Soviet Tractor Stations- Policy Control by Auxiliary Services

Abstract

A UXILIARY services providing specialized assistance to the line units in such fields as typing, printing, purchasing, or public relations have a clear place in American public administration theory. On the whole, auxiliary service units are to serve the line almost as though they were outside agencies hired to do it. In practice, however, American administrators are sharply aware of the power of auxiliary services to control the timing of programs and often to modify the method, with the result, at least occasionally, that program content also is modified. The central purchasing office, set up to save the line agency trouble and provide expertness in seeking out the best product at the lowest price, the personnel office, established to save the line agency trouble and provide professional advice on recruiting or training, in practice often control how to purchase or how to recruit and train, and this control can produce a strong effect on program content. The Soviet Machine Tractor Station, famed not only as a system for channeling scarce and expensive capital equipment for greatest output but even more as the eyes and ears of the central government in the field(s), should not,