Texas is described as having a decentralized personnel system. Explain what this means, why it is the case, and why it matters
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Explain that the legislature typically provides only general guidelines for personnel policy and that personnel policies are therefore largely developed and carried out by different agencies.
2. Explain that decentralization means there is variation across agencies in terms of the nature of their personnel plans, including things like grievance procedures and standardized exams for advancement.
3. Note that many local governments (municipal in particular) have more centralized merit personnel systems than does the state government.
4. Explain that decentralization is a function at least in part of the role of the individualistic political subculture and the plural executive.
5. Explain that decentralization means that the merit system is less widespread and less entrenched in Texas than in many other states and the federal government.
You might also like to view...
When using a quasi-experimental design, rival hypotheses can sometimes be ruled out by
a. eliminating the pre-test c. eliminating the control group c. eliminating the IV d. making a complex prediction
In 2015, _____________ married people had a spouse of a different race or ethnicity
A. one-in-ten B. one-in-five C. one-in-twenty D. one-in-three
Which of the following statements is true of a house effect?
A. Polling firms with a house effect are always right. B. All polling firms face the house effect during elections. C. A firm with a house effect could be right on certain occasions. D. Polling firms that exhibit a house effect miss out on important points unlike its competitors. E. Polling firms with a house effect are disqualified from voting in elections.
Paul Pillar states that, in the period leading up to the Iraq War, the Bush administration
a. “cherry picked” intelligence to justify a decision that was already made. b. was seriously misled by the U.S. intelligence community. c. relied too much on British intelligence, which was deliberately misleading policymakers. d. followed proper procedures in linking U.S. intelligence to its decision to go to war.