External Control and Red Tape: The Mediating Effects of Client and Organizational Feedback

Gene A. BREWER*, Richard M. WALKER, Barry BOZEMAN, Claudia N. AVELLANEDA, Gene A. BREWER*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Bozeman's (1993; 2000) external control model of red tape posits that organizations with higher degrees of external control will have higher levels of red tape. According to the model, this effect is compounded by entropy affecting the communication of rules and their results, limited discretion over rules and procedures, and non-ownership of rules. However, the model predicts that red tape will be mediated by communication from clients and within the organization. Bozeman's model is often cited in the literature, but it has not been subjected to comprehensive empirical verification. This study tests the model using data from a multiple informant survey of 136 upper-tier English local government authorities conducted in 2004 and several secondary sources. Statistical results show that external control does indeed lead to higher levels of red tape. We then test a number of organizational feedback mediators and find that client feedback does little to mediate the effects of red tape; the major factors are trust between politicians and public managers and devolved management. We discuss these findings and propose some changes to the model. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)288-314
Number of pages27
JournalInternational Public Management Journal
Volume15
Issue number3
Early online date2 Nov 2012
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Earlier versions of this article were presented at the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the International Research Society for Public Management (IRSPM-XII), Brisbane, Australia, March 26–28, 2008; and the 20th Anniversary and 11th Biennial Public Management Research Association (PMRA) Conference, Syracuse, New York, June 2–4, 2011.

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