Dealing with Dysfunction

Jorrit de Jong

"Congressional impasse, financially untenable social programs, and fiscal crises are hallmarks of bureaucratic dysfunction today. Jorrit de Jong explains that bureaucratic dysfunction reflects a breach of contract between the government-not only as a provider of services, but also as a catalyst for improved social outcomes-and a public comprised of clients, professionals, managers, and policymakers. Dealing with Dysfunction embarks on a conceptual, theoretical, and empirical investigation to understand why bureaucratic dysfunction is a public problem and what can be done to solve it. Jorrit employs real-world data from an independent nonprofit action research team he founded: the Kafka Brigade. Building on this research, he presents 14 case studies, from licensing an Amsterdam sandwich shop to sorting out immigrant rights, which are typical of a larger problem and applicable to a...