The Tides of Reform Revisited: Patterns in Making Government Work, 1945-2002

Abstract

The past six decades have witnessed acceleration in both the number and variety of major administrative reform statutes enacted by Congress. This increase can be explained partly by the increased involvement of Congress, a parallel decrease in activity and resistance by the presidency, and heightened public distrust toward government. At least part of the variation in the tides or philosophies of reform involves a “field of dreams” effect in which the creation of new governmental structure during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s generated increased interest in process reforms. However, part of the acceleration and variety of reform appears to be related to the lack of hard evidence of what actually works in improving government performance. Measured by federal employees’ perceptions of organizational performance, what matters most is not whether organizations were reformed in the past, but whether organizations need reform in the future and can provide essential resources for achieving their mission.

Public Trust in Government Administrators

“…For instance, in the 1990s managers of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service were accused of overly aggressive tax-collection tactics driven in part by the pressure to increase property-seizure rates to achieve productivity quotas. Congressional hearings on this taxpayer abuse led to reforms that emphasized the treatment and rights of citizens (Light 2006).…”

Rediscovering the Taproot: Is Classical Pragmatism the Route to Renew Public Administration?

“…For example, public service spans growth and retrenchment, conservative and liberal political environments, fi scal scarcity and plenty, war and peace. Administrators are also faced with the tides of management reform that promise greater organizational effi ciency and often bring more paperwork ( Light 2006 ). An understanding of the provisional nature of reform should help practicing public administrators navigate the turbulence.…”

“…Classical pragmatism works for public administration because it fi ts this multidisciplinary fi eld and can guide it through the inevitable "tides of reform" ( Light 2006 ). It has ideas big enough to inspire public service, it has a well-developed theory of participatory democracy, and it is scientifi c enough to guide sophisticated policy analysis.…”

Improving Performance: Does Performance-Oriented Management Really Matter?

“…For example, many major administrative reform efforts have been driven by the concern for better governmental performance (Light 2006). Many public management studies are concerned with the performance of public organizations, at least implicitly (Lynn 1996;Meier 2008;Rainey 2003).…”