Creating a Bureaucracy to Study Bureaucracy

Carousel Activity

March 28, 2012

Directions:

Students will be divided into 6 groups. Each group will be assigned one of the tasks below. Members of the group will work together to research the task, create aone page typedhandout, and provide the “bureaucratic service” of informing fellow students the answer to your question. You should start by researching your question with your book and the internet. They only class time you will get will be for creating the presentation, not for the research. On the day of the activity, we will create 6 stations where you will post your information, and then teach it to your classmates as they rotate through.

Group 1:Describe the appointment/firing process for bureaucrats. Include the spoils system, and explain how it changed to the system of many rules that bureaucrats must follow today. Include the Pendleton Act, the Office of Personnel and Management and the difficulties in firing civil servants today.

Group 2:Identify and describe the Clinton/Gore plan to reinvent government known as REGO. Evaluate the success/failure of the program.

Group 3:Describe the background, primary functions, duties/jurisdictions, and strengths/weakness of the new Department of Homeland Security.

Group 4:Identify and describe ways in which the bureaucracy is criticized. Include in your discussion the many Bureaucratic Pathologies. Provide current examples for support.

Group 5:Discuss how the Sunshine Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Whistleblower Protection Act have affected the federal bureaucracy. Provide current examples for support

Group 6:Discuss the “iron triangle” relationship and explain how this can be applied to both Agriculture and Defense. Must also include the concept of the “revolving door.”

Things to keep in mind:

  • Presentations will be a Two Day event.
  • You will have approximately 5-6 minutes for each Presentation rotation.
  • You should focus on displaying information in a creative manner. Consider using a visual effect such as a political cartoon, graph, chart, picture, interaction etc.
  • You must make enough copies of Graphic Organizer/pamphlet/handouts for the whole class.
  • Most of the research will be done outside of class.

Grading:

Each team will be assessed and given an overall grade in the following areas:

  1. OVERALL QUALITY & EFFECTIVENESS (knowledge, handouts, posters, etc.)
  2. BUREAUCRATIC EFFICIENCY (quickly, prepared, meaningful presentation)
  3. BUREAUCRATIC AUTHENTICITY (Jr. Bureaucrats?)
  4. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION (User friendly, comfortable, props, etc.)

Class Feedback:

The class will vote for the winner in the following categories:

  1. The Chocolate Bunny Award for Customer Satisfaction
  2. The Bubble Gum Red Tape Award for Bureaucratic Authenticity