Critical thoughts about critical mass in representative bureaucracy: A theoretical exploration and empirical illustration

Meier, Kenneth J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6378-0855 and Xu, Xiaoyang 2023. Critical thoughts about critical mass in representative bureaucracy: A theoretical exploration and empirical illustration. Governance 36 (3) , pp. 887-907. 10.1111/gove.12711

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Abstract

Studies of representative bureaucracy frequently reference the need for a critical mass before an underrepresented group can influence policy outputs or outcomes, but the empirical literature is modest and presents mixed findings. This article presents a theoretical exploration to illustrate how critical mass can link individual behavior to organizational contexts. By examining both active representation and symbolic representation at both the individual and organizational level and specifying the different microprocesses of active representation, a series of testable hypotheses are presented. The logic suggests that the concept of critical mass might also be a useful contextual variable to examine other aspects of administrative behavior. Based on the theory, two empirical illustrations from China are presented.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0952-1895
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	31 January 2023
Date of Acceptance:	11 June 2022
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2023 17:12
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/155846

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