Despite all the inefficiencies, why is it so hard to get rid of bureaucracy from the government agencies? The truth is that they have a power and this is the reason why the element is not removable. But what gives them the power? There is no definite answer to it. However, we can identify the sources responsible for it.
1. They have the Knowledge and skills: Public agencies spend great amount of time studying the environment they are made for. They have the money to do it. In some cases, they can also fund university research programs. The knowledge gained from such factors is like treasure. No private organization can ever have the luxury to have its hands on it. Same can be told about the skills.
Private organizations cannot provide goods and services deemed important for all, but negative for their financial well-being. Under such circumstances, public agencies are the winners. They gain the skills for public gains, making them highly important in the society. Both knowledge and skill can get their carriers great power to exercise bureaucracy. They know people want them no matter what.
2. They know how to implement a policy: A bill signed into law is never complete. Moreover, sometimes it is intentionally kept vague. It is actually the job of the public agencies to fill it up by the power of discretion. The traditional notion is that they are skilled at exercising it, instantly giving them the right to have bureaucratic power.
3. They have the freedom to make decisions for the nation: Traditionally, it is held that the government wants the best for its people. That belief helps the public agencies gain trust. What they say is easily taken as serious by all. This trust is another source for their bureaucratic power.
4. They have the ability to control different aspects of a nation: This is pretty much connected to the above point, but in a twisted way. Public agencies have the power to create rules and regulations. Citizens who do not abide by them can be penalized. What this means is that the public agencies have the ability to control through force which cannot be always challenged.
5. They have support from the special interest groups: They are always trying their best to influence public policies in a way that they favor what they believe is right. To make it happen, they work with public agencies and sometimes even promote them.
6. They have support from the politicians: Without public agencies, work of the government will not go anywhere. Both legislative leaders and president know it very well. Hence, they are the biggest source of the bureaucratic power that the agencies enjoy.
7. They have support from the nonprofit groups: As we know by now, when a public agency decides something everyone has to adhere to it. This is where it becomes beneficial to nonprofit groups. When going gets tough they can reach a public agency to do something about it in the form of new policy. Majority of the time, they use lobbying to make it happen.
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3. They have the freedom to make decisions for the nation: Traditionally, it is held that the government wants the best for its people. That belief helps the public agencies gain trust. What they say is easily taken as serious by all. This trust is another source for their bureaucratic power.
4. They have the ability to control different aspects of a nation: This is pretty much connected to the above point, but in a twisted way. Public agencies have the power to create rules and regulations. Citizens who do not abide by them can be penalized. What this means is that the public agencies have the ability to control through force which cannot be always challenged.
5. They have support from the special interest groups: They are always trying their best to influence public policies in a way that they favor what they believe is right. To make it happen, they work with public agencies and sometimes even promote them.
6. They have support from the politicians: Without public agencies, work of the government will not go anywhere. Both legislative leaders and president know it very well. Hence, they are the biggest source of the bureaucratic power that the agencies enjoy.
7. They have support from the nonprofit groups: As we know by now, when a public agency decides something everyone has to adhere to it. This is where it becomes beneficial to nonprofit groups. When going gets tough they can reach a public agency to do something about it in the form of new policy. Majority of the time, they use lobbying to make it happen.
You may also like:
4 Faces of Bureaucracy
Community Governance
What is Rational Design?
What is Crisis Design?
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