Dubnick, Melvin J. and Lafayette Walker, “Problems in U.S. Standard-Setting: The Implications of the Shift to Control Functions,” MIDWEST REVIEW OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 13 (1, March), 1979: 25-49.
AI-Generated Abstract:
Standard-setting in the U.S. has shifted from primarily comparative and integrative roles to control functions, driven by societal needs for safety and health protection. Historically rooted in commerce and industry, government standards now face challenges in development and enforcement, with debates focusing on procedural issues, effectiveness, and the evolving role of standards in complex, large-scale social and economic systems.
Author’s Note:
This article was an initial foray into government regulation. It focuses on the increasing reliance on standard-setting and its implications. Much of my current thinking on accountability has its roots in this paper, and my perspective owes much to discussions with my co-author, who was not merely a friend and colleague through undergraduate and graduate school, but also an accomplished administrator at NOAA, the Bureau of Standards, and the Civil Rights Office at HEW. Several years my senior, the late Dr. Walker eventually left government service for the private sector