top talent over that of competing businesses (McHenry). This talent management model would seem to point