ABSTRACT
The words "bureaucracy," "power," "policy," and the "state"—especially when used in combination—conjure up "big issues." These concepts are attractive entries in the lexicon of political science, since they encompass much that is important about political systems. This chapter appraises these concepts from organizational, personnel, and systemic perspectives. One of the most central problems in analyzing the role of the bureaucracy in relation to the state lies in defining the state and determining who may legitimately speak for it. The chapter examines the relationship between bureaucratic form, power, and policy, from two perspectives. The first, or internal, perspective looks at the impact of bureaucratic form on internal organizational processes—particularly on the wielding of organizational power—and then at the link to policy making via the effects of these processes on organizational decision making. The second, or external, perspective examines the impact of bureaucratic forms on clientele transactions, that is, how the bureaucracy deals with the public.
