Representative bureaucracy: the theoretical implications of statistical interaction
- 1998
- p.655-71
- Sep
The research extends our knowledge of the relationship between passive representative bureaucracy and active representative bureaucracy (Mosher 1968). We utilize data from the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to posit and test a theory of situational thresholds. Our theory is premised on the argument that Meier's (1993b) construct, critical mass, constitutes a particular example of a more general concept, situational threshold (Campbell 1963). We present evidence that three situational thresholds exist in the EEOC bureaucratic environment which determine the nature of the relationship between passive representativeness and active representation: when a critical mass is reached; when a group constitutes a plurality; and when a group constitutes a majority. In toto, these three situational thresholds delineate four distinct social environments in which active representation transpires. Our findings strongly suggest that the relationship between passive representation and active representation is fundamentally different for each type of bureaucratic environment. - Reproduced