REFORM 88: A Sense of Deja Vu

Abstract

This paper examines the management improvement efforts of recent Presidents, focusing on the initiatives of the Reagan administration under the banner of REFORM 88. It analyzes the principal thrusts of REFORM 88 and contrasts the form and substance of the project with similar undertakings during previous administrations. The author details some of the systemic factors that have traditionally combined to limit the effectiveness of such efforts to improve management in the federal bureaucracy, and describes how REFORM 88 deals with these factors. Particular attention is directed to the roles played by the President, the White House Staff, the Office of Management and Budget, and agency management officials. An attempt is also made to assess the impacts of REFORM 88 in terms of reduced costs and improved effectiveness. The paper concludes that while REFORM 88 some what resembles previous management improvement initiatives, it has several distinctive characteristics that would appear to enhance its chances of success, namely, a healthy reliance on agency initiative and existing management systems.