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Leadership and the Politics-Administration Dichotomy: A Comparative Study of Political Influences in Four Florida State Agencies

Abstract This study examines state agency leadership and the viability of the traditional politics-administration dichotomy in state government. Despite all the academic theorizing
about how appointed public managers should be involved in policy making, the ground truth is much different. Standing at the uncomfortable nexus of politics and administration, senior public
managers face a difficult task of managing the political environment while simultaneously leading and managing their own organizations. In so doing, they face the most difficult and sensitive
aspect of public sector leadership. Powerful, politically-connected actors seek to influence public sector leaders and have policies formulated and executed in ways beneficial to them. This
type of political influence can often have a significant impact on the decisions of these senior appointed officials. This study examines how appointed state agency heads manage political
influences to their leadership in the context of the politics-administration dichotomy. The research explores how political influence impacts agency head leadership priorities and examines
the strategies developed to accommodate those influences. / A Dissertation submitted to the Reubin O'D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2014. / September 4, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references. / Frances S. Berry, Professor Directing Dissertation; William Earle Klay, Committee Member; Ralph S. Brower, Committee Member.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_252833
ContributorsGrant, Bruce (authoraut), Berry, Frances Stokes (professor directing dissertation), Ferris, Gerald R. (university representative), Klay, William Earle (committee member), Brower, Ralph S. (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (degree granting college), School of Public Administration and Policy (degree granting department)
PublisherFlorida State University, Florida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish, English
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, text
Format1 online resource (135 pages), computer, application/pdf
RightsThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them.

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