In his 1957 book, Inside Bureaucracy, Anthony Downs described the life cycleof bureaus, which “presents an evolutionary or longitudinal premise by tracing the political ‘life‘ of a bureau over time” (Wiles, 1996*). In an essay, describe the stages of the organization’s life cycle, making sure to address the following: What makes new organizations different from older established organizations? What types of personalities tend to populate agencies at different stages? Why? Agencies rarely “die.” Why not? Do they ever die?
Then address the following: Is Downs’ theory consistent with contemporary theories of organization in regards to organizational growth and change or reaction to environmental stimuli? Based upon your understanding of modern organizations, is Downs’ theory still relevant today? Give specific reasons for your conclusions and be sure to identify specific concepts and examples as you frame your answer in the second part of the question.