Presidential Power and Management Techniques: The Carter and Reagan Administrations in Historical Perspective

An evaluation of presidential efforts to achieve greater control over policy implementation by intransigent federal bureaucracies. Benze [asserts] that Ronald Reagan's use of budget cuts and appointment of conservative ideologues tended to enhance presidential power more readily than attempts at bureaucratic reorganization. Based on mail surveys of more than 350 domestic administrators, the author concludes that bureaucratic acceptance of management techniques requires the kind of persuasive political skills Reagan displayed in his first term, but were lacking in the Carter Administration. He cautions that Reagan's managerial initiatives engendered morale problems, and may lack institutional permanency in the absence of constitutional and statutory changes. . . . A useful addition to upper-division and graduate collections. Choice Professor Benze's new study looks at the historical trend toward centralization of policy implementation in the president's office and shows how--and with what degree of success--the Reagan and Carter administrations have met this problem. Among the important features of the book are the wealth of empirical data provided on the presidency and the analysis of both change and continuity between administrations in the handling of specific management areas.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Presidential Power and Management The Origins of Presidential Management The History of Management Techniques Management in the Carter Administration Management in the Reagan Administration An Empirical Investigation of Presidential Management The Limits of Management Techniques and the Importance of Presidential Leadership Conclusion: The Future of Presidential Management Bibliography Notes on Methodology Index

About the Author :
JAMES G.BENZE, Jr. is Assistant Professor of Political Science, Washington and Jefferson Colleges.

Review :
?An evaluation of presidential efforts to achieve greater control over policy implementation by intransigent federal bureaucracies. Lacking adequate constitutional management authority, presidents resort to a repertoire of management techniques derived from presidential commissions and the discipline of public administration. Benze joins Richard P. Nathan, The Administrative Presidency (1983), in asserting that Ronald Reagan's use of budget cuts and appointment of conservative ideologues tends to enhance presidential power more readily than attempts at bureaucratic reorganization. Based on mail surveys of more than 350 domestic administrators, the author concludes that bureaucratic acceptance of management techniques requires the kind of persuasive political skills Reagan displayed in his first term, but were lacking in the Carter Administration. He cautions that Reagan's managerial initiatives engendered morale problems, and may lack institutional permanency in the absence of constitutional and statutory changes.... A useful addition to upper-division and graduate collections.?-Choice "An evaluation of presidential efforts to achieve greater control over policy implementation by intransigent federal bureaucracies. Lacking adequate constitutional management authority, presidents resort to a repertoire of management techniques derived from presidential commissions and the discipline of public administration. Benze joins Richard P. Nathan, The Administrative Presidency (1983), in asserting that Ronald Reagan's use of budget cuts and appointment of conservative ideologues tends to enhance presidential power more readily than attempts at bureaucratic reorganization. Based on mail surveys of more than 350 domestic administrators, the author concludes that bureaucratic acceptance of management techniques requires the kind of persuasive political skills Reagan displayed in his first term, but were lacking in the Carter Administration. He cautions that Reagan's managerial initiatives engendered morale problems, and may lack institutional permanency in the absence of constitutional and statutory changes.... A useful addition to upper-division and graduate collections."-Choice