Deck 12: Implementation and Performance

Question 1

What is partial preemption?

A) the decision of an individual to divulge details about the behavior of other members of his or her organization who might be in violation of the law
B) the decision by a higher level of government that, if a lower government does not meet predetermined standards, then the higher level of government will step in and administer that program itself
C) punishments incurred by a program that were caused by failures to meet another program's standards
D) refusal by the president to spend money appropriated by Congress

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Determining whether a program is working or not is sometimes difficult because ______.

A) legislators do not provide funding to find out
B) success does not matter as long as there is funding
C) program objectives and goals are not always clear
D) legislators provide more funding for simply creating new programs

Answer 2

C

Question 3

According to the author, which one of the following organizational pathologies may NOT contribute to implementation performance problems?

A) mixing missions
B) budget under runs
C) unsympathetic staff
D) assigning similar programs to different agencies

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Concerns about the execution of laws fostered the beginning of a new field of study called ______.

A) implementation
B) formulation
C) execution
D) research methods

Question 5

All of the following factors can hinder successful implementation EXCEPT ______.

A) certainty
B) practical uncertainty
C) inadequate resources
D) uneven leadership

Question 6

Implementation analysts tend to think that the more complicated and interwoven programs are ______.

A) the easier they are to assess for implementation success
B) the more likely they are to fail
C) the more likely that additional funding with be made available
D) there is no net effect

Question 7

Which of the following applications of results-based management combined rapid-response performance results and budgetary decisions?

A) whistle-blowing
B) CompStat
C) CitiStat
D) partial preemption

Question 8

With regard to performance, resource adequacy pertains to include both ______.

A) budgetary means and workers
B) shelter and flexibility
C) shelter and power
D) budgetary means and flexibility

Question 9

Effective steering of program implementation hinges most fundamentally on what?

A) obtaining crossover sanctions
B) utilizing partial preemption
C) receiving good feedback
D) disbursing categorical grants

Question 10

Receiving good feedback is crucial for ______.

A) offering grantsmanship
B) utilizing partial preemption
C) obtaining crossover sanctions
D) effectively steering program implementation

Question 11

The study of implementation seems to presume what status about programs?

A) failure
B) success
C) change
D) longevity

Question 12

Of the following choices, one advantage of contracting out government work is ______.

A) less red tape
B) the ease of levying sanctions
C) less corruption
D) increased levels of accountability

Question 13

Which of the following methods is a way to feedback on program effectiveness?

A) formal program evaluation
B) administration through regulation
C) administration through off-budget programs
D) mandates

Question 14

All of the following factors can hinder successful implementation EXCEPT ______.

A) program evaluation
B) practical uncertainty
C) inadequate resources
D) uneven leadership

Question 15

What is one advantage of contracting out?

A) gaining special expertise
B) the possibility of sanctions
C) less corruption
D) enhanced accountability

Question 16

CompStat, which produces weekly reports on crime in each police precinct, is an example of what approach?

A) whistle-blowing
B) backward mapping
C) results-based management
D) partial preemption

Question 17

Formal program evaluation and results-based management are examples what approach or method for management?

A) mandates
B) administration through regulation
C) administration through off-budget programs
D) methods to obtain feedback

Question 18

Which of the following describes scenarios where contract details limit the flexibility of government managers and contractors?

A) underspecification
B) overspecification
C) minutia
D) lapses

Question 19

All of the following can be major roadblocks to achieving a policymaker's outcome EXCEPT ______.

A) growing dependence on other sectors
B) inadequate resources
C) uneven leadership
D) performance-based management

Question 20

Government mandates are ______.

A) formula-based programs
B) project-based programs
C) federally imposed regulations
D) proxies

Question 21

______ occurs when the federal government presses state and local governments to implement standards.

A) Partial preemption
B) Fungibility
C) Delegation
D) Results-based management

Question 22

Government program goals can change over time.

Question 23

When Congress passes legislation that creates a new program, the laws always provide adequate money and staff to feasibly implement the program.

Question 24

According to a recent Pew survey, what percentage of Americans thought that the federal government was doing an excellent or good job?

A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 60 percent

Question 25

Jeffrey L.Pressman and Aaron B.Wildavsky argued that often government programs commence with bold objectives that the administrative process fails to realize in practice.

Question 26

Benefits of contracting out does NOT include which of the following?

A) specialized expertise
B) cost savings
C) increased spending
D) flexibility

Question 27

What method is said to be the gold standard in program evaluation?

A) quasi-experiment
B) observation-treatment-observation test
C) randomized controlled trial
D) CompStat

Question 28

Red tape is associated with which of the following?

A) a special language that appropriators use in the budget process
B) excessive rules that cause inefficiencies in government action
C) an obsolete term for government spending
D) the process for awarding government contracts

Question 29

One major standard for evaluating the effectiveness of results of government programs is ______.

A) efficiency
B) success
C) adequate resources
D) employee hires

Question 30

Implementation analysis focuses on programs and intends to understand ______.

A) how Congress could write better laws
B) how the federal government could recruit better talent
C) intricate budget processes
D) how government programs could be more successful (i.e., fail less)

Question 31

The CompStat model is an example of what type of management approach?

A) results-based management
B) effects-based management
C) responsible governance
D) failed efforts

Question 32

How does flexibility relate to contracting out?

Question 33

Governmental activities such as policymaking, budgeting, and military action are said to be ______.

A) inherently governmental
B) core activities
C) ancillary activities
D) the full Grassley

Question 34

Is contracting out always cheaper than performing the service in house?

Question 35

Implementation of federal programs never includes state and local governments.

Question 36

Government agency requirements for "ultra" equipment are often referred to as ______.

A) buying the farm
B) buying the cow
C) overspecification
D) bargaining

Question 37

Federally imposed regulations are also called ______.

A) formula-based programs
B) project-based programs
C) mandates
D) proxies

Question 38

Formal program evaluation is an ineffective method of providing regular, high-quality feedback.

Question 39

Crossover sanctions only apply within single programs.

Question 40

What is results-based management?

Question 41

How do unclear objectives affect implementation?

Question 42

According to the text, what five problems of performance may hinder a successful government program outcome?

Question 43

What is said to be the gold standard of program evaluation methods? Given the cost of government programs, is it feasible to require this evaluation for all programs?

Question 44

What three intergovernmental implementation strategies are discussed in the text?

Question 45

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of contracting out?

Question 46

How does contracting allow for flexibility during hiring freezes?

Question 47

How does overregulation relate to contracting?

Question 48

What are formal program evaluation and results-based management? What are the main differences between these two approaches?

Question 49

Describe the CitiStat program and explain what kind of strategy it represents.How does it do so?

Question 50

Discuss the merits and drawbacks of evaluating government programs on efficiency and, by contrast, accountability.

Question 51

What is networked government?