Administrative Turnover in State Government

Abstract

The frequency with which lop administrative officials in state government retain (or leave) their positions as agency heads is documented and discussions in this preliminary descriptive analysis of administrative turnover/tenure in state government. Two-year turnover rates during a 24-year period (1959-1983) are analyzed for 72 different types of administrative agencies in all 50 stales. Several findings ape prominent. (1) turnover rates have increased over time; (2) recently, about 50% of all state agency heads remain in the same position over each two-year period; (3) turnover is higher-among newly created agencies; and (4) turnover is higher among the directors of redistributive " agencies a1(d lower-among the heads of "distributive" agencies.

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