ABSTRACT
American political institutions have a profound impact on administrative activities at all levels of government. In the United States, this institutional setting consists principally of the three branches of government established by the Constitution: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as the staffs attached to each one. This chapter discusses how each of these three branches influences public administration and addresses the limitations on each branch's ability to control the bureaucracy. Several limitations on the president's ability to manage the executive branch relate to political appointees' personal characteristics and their performance in office. The chapter looks at federal government reform efforts, paying close attention to the National Performance Review (NPR), a federal reform initiative that was undertaken during President Bill Clinton's administration. The NPR experience encapsulates many of the tensions between administration and its political environment. The chapter concludes by examining some of the effects of recent government reform efforts on civil society.
