Politics, Policy, and Organizations: Frontiers in the Scientific Study of Bureaucracy

Essays on theory building and empirical theory testing in the study of bureaucracy and public policy Politics, Policy, and Organizations bridges the gap between studies of public administration and the broader field of political science by highlighting the vital role that bureaucracies play in shaping public policy. With this landmark volume, leading scholars develop a new organizations approach to the study of public bureaucracy, linking bureaucratic choice to public policy-making through scientific inquiry. Politics, Policy, and Organizations goes beyond the traditional, passive view of administrative agencies to describe the vital role of bureaucratic organizations in a functioning democracy. By placing the agencies front and center, the authors make a powerful case that bureaucracy is really a fourth branch of government - albeit one that generally goes unnoticed except in times of emergency or deep national division. This groundbreaking work provides a new and more accurate guide to the interactions of bureaucracies with other political institutions and the public at large. This work is essential for students and scholars in the field of public policy and public administration.