Abstract
This paper describes indications of goal displacement in regulatory enforcement agencies as reported by enforcement professionals from a range of regulatory domains. The findings suggest that the occurrence of this phenomenon in these agencies may be more prevalent and multifaceted than expected. Among the goal-displacement types reported as most impactful were goal narrowing, induced by calamities, goal diversion through ongoing organizational reform, and goal diversion brought upon by strict regimes of output management. A systematic exploration of these various goal-displacement types as conducted here sheds light onto the intricate nature of goal alignment of these agencies.
Highlights
Goal displacement, which was originally defined by Michels (1911/1949), refers to a broad spectrum of changes of goals in organizations, such as general shifts in goals, and shifts in the relative importance of different goals within an organization are included (Abramson, 2009; Bohte & Meier, 2000)
Goal narrowing in terms of scope refers to an underinclusive coverage of tasks within the jurisdiction of the agency, that is, a neglect of tasks deemed significant in terms of risks
Goal widening in terms of scope refers to an overinclusive coverage of tasks within jurisdiction, that is, carrying out inspections that, from a perspective of risks, are superfluous
Summary
Goal displacement, which was originally defined by Michels (1911/1949), refers to a broad spectrum of changes of goals in organizations, such as general shifts in goals, and shifts in the relative importance of different goals within an organization are included (Abramson, 2009; Bohte & Meier, 2000). Goal displacement has been demonstrated in widely varying organizational settings, especially in government and semi-government agencies and services (e.g., Abramson, 2009; Bohte & Meier, 2000; Lipset, 1950; Lu et al, 2021; Resh & Marvel, 2012; Selznick, 1949; Uitermark & Loopmans, 2013).1 Most of these studies highlight the negative impacts of goal displacement on the effectiveness of the organizations concerned. Performance in relation to solving or mitigating these problems may prove difficult to evaluate, thereby increasing the risk of goal displacement
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