Q Although they are often unpopular with the public and there are many complaints that government is too large, bureaucracies perform important functions for government. Describe the three main functions of bureaucracy and provide some examples of each. How has the size of the federal bureaucracy changed over the last 50 years? Describe the organizational structure and composition of the federal bureaucracy. Specifically, what are the differences between departments, agencies, and bureaus and what are the lines of authority within the executive branch? How representative is the federal bureaucracy of the American public, how is it staffed, and how has this changed since the nineteenth century? Describe and evaluate the three key strategies politicians have used to promote reform in the federal bureaucracy. What are some of the challenges associated with each different approach? Explain. The different agencies of the executive branch can be grouped according to the different kinds of services they provide. Describe the three main categories of agencies. What kinds of services do they provide? Provide some examples of each. Describe the challenge of bureaucratic accountability. What is oversight, what are the different kinds of oversight and how does congressional action shape bureaucratic responsibility? What are some possible ways in which the president can gain more control of the bureaucracy? What is the importance of the merit system? Why is it important to the functioning of a professional bureaucracy?