Generalist versus Specialist in the Bureau of Indian Affairs

IT s doubtful whether issue of supervision, or functional specialism versus administrative generalist,' is more sharply posed in any other agency than in Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of Department of Interior. Relationships between generalists and specialists have been recognized as a problem in public administration from its beginning as a subject for investigation. It was, however, noted experimenter with scientific management techniques in industry, Frederick W. Taylor, who first identified problem of dual supervision.2 As it relates to field administration, on which this article will be focused, problem of supervision or the rival claims of hierarchy and specialty . . .8 is, in its simplest form, whether branch chiefs are to receive instructions only from regional or sub-regional office head, or also directly from chief of same branch in central office. The question also applies to regional and sub-regional directors vis-a-vis branch chiefs at next level in hierarchy. Acceptance of supervision, which Simon, Smithburg and Thompson, as well as Macmahon and Millett, feel is required by realism, calls at

Biology · Generalist and specialist species · Political science · Economic, financial, and policy analysis · Public Administration

• The Big Black Box of Indian Country

  Valerie Lambert•The American Indian Quarterly•2016

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