Bureaucracy Free Response Answer

Contrary to the 19th Century Spoils System where civil service employees were hired in exchange for political patronage, today's civil servants are hired based on the merit system. Despite greater professionalism in the today's ranks of federal employees, there are a number of influences (both internal and external) that affect employees' behavior, many contend, for the negative:

A. One major influence on federal employee behavior relates to recruitment and
retention. Many critics of civil service cite the existence of a "good 'ol boys' network which
protects those loyal to the agency. Statistics show that it is very difficult to fire a federal
employee, once that individual has been hired. While civil service tests are meant to ensure
fairness in hiring, critics also cite that promotions are sometimes performed informally
without consideration of testing and other "objective criteria" and is highly inefficient in choosing "the best person" for the job.

B. Another influence on federal employee behavior concerns personal attributes. Statistics
show that federal upper level management positions are often dominated by older, white
males. Minorities are often found in the lower, more clerical ranks of the Civil Service. Since many federal agencies are tasked to assist multi ethnic and multicultural clientele critics are correct to point out that a lack of significant representation in the upper management ranks has a bearing on the work that is accomplished; this can lead to inefficiencies.

C. Thirdly, organizational restraints have an impact on civil service behavior. Given the
sheer size of many federal agencies, a hierarchical structure is often the dominant means of
organization. The hierarchy many contend, is impersonal and leads many to accuse those
working within the structure, lacking sufficient motivation or innovative practices. Additionally, the larger the organization, the larger the amount of "red tape." Many critics say that federal agencies are wrought with overlong procedures and bureaucratic barriers. Instances of overlooked investigations and negligence are often found in the news. These inefficiencies can sometimes have live or death consequences for the agencies' clientele.

Many Americans like to complain about federal agencies and their bureaucratic procedures but largely depend upon the services that these agencies provide. Within any bureaucracy (public or private sector alike), hierarchy and red tape predominate. Federal agencies since they are largely funded with taxpayer dollars are far more convenient for Americans to criticize.