Second Chapter 9 Post

     A unique feature of the executive bureaucracy is its division into areas of specialization. Agencies usually fall into one of the four general types:

1. Government Corporations
2. Independent Executive Agencies
3. Cabinet Departments
4. Independent Regulatory Commissions

     Government Corporations are businesses created by Congress to perform functions that could be provided by a private business. Developed in the early 1930’s, government corporations are the newest aspect of the bureaucracy. They are often created when the financial incentives for a private industry to provide services are not high. For Example, The Tennessee Valley Authority provides electricity to millions of Americans in the Appalachian region at reduced rates. 

     Independent Executive Agencies are governmental groups that resemble a cabinet department, but have narrower areas of responsibility. These agencies usually perform services rather than regulatory functions. The heads of these agencies for the most part are appointed by the President. Independent executive agencies exist apart from executive departments for a variety of reasons. Some examples of independent executive agencies include NASA and the EPA. The EPA could have been created within the Department of the Interior, but instead was created as an independent agency apart from the departments in order to administer programs aimed solely at controlling pollution and protecting the nation’s environment.

     The fifteen major Cabinet departments are basically administrative units that have the responsibility of conducting wide reaching areas of government operations. About 60% of the federal workforce works within the Cabinet departments. Departments within the executive branch are headed by Cabinet members called secretaries. They are tasked with establishing their department’s general policy and overseeing the operations of department.

     Each secretary has a deputy who helps by taking part of the administrative responsibility off the secretary’s hands. Several assistant secretaries lead major programs within the department as well. In addition, each secretary has a number of assistants who help with a variety of jobs within the department, such as budgeting, planning, and public relations. Most departments are subdivided into divisions, bureaus, or sections. It is at this level that the meat of the work of each agency is accomplished. Most of the time, departments are subdivided along functional lines, but the basis for division is usually by geography, work needed to be done, or clientele.

     Independent Regulatory Commissions are agencies created by Congress to exist outside the major departments in order to regulate a specific economic activity or interest. Congress sought to create commissions that could develop expertise and provide continuity of policy with regards to economic issues because neither Congress nor the courts have the time or specific qualifications necessary to do so.

     Overall, the executive bureaucracy is able to function pretty well thanks to being divided into areas of specialization. Without these different types of specialization, things within the bureaucracy would be very unorganized and nothing would ever get accomplished.