The Goals of Reorga niza tion

Abstract

Recent debates, both in the political arena and in academic circles, have thoroughly clouded the objectives that government reorganization can reasonably be expected to advance. To remedy this, this article suggests a framework for sorting out the lengthy laundry lists of possible goals commonly associated with reorganization. According to this framework, reorganizations can be distinguished according to whether their primary objective is (1) economy and efficiency; (2) policy effetiveness; or (3) tactical advantage. Each of these three major types of reorganizations has its own basic characteristics, political and administrative dynamics, underlying theory, and advantages and disadvantages. While no particular reorganization may fall exclusively into an y one of these categories, this framework can help clarify discussions of organizational reform and improve our understandmg of the objectives such reform can accomplish.