Name_____________________________
Period______
Date__________
Mr. Mitchell
The Federal Bureaucracy
(Chapter 15, Section 1)
I.
II.
III.
What Is A Bureaucracy?
A. Impressions:
B. Bureaucracy: a large, complex administrative structure that handles the
everyday business of an organization.
C. Three Features of a Bureaucracy:
1.
Hierarchical authority
2. Job Specialization
3. Formalized Rules
D. Benefits of a Bureaucracy: most effective way for people to work together
on large and complex tasks.
Major Elements of the Federal Bureaucracy:
A. Federal Bureaucracy is all of the agencies, people, and procedures through
which the Federal government operates.
B. Most of the Federal Bureaucracy stems from the Executive Branch.
C. Executive Branch is composed of three broad groups of agencies:
1.
Executive Office of the President
2. Executive (Cabinet) Departments
3. Independent Agencies
D. Importance of an administration: the government needs millions of civil
servants to put policies into action throughout the country.
Name Game:
A. Titles given to the units that make up the executive branch vary greatly
B. Common titles:
1.
Department: reserved for agencies of Cabinet rank. (Ex: Justice
Department)
2. Agency: refers to any governmental body, sometimes a major unit of
near-cabinet status. (Ex: Environmental Protection Agency)
3. Administration: like an “Agency”, refers to any governmental body,
sometimes a major unit of near-cabinet status. (Ex: National Aeronautics
and Space Administration)
4. Commission: Usually given to agencies charged with the regulation of
business activities. (Ex: Federal Communications Commission)
5. Corporation: often given to agencies that conduct business-like activities.
(Ex: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation)
6. Authority: like a “Corporation”, often given to agencies that conduct
business-like activities. (Ex: Tennessee Valley Authority)
Name_____________________________
Period______
IV.
Date__________
Mr. Mitchell
Staff vs. Line Agencies:
A. Staff Agencies: serve in a support capacity by offering advice and other
assistance in the management of the organization. (Ex: National Security
Council advising President)
B. Line Agencies: perform the tasks for which the organization exists. (Ex:
Environmental Protection Agency enforcing anti-pollution laws)