Developed new, bilingual teams in partnership with community organizations, using State Labor Camp Registries to pinpoint problem areas. Completed 36 inspections within a few days instead of the many months previously required, resulting in financial assessments and labor camps' compliance with regulations. Decreased response time of mailing filing receipts to appli- cants from 38 to 18 days. In short, the quality approach requires fundamental changes in the traditional management role of planning, directing, and controlling. Most individuals and organizations in the private sector are finding the change very difficult.
Federal agencies face even more monumental hurdles.
The discipline of a competitive global marketplace that pro- vides incentives for radical change to business and industry managers is missing in government. In many instances, the role of government as protector and enforcer of equal rights for citizens mandates careful due process systems, while efficiency is secondary to ensuring full and fair opportunity to be heard. They find little time for management issues unless prob- lems directly impinge on concerns of the administration and Congress. In the case of congressional members, when they do take an interest in the management of an agency, they are often accused of inappropriate oversight and micromanagement. In these circumstances, it is no surprise that top govern- ment officials do not place priority on federal management nor find time to pressure agencies for higher quality, lower cost service to the public.