This study examines the rationality of role-allocation processes in public bureaucracies. The article specifically examines the perception of recruitment and promotion. Comparative organizational data provided support for the arguments that: (a) politically neutral civil service entrance exams are adopted to increase bureaucratic autonomy from external political pressures rather than as a means to secure technical competence, and (b) conditions fostering the use of either political neutrality or technical competence as recruitment criteria reduce perceived reliance on merit as a promotion criterion.
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