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
What is the largest business
organization in the country?
Chapter 15
Government at Work:
The Bureaucracy
What is a bureaucracy?

Bureaucracy: a large, complex
structure that handles the everyday
business of an organization

Main features: structure
job specialization
formal rules
What is a bureaucracy?

A bureaucracy is
shaped like a
pyramid with several
levels – each level
reports to the level
above it

Also called a
hierarchy
The Federal Bureaucracy
President
Executive Office
Cabinet Departments
Independent Agencies
Agency
single administrator
Commission
regulates business activities
Authority/Corporation
Board and manager
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
****************************************************************
The EOP contains AGENCIES staffed by the
President’s closest advisors and assistants
White House
Office
National
Security
Council
Council of
Economic
Advisors
Office of
National Drug
Control Policy
Office of
Management and
Budget
Office of
Management
and Budget
Office of
Administration
Executive Departments
Often called the CABINET departments – these
executive departments carry out much of the
work of the government
Dept of
Transportation
Dept of
Homeland
Security
Dept of
Health &
Human Serv.
Dept of
Energy
Dept of
Education
Dept of
State
Dept of
Veteran
Affairs
Dept of
The
Treasury
Dept of
Defense
The Executive Departments
Dept of
H.U.D.
Dept of
Labor
Dept of
Commerce
Dept of
Agriculture
Dept of
The
Interior
Dept of
Justice
Independent Agencies
Responsible for the wide variety of tasks necessary to
carry out government business as well as serve the public
Independent
Executive
Independent
Commissions
Government
•Organized
•Regulate
•Carry
like
departments
•Do not have Cabinet
•ie: EPA
parts of the
•Are quasi-legislative
judicial
•Exist outside
control
•ie: SEC
out businessactivities
•ie: US Postal Service
Staff and Line Agencies


Staff Agencies: give support to the
President and other administrators
Line Agencies: given goals to meet and
carry out public policy
Staff Agencies
Line Agencies
•Serve in support
capacity
•Form the
federal
administrative
organizations
•Offer advice and
mgmt assistance
•Work together
to meet goals
•Perform specific tasks
•Meet goals set by
Congress/President
•Administer Public
Policy
Civil Service System

Before reform: government jobs
were given to friends and supporters
of politicians

After reform (Pendleton Civil Service
government workers are hired
after passing an examination, and
promoted based on merit.
Act):

IE: postal jobs, police & fire, clerical