ABSTRACT
Discretion is a tool only when properly used; like an axe, it can be a weapon for mayhem or murder. Kenneth Culp Davis reminds the distrust of administrative discretion that is deeply embedded in the founding principles of the American republic. Government grants add a layer of complexity to the exercise of administrative discretion. Discretion necessarily pervades all levels of our public organizations. It starts with our street-level bureaucrats and frontline service providers who administer direct service delivery to the citizenry. Despite the multitude of accountability requirements placed on public employees, discretion is probably as ubiquitous in public and non-profit organizations as it is in the private sector. One of the most important and frequent tasks of managers in organizations is working out agreements with other middle managers on how best to allocate scarce resources and coordinate work across organizational units. Middle managers play a decisive role in creating the necessary legitimacy to implement policy initiatives of the larger organization.
