Chapter 7

Question 1

Read the following text and then type the mistakes in the box below.

Rational choice theory assumes that all actors in the political process are interested only in the public good and seek to maximise public benefits. Officials seek to maximise their production of public services so as to please their Ministers.

+ View Answer

Correct Answer: The mistakes are shown below in bold (see page 141):

Rational choice theory assumes that all actors in the political process are self-interested and seek to maximise their own interests. Officials seek to maximise their budgets so as to accumulate personal benefits (promotion, salary, kudos).

Question 2

Read the following text and then type the mistakes in the box below.

Executive agencies, also known as Another Step agencies or as semi authoritative agencies, were set up to carry out some of the executive functions of government that were previously the responsibility of Home Office departments.

+ View Answer

Correct Answer: The mistakes are shown below in bold (see page 144):

Executive agencies, also known as Next Step agencies or as semi autonomous agencies, were set up to carry out some of the administrative functions of government that were previously the responsibility of Civil Service departments.

Question 3

Read the following text and then type the mistakes in the box below.

The heads of agencies, chief officers, should have exclusive contracts for a long time according to an agreed payment structure, and staff should be rewarded according to length of service.

+ View Answer

Correct Answer: The mistakes are shown below in bold (see page 144):

The heads of agencies, chief executives, should have commercial contracts for a limited time according to an agreed business plan, and staff should be rewarded according to performance.

Question 4

Read the following text and then type the mistakes in the box below.

New public management is the term applied to a mixed package of private sector reforms in the 1980s and 1990s. Also known as reinventing the wheel, it is said to have had the effect of 'hollowing out the House of Lords', that is, reducing its operations and transferring some functions to the Civil Service or other bodies.

+ View Answer

Correct Answer: The mistakes are shown below in bold (see page 146):

New public management is the term applied to a mixed package of public sector reforms in the 1980s and 1990s. Also known as reinventing government, it is said to have had the effect of 'hollowing out the state', that is, reducing its operations and transferring some functions to the private sector or other bodies.

Question 5

Read the following text and then type the mistakes in the box below.

Quangos increased rapidly in number in the 1950s because of central government’s wish to increase public service quantity, its concern with over-decentralisation, and because privatisation required regulatory agencies such as the Ofgov, Ofmin, and Ofdep.

+ View Answer

Correct Answer: The mistakes are shown below in bold (see page 146):

Quangos increased rapidly in number in the 1980s because of central government’s wish to by-pass local government, its concern with over-bureaucratisation, and because privatisation required regulatory agencies such as Oftel, Ofgas, and Ofwat.

Question 6

Read the following text and then type the mistakes in the box below.

In 1994 The Commons Public Accounts Committee found that management standards of quangos had risen. In some instances cases of decentralisation and privatisation were uncovered. The Committee was also concerned about falling employee numbers.

+ View Answer

Correct Answer: The mistakes are shown below in bold (see pages 148 and 149):

In 1994 the Commons Public Accounts Committee found that management standards of quangos had fallen, In some instances cases of corruption and serious maladministration were uncovered. The Committee was also concerned about accountability.