Bureau-shaping model
Encyclopedia
Bureau-shaping is a rational choice model of bureaucracy
and a response to budget-maximization model. It argues that rational officials will not want to maximize their budget
s, but instead to shape their agency so as to maximize their personal utilities from their work. For instance, bureaucrats would prefer to work in small, elite
agencies close to political power centres and doing interesting work, rather than to run large-budget agencies with many staff but also many risks and problems. For the same reasons, and to avoid risks, the bureau-shaping model also predicts that senior government bureaucrats will often favour either 'agencification' to other public sector bodies (as in the UK 'Next Steps' programme) or off-loading functions to contractors and privatization. In the health and social work fields officials will favour 'deinstitutionalization' and 'care in the community'. (The model was developed by Patrick Dunleavy
from the London School of Economics in Democracy, Bureaucracy and Public Choice (London: Pearson Education, 1991, reissued 2001).
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
and a response to budget-maximization model. It argues that rational officials will not want to maximize their budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
s, but instead to shape their agency so as to maximize their personal utilities from their work. For instance, bureaucrats would prefer to work in small, elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
agencies close to political power centres and doing interesting work, rather than to run large-budget agencies with many staff but also many risks and problems. For the same reasons, and to avoid risks, the bureau-shaping model also predicts that senior government bureaucrats will often favour either 'agencification' to other public sector bodies (as in the UK 'Next Steps' programme) or off-loading functions to contractors and privatization. In the health and social work fields officials will favour 'deinstitutionalization' and 'care in the community'. (The model was developed by Patrick Dunleavy
Patrick Dunleavy
Patrick Dunleavy is Professor of Political Science and Public Policy within the Government Department of the London School of Economics and the director of the Master of Public Administration Programme Patrick Dunleavy (b. 1952) is Professor of Political Science and Public Policy within the...
from the London School of Economics in Democracy, Bureaucracy and Public Choice (London: Pearson Education, 1991, reissued 2001).