PUBLIC AFFAIRS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
PASSED #7
Public administration is most closely associated with which stage of the policymaking
process? - correct answer policy implementation
Policy formulation takes place during the administration of policy. - correct answer True
People often use the expressions "public management" and "public administration"
interchangeably. - correct answer True
Public management entails which of the following? - correct answer -Hiring and firing
people
-Planning how an organization will utilize resources to achieve the goals of public policy
-Analyzing and formulating policies for an organization
-Setting priorities over which policy goals to pursue
-Motivating people to work toward an organization's goals
It is simple to distinguish between public administration and business administration if
one focuses on the clear distinction between public and private organizations. - correct
answer False
Many scholars and practitioners argue that it is very different to manage a public agency
than a private business. Which of the following are examples they might offer to support
that claim? - correct answer -Public agencies are only allowed to perform functions that
are authorized by law, whereas businesses can do whatever they wish as long as it is
not forbidden by law.
-Public managers must concern themselves with meeting the competing demands of
many superiors outside of their organizations, whereas that is less true for managers in
private organizations.
-Public agencies must pursue and balance competing goals, whereas private
businesses have relatively straightforward and coherent goals.
-Public managers typically face more constraints than private managers as they pursue
organizational goals.
-Public managers are typically subjected to far more public scrutiny than private-sector
managers.
Services primarily provided by the federal government include which of the following? -
correct answer -Veteran services
-Postal services
-Defense
Local governments tend to administer more direct services than federal government. -
correct answer True
, Local governments have more loan and grant programs than state governments. -
correct answer False
Governments often contract out the administration of public programs to private non-
profit and for-profit organizations. - correct answer True
Which of the following is the most "direct" policy tool that government might use? -
correct answer building a force to arrest those who have committed crimes
"Bureaucracy" describes the inefficient execution of work. - correct answer False
Public bureaucracy entails... - correct answer -the organization and coordination of
human behavior to realize public policy goals.
-rules and procedures for performing tasks.
-specialization, expertise, and the division of labor.
-a hierarchical authority structure.
The public bureaucracy is often what people refer to when they speak of "the state" or
"the government." - correct answer True
Which of the following statements about the "politics-administration dichotomy" are
true? - correct answer -It refers to the notion that the realm of "politics" (in particular,
lawmaking) is separate from administration.
-It refers to the notion that the policymaking process is separate from the
implementation process.
-Many reformers during the Progressive Era invoked this dichotomy to justify growth in
U.S. government and the increased power of unelected bureaucrats.
-It is an artificial distinction because "politics" can never be separated from public
administration.
Woodrow Wilson and other Progressive-Era reformers argued that laws would keep
unelected bureaucrats accountable to citizens - correct answer True
Progressive-Era reformers argued that the growth and reform of public bureaucracy
could improve government accountability and efficiency. - correct answer True
Why might unelected public administrators working for government agencies—i.e.,
unelected bureaucrats working in public bureaucracy—have policymaking power? -
correct answer -Administrators sometimes are tasked with implementing conflicting
policies, which results in their having to make a choice regarding which policy to pursue.
-Because Congress might have trouble coming to agreements and, thus, might be
unable to pass a law to put an end to administrative practices they disagree with.
-Presidents might instruct administrators to ignore what Congress has written in law.
-Because Congress is unable or unwilling to monitor completely what administrators are
doing.
PASSED #7
Public administration is most closely associated with which stage of the policymaking
process? - correct answer policy implementation
Policy formulation takes place during the administration of policy. - correct answer True
People often use the expressions "public management" and "public administration"
interchangeably. - correct answer True
Public management entails which of the following? - correct answer -Hiring and firing
people
-Planning how an organization will utilize resources to achieve the goals of public policy
-Analyzing and formulating policies for an organization
-Setting priorities over which policy goals to pursue
-Motivating people to work toward an organization's goals
It is simple to distinguish between public administration and business administration if
one focuses on the clear distinction between public and private organizations. - correct
answer False
Many scholars and practitioners argue that it is very different to manage a public agency
than a private business. Which of the following are examples they might offer to support
that claim? - correct answer -Public agencies are only allowed to perform functions that
are authorized by law, whereas businesses can do whatever they wish as long as it is
not forbidden by law.
-Public managers must concern themselves with meeting the competing demands of
many superiors outside of their organizations, whereas that is less true for managers in
private organizations.
-Public agencies must pursue and balance competing goals, whereas private
businesses have relatively straightforward and coherent goals.
-Public managers typically face more constraints than private managers as they pursue
organizational goals.
-Public managers are typically subjected to far more public scrutiny than private-sector
managers.
Services primarily provided by the federal government include which of the following? -
correct answer -Veteran services
-Postal services
-Defense
Local governments tend to administer more direct services than federal government. -
correct answer True
, Local governments have more loan and grant programs than state governments. -
correct answer False
Governments often contract out the administration of public programs to private non-
profit and for-profit organizations. - correct answer True
Which of the following is the most "direct" policy tool that government might use? -
correct answer building a force to arrest those who have committed crimes
"Bureaucracy" describes the inefficient execution of work. - correct answer False
Public bureaucracy entails... - correct answer -the organization and coordination of
human behavior to realize public policy goals.
-rules and procedures for performing tasks.
-specialization, expertise, and the division of labor.
-a hierarchical authority structure.
The public bureaucracy is often what people refer to when they speak of "the state" or
"the government." - correct answer True
Which of the following statements about the "politics-administration dichotomy" are
true? - correct answer -It refers to the notion that the realm of "politics" (in particular,
lawmaking) is separate from administration.
-It refers to the notion that the policymaking process is separate from the
implementation process.
-Many reformers during the Progressive Era invoked this dichotomy to justify growth in
U.S. government and the increased power of unelected bureaucrats.
-It is an artificial distinction because "politics" can never be separated from public
administration.
Woodrow Wilson and other Progressive-Era reformers argued that laws would keep
unelected bureaucrats accountable to citizens - correct answer True
Progressive-Era reformers argued that the growth and reform of public bureaucracy
could improve government accountability and efficiency. - correct answer True
Why might unelected public administrators working for government agencies—i.e.,
unelected bureaucrats working in public bureaucracy—have policymaking power? -
correct answer -Administrators sometimes are tasked with implementing conflicting
policies, which results in their having to make a choice regarding which policy to pursue.
-Because Congress might have trouble coming to agreements and, thus, might be
unable to pass a law to put an end to administrative practices they disagree with.
-Presidents might instruct administrators to ignore what Congress has written in law.
-Because Congress is unable or unwilling to monitor completely what administrators are
doing.
