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The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Across the System

The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Across the System. Centralized and Diffuse Accountability Across Government (Cont’d) February 7th, 2006. The Centripetal Tendencies. top-down responsiveness coherence centralized political accountability collective cabinet responsibility

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The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Across the System

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  1. The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Across the System Centralized and Diffuse Accountability Across Government (Cont’d) February 7th, 2006

  2. The Centripetal Tendencies • top-down responsiveness • coherence • centralized political accountability • collective cabinet responsibility • political control (vs. impartiality)

  3. Centripetal Organizational Responses • agents of central political control • PM and Prime Minister’s Office • Cabinet • Treasury Board • Minister of Finance

  4. The Centre – The Political/Bureaucratic Interfaces • PM/Cabinet and PCO • Clerk of the Privy Council • political-bureaucratic interface in other central agencies • Minister of Finance and Department of Finance • President of the Treasury Board (cabinet committee) and the Treasury Board Secretariat

  5. Channels of Central Political Control • outward at political level (then downward to bureaucratic level) • downward from political to bureaucratic level (then outward at bureaucratic level) • downward and outward from political level to bureaucratic level

  6. Channels of Central Political Control Prime Minister, PMO, Min.Finance, TBP Ministers Clerk of the Privy Council, PCO, TBS Deputy Ministers

  7. Channels of Bureaucratic Influence • DM influence over Ministers • from Minister to Cabinet • PCO influence over PM/Min. Finance/Treasury Board • from PM/Min. Fin./Treasury Board to Ministers • PCO influence over DM’s -DM influence over ministers

  8. Channels of Bureaucratic Influence Prime Minister, PMO, Min.Finance, TBP Ministers Clerk of the Privy Council, PCO, TBS Deputy Ministers

  9. The Political-Bureaucratic System Political Level Bureaucratic Level

  10. Implications of the Organizational Structure • various agencies (departments, agencies) which have radically different organizational purposes • line departments -- provide services/programs • central agencies – coordinate line departments • potential for conflict inherent in structure • central agency mandate for horizontal coordination reinforces centripetal tendencies • line department resistance reinforces centrifugal tendencies • these tendencies become institutionalized • even if the circumstances/concerns which give rise to these tendencies fade, the tendencies may persist

  11. Implications of the Organizational Structure • centrifugal forces and centripetal forces exist at both bureaucratic and political levels • creates complex mix of incentives for various actors • creates potential for cross-level coalitions/alliances • contrasts with bureaucratic vs. political dichotomy

  12. Implications of the Organizational Structure • political-bureaucratic interfaces exist at numerous sites • PM/PMO and PCO • central agency ministers and central agencies • PM and DMs • line departments ministers and DMs

  13. Implications of the Organizational Structure • political-bureaucratic interfaces exist at numerous sites • creates potential for complex strategies of political control or bureaucratic influence • blockage of one line (political control or bureaucratic influence) does not mean that control/influence not exercised • more simplistic model highlighted democratic questions; reality is more complex • whether elected officials or public service officials dominate • whether the departments dominate or The Centre dominates

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