S W 323K Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Chapter 4: Understanding the Ecology of Policy in Governmental, Electoral, Community, and
Agency Settings:
Elected officials – politicians
Bureaucrats – unelected officials
Lobbyists – a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators
Interest group – a group of people that seeks to influence public policy on the basis of a
particular common interest or concern.
Head of government – chief executive
Legislative committees – the party in the legislature
Legislatures have responsibilities and powers that often rival those of heads of government
Political appointees – public officials
Public opinion – views prevalent among the general opinion
An election is the process by which citizens select the thousands of men and women they want
to run their government – at all levels.
Authorizing committees – committees that write and enact legislation
Appropriations committees – committees that deicide what resources to allocate to specific
programs and departments
Organizational chart – a graphic representation of the structure of an organization, showing the
relationships of the positions or jobs within it
Boundary spanners – persons who have links with institutions, officials, and agencies that can
bring substantial resources to an agency
Informal relationships – relationships used to circumvent or expedite formal procedures
The players in organizational settings:
• Overlay 1:
o The organizational chart
• Overlay 2:
o Budget priorities
• Overlay 3:
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Document Summary
Chapter 4: understanding the ecology of policy in governmental, electoral, community, and. Lobbyists a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators. Interest group a group of people that seeks to influence public policy on the basis of a particular common interest or concern. Legislative committees the party in the legislature. Legislatures have responsibilities and powers that often rival those of heads of government. Public opinion views prevalent among the general opinion. An election is the process by which citizens select the thousands of men and women they want to run their government at all levels. Authorizing committees committees that write and enact legislation. Appropriations committees committees that deicide what resources to allocate to specific programs and departments. Organizational chart a graphic representation of the structure of an organization, showing the relationships of the positions or jobs within it.
