Valuing bureaucracy : the case for professional government / Paul R. Verkuil.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Verkuil, Paul R., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civil service--United States.

Civil service.

United States.

Contracting out--United States.

Contracting out.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 168 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2017.

System Details:

text file

PDF

Summary:

To be effective, government must be run by professional managers. When decisions that should be taken by government officials are delegated to private contractors without adequate oversight, the public interest is jeopardized. Verkuil uses his inside perspectives on government performance and accountability to examine the tendencies at both the federal and state levels to 'deprofessionalize' government. Viewing the turn to contractors and private sector solutions in ideological and functional terms, he acknowledges that the problem cannot be solved without meaningful civil service reforms that make it easier to hire, incent and, where necessary, fire career employees and officials. The indispensable goal is to revitalize bureaucracy so it can continue to competently deliver essential services. By highlighting the leadership that already exists in the career ranks, Verkuil senses a willingness, or even eagerness, to make government, like America, great againches.

Contents:

Introduction and overview

The new learning on outsourcing sovereignty

The growth of contracting out in government

The consequences of federal contractor government

State examples of government failure

Why professionals in government matter

The civil service and its reform

Living with and improving the multi-sector workforce

In sum: reprofessionalize government.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 07 Jul 2017).

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9781316817063

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.