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Common Sense, Competence, and Talent in the Public Service in the USA: Finding The Right Mix In A Complex World
Author(s) -
Wallace Ingraham Patricia,
GethaTaylor Heather
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.313
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-9299
pISSN - 0033-3298
DOI - 10.1111/j.0033-3298.2005.00476.x
Subject(s) - competence (human resources) , public service , politics , public relations , promotion (chess) , civil service , government (linguistics) , strengths and weaknesses , core competency , agency (philosophy) , political science , public administration , sociology , management , psychology , economics , law , social psychology , social science , linguistics , philosophy
In the career civil service the US federal government has long been guided by a merit system. This article traces how the principle of merit in appointment and promotion has developed since the nineteenth century and examines contemporary applications of competency frameworks in the US – their development, character, strengths and weaknesses. If core competency discussions and frameworks are to have a broader impact at both the government wide and the agency level, the frameworks will have to be disentangled. Existing notions of competencies for the political appointees, the leadership echelons of the career service, the rest of the career service, the entire government, central agencies, individual agencies, and badly needed future leaders not only suggest superhuman abilities, but also contain seriously conflicting expectations.