ABSTRACT
In 1982, the Reagan Revolution was in its early stages. With the President's frequently expressed opinion that "government is not the solution, it's the problem," morale among career executives was on the decline. At that time, nearly half of the federal executives surveyed said that they would prefer to work in the private sector, and fewer than 25 percent said they would recommend a career in government to young, talented people. Federal government executives appear to have a strong sense of agreement about the purpose and role of their enterprises. The federal government executives who said they would advise young people to seek careers in the private sector provided organizational, as well as personal, rationales. Federal government executives have made some other changes in the way they balance their work and home demands—which are reflective of today's difficult economic times. The values of federal government executives will have a profound effect in shaping the nation's future into the next century.
