Mid-Term Exam

Mid-Term ExamMid-Term Exam

Thursday, Feb. 16Thursday, Feb. 16thth (in class) (in class) three sections (concise, brief written answers)three sections (concise, brief written answers)

– Part 1 Lectures – Bureaucracy and DemocracyPart 1 Lectures – Bureaucracy and Democracy one answer from choice of two questionsone answer from choice of two questions

– Part 2 Lectures – The Political-Bureaucratic InterfacePart 2 Lectures – The Political-Bureaucratic Interface one answer from choice of two questionsone answer from choice of two questions

– Part 3 Lectures – How the Bureaucracy Actually WorksPart 3 Lectures – How the Bureaucracy Actually Works one answer from choice of two questionsone answer from choice of two questions

Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis

blockade...blockade...– Team 1, Team 3, Team 4, Team 5, Team 6, Team 1, Team 3, Team 4, Team 5, Team 6,

Team 7, Team 8Team 7, Team 8

blockade and surgical airstrikeblockade and surgical airstrike– Team 2Team 2

What was the “essence” of the decision?What was the “essence” of the decision?

THE BUREAUCRATIC THE BUREAUCRATIC POLITICS MODELPOLITICS MODEL

How Bureaucracy How Bureaucracy REALLYREALLY Works... Works...

February 9, 2006February 9, 2006

The Alternative Models (for The Alternative Models (for understanding gov’t behavior):understanding gov’t behavior): the Rational-Unitary Actor Modelthe Rational-Unitary Actor Model the Organizational Process Modelthe Organizational Process Model the Bureaucratic Politics Modelthe Bureaucratic Politics Model

The Rational-Unitary Actor The Rational-Unitary Actor ModelModelgovernment is a single, cohesive, government is a single, cohesive,

coordinated entitycoordinated entitygovernment identifies its interests/goalsgovernment identifies its interests/goalsoptions are considered on the basis of options are considered on the basis of

cost/benefits of eachcost/benefits of eachfinal decision is based on optimizing final decision is based on optimizing

between the government’s various between the government’s various interests/goalsinterests/goals

The Organizational Process The Organizational Process ModelModel

government is made up of distinct organizations government is made up of distinct organizations each with standard operating procedures and each with standard operating procedures and organizational capacitiesorganizational capacities

government identifies its interests/goalsgovernment identifies its interests/goals goals/interests are pursued by the various goals/interests are pursued by the various

organizations – each according to its standard organizations – each according to its standard operating procedures and organizational capacitiesoperating procedures and organizational capacities

what is actually done results from the interplay of what is actually done results from the interplay of these standard operating procedures and these standard operating procedures and organizational capacitiesorganizational capacities

The Bureaucratic Politics ModelThe Bureaucratic Politics Model

government is made up of separate, distinct government is made up of separate, distinct organizationsorganizations

different organizations have different interestsdifferent organizations have different interests– based on professional normsbased on professional norms– based on self-interestbased on self-interest

government action is a government action is a resultantresultant of the interplay of the interplay between these forcesbetween these forces– what gov’t does is -- most often -- different than what what gov’t does is -- most often -- different than what

any particular actor wantsany particular actor wants– no single agent strong enough to dominateno single agent strong enough to dominate

““Essence of Decision”Essence of Decision”

Explaining the US Response in the Explaining the US Response in the Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis

Rational-Unitary Actor ApproachRational-Unitary Actor Approach

Cuban Missile Crisis as “Hard Case”Cuban Missile Crisis as “Hard Case” Rational-Unitary ActorRational-Unitary Actor

– identifies interestsidentifies interests– considers optionsconsiders options

Do NothingDo Nothing Diplomatic Pressure on KhruschevDiplomatic Pressure on Khruschev Secret Approach to CastroSecret Approach to Castro InvasionInvasion Air StrikeAir Strike BlockadeBlockade

– chooses optimal optionchooses optimal option

Organizational OutputsOrganizational Outputs

Date of Discovery -- October 14Date of Discovery -- October 14 thth

– SOPs explain why not earlier or laterSOPs explain why not earlier or later

Range of OptionsRange of Options– preferred option was airstrikepreferred option was airstrike

surgical airstrike not optionsurgical airstrike not option– MRBM classified as “mobile”MRBM classified as “mobile”

– MRBM reclassified as “moveable”MRBM reclassified as “moveable”

The Bureaucratic Politics ModelThe Bureaucratic Politics Model

Date of DiscoveryDate of Discovery 10 day delay10 day delay

Range of OptionsRange of Options the Presidentthe President the Armed Forcesthe Armed Forces

– Air ForceAir Force– NavyNavy

the Secretary of Defensethe Secretary of Defense

the Outcomethe Outcome blockade -- not the first choice of any one of the relevant actorsblockade -- not the first choice of any one of the relevant actors