Return of the Market the

Return of the Market The reinvention strategy is when you are reducing the total amount of oversight and you are changing the focus of government. This occurs by increasing accountability / discretion among administrators, versus eliminating the way the hierarchy is structured. This would have a tremendous impact, upon the way government services are delivered. A good example of this can be seen with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.

As it would specifically address the five different areas that Page identifies for understanding government accountability to include: legal oversight, improved supervision, professional training / norms, political voice and market exit. Legal oversight is when there is greater flexibility in the program and specific objectives that are identified. Improved supervision is when there is more authority is given to individuals that are dealing with the public, versus various bureaucrats.

Professional training / norms is when case workers are helping clients to support themselves, instead of ensuring that they qualify for a particular program. Political voice is when the entitlement of guaranteed benefits and rights are removed. Market exit is when the clients are indicating that the new program is more effective in comparison with the previous one. This is significant, because these different changes would refocus the way various government services are delivered to the general public.

(Page 166 -- 197) When you put these different elements together, this highlights how the reinvention strategy is changing the way various services are delivered to the general public. As it is no longer throwing money at the problem, instead, this policy is prudently utilizing government funds where they will have the greatest impact possible. At which point, the effectiveness of the programs increase, because they are holding each person accountable for their own actions.

In many ways, one could argue that this is changing the way administrators are interacting with the general public. Two areas of importance from the Blacksburg Manifesto are: the overall size of government and the relationship between capitalism / government. In this case, these two issues are challenging because the size of the bureaucracy, can mean that the different services being provided are ineffective at addressing the needs of the people. Where, bureaucracies are known for wasteful spending and large cost overruns.

This is important, because it goes against the fundamental principles of the American democracy, as citizens demand accountability and transparency. To address this issue, the private sector can provide many different services that the government is delivering. Where, a number of corporations can supply these resources, for a fraction of the cost of government entities. This is important, because the manifesto is identifying a way that the government can provide effective solutions through the private sector.

Yet, when you examine the underlying issue itself, it is clear that this solution has parts that are relevant for modern government. Where, the bureaucracy can play role in addressing general issues and then contact out the different services to the private sector. The problem occurs, when there is too much of an emphasis on this model, as this can create fraud and other possible abuses of the system. Where, a lack transparency and favoritism will become common among many contractors.

What this shows, is how the government must maintain some kind of balance, in the role that bureaucracy will play and how they are providing different services. As there needs to be an emphasis on strategies and models, that can address this issue without going against what the people.