Case Study: FEMA
FEMA
What makes this agency legitimate? What is the legitimacy based on? If based on authority or a need for the services this agency provides how does that relate to representativeness (demographics, ideology, and concerns; social contract & public expectations), responsibility (ownership of actions, failures and successes), accountability (answering to whom, top-down & bottom-up), politics/administration (is there a political bias, does it prevent legitimacy), and effectiveness/efficiency (is the agency effective, does it create public value and utilize public resources in a manner that reflects the best interests of the public)? What changed, and what result did the change have on the legitimacy of the agency? How can the agency move forward …show more content…
The responsibilities, ranged from the development of civil defense plans to the support of state and local governments in emergency preparation, training of firefighters, public education, and the administration of national warning and communication systems. While the intent was to create a single agency focused on disaster preparation and relief, the capacity of FEMA to act was severely limited by the lack of communication or coordination (Khademian 2002, 50).
Witt began his tenure with FEMA by trying to open communication with and between different employees and programs. Without communication within FEMA, communication with FEMA’s external partners (governors, state disaster relief offices, nonprofit organizations, and coalitions providing disaster relief) as well as its political overseers and public suffered as well (Khademian 2002, 51). Witt’s efforts to recreate FEMA involved tremendous structural and procedural change (Khademian 2002, 51).
The “Great Flood” of 1993 was a costly and devastating flood that occurred in …show more content…
The initial restructuring of the organization, though influenced by political authority, was the result of strategic planning by the organization’s management. This restructuring changed FEMA from a highly criticized organization to a highly respected organization. However, political intervention in 2002 led the organization to lose focus, become ineffective, and lose public respect (DS et al 2006, 28; Witt n.d.,
What makes this agency legitimate? What is the legitimacy based on? If based on authority or a need for the services this agency provides how does that relate to representativeness (demographics, ideology, and concerns; social contract & public expectations), responsibility (ownership of actions, failures and successes), accountability (answering to whom, top-down & bottom-up), politics/administration (is there a political bias, does it prevent legitimacy), and effectiveness/efficiency (is the agency effective, does it create public value and utilize public resources in a manner that reflects the best interests of the public)? What changed, and what result did the change have on the legitimacy of the agency? How can the agency move forward …show more content…
The responsibilities, ranged from the development of civil defense plans to the support of state and local governments in emergency preparation, training of firefighters, public education, and the administration of national warning and communication systems. While the intent was to create a single agency focused on disaster preparation and relief, the capacity of FEMA to act was severely limited by the lack of communication or coordination (Khademian 2002, 50).
Witt began his tenure with FEMA by trying to open communication with and between different employees and programs. Without communication within FEMA, communication with FEMA’s external partners (governors, state disaster relief offices, nonprofit organizations, and coalitions providing disaster relief) as well as its political overseers and public suffered as well (Khademian 2002, 51). Witt’s efforts to recreate FEMA involved tremendous structural and procedural change (Khademian 2002, 51).
The “Great Flood” of 1993 was a costly and devastating flood that occurred in …show more content…
The initial restructuring of the organization, though influenced by political authority, was the result of strategic planning by the organization’s management. This restructuring changed FEMA from a highly criticized organization to a highly respected organization. However, political intervention in 2002 led the organization to lose focus, become ineffective, and lose public respect (DS et al 2006, 28; Witt n.d.,