Case Study Summary of William Robertson: Exemplar of Politics and Public Management Rightly Understood

William Robertson Simultaneously Uses Multiple Strategies

Ricardo R. Ruiz

Governors State University

Abstract

From the years of 1986-2005, William Robertson was recognized for revolutionizing both Politics and Public Management, in the city of Los Angeles. He combined several different strategies of interaction with citizens, elected officials, employees, and peers in order to produce a more technically superior and responsive service delivery system. Robertson was placed in the middle of a power struggle between the government and its citizens. City officials believed that if they empowered the people, then they soon also would have all of the power one day, if the city continued giving it up to them in small portions. Robertson realized that “Old ways, will never open new doors of opportunity”. He no longer viewed the power struggle as a hierarchy, but instead he leveled the playing field and encompassed himself 360 degrees with both the citizens, the government and the needed strategy to achieve any task presented before him. He continuously made steps toward sharing power by encouraging citizen participation in the public management process, greater interaction with his subordinates, and working in partnerships with other managers across divided jurisdictions.

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Figure 1- Vick, D.

William Robertson Simultaneously Uses Multiple Strategies

In June 1999, Los Angeles voters approved citywide neighborhood councils. Many city council members felt this idea of citizen participation was a threat to their position and was viewed as unwelcomed. Robertson was placed in the middle of a power struggle between the government and its citizens. City officials believed that, if they empowered the people, then they soon also would have all of the power, by giving it up to them in small portions. Robertson approached this problem by looking to create a win-win solution, by working with the people, rather than against them. Robertson believed that officials...