Learning while governing: Expertise and accountability in the executive branch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademic

Abstract

The principal-agent framework is one of the best known frameworks in economics and beyond. It can be used to analyze problems when one party (the agent) is asked to perform actions for another party (the principal). In political science and public administration, the principal-agent framework is often used to analyze the relationship between politicians (the principals) and civil servants (the agents). Politicians have to rely on civil servants for policy development and implementation. However, they cannot fully control them. How can politicians then make sure that civil servants develop and implement policies which have – according to the politicians - desirable policy outcomes?
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1106-1114
Number of pages9
JournalPublic Administration
Volume92
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Reviewed work: Learning while governing: expertise and accountability in the executive branch / S. Gailmard; J.W. Patty. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2012. 321 p. ISBN 978-0-226-92440-3.

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