Relationship between Public Organizations and Legislators

Legislators and the Challenges

Legislators, as one of the external groups, have a substantial influence on the operations of public organizations. Some of the challenges that may be experienced in dealing with the legislators are lack of common ground about the essentiality of the activities of a public organization, especially in the delivery of the public good. As a result, the legislators may enact restrictive laws that cripple the capacity of the organization to execute its mandate. Where there is no trust by the legislators, they may discontinue the operations altogether. Another challenge that may complicate dealing with the legislators is when they initiate budget cuts during the annual funding for the public organization. Due to their power and influence in the state budgeting process, legislators can choose to limit the amount of dollars sent to an organization to facilitate execution of its responsibilities (Posner & Park, 2007). This may worsen the relationship between the organization and parliament, and further lead to more unfavorable actions by the legislators.

Addressing Challenges with Legislators

In a bid to address the challenges that may arise in the relationship with the legislators, it is critical for public organizations to keep the legislature informed about its activities at any given time (Cohen, Eimicke, & Heikkila, 2013). To win the support of the legislators, the lawmakers should not cast any doubt about the need for the organization. Through this, the organization will be in a position to influence the views and opinions of the legislators about its existence and acquire continued support. This will go a long way in enhancing its capacity to attain its goals. Additionally, in a bid to influence and win the support of the legislators, the books of accounts for a public organization should be easily accessible by parliamentarians.

References

Cohen, S., Eimicke, W. B., & Heikkila, T. (2013). The effective public manager: Achieving success in government organizations. San Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass

Posner, P. L., & Park, C. K. (2008). Role of the Legislature in the Budget Process. OECD Journal on Budgeting, 7(3), 1-26.