BACKGROUND

The Social Security Administration $($SSA$),$ the organization in question, has the characteristics of both a social welfare organization and a typical large federal agency. Social welfare organizations $($non$-$profit$)$ have unique sets of factors that determine their structure and culture. These organizations are designed to serve people, many of whom often have great needs. Complicating this, however, is the fact that$-$typically$-$federal agencies, due to their size and scope, are top$-$down bureaucracies. For example, a single printed policy manual for SSA employees is composed of fifty separate three$-$inch binders. In order to try to compensate for its bureaucratic structure and to respond to the changing roles of the agency, SSA emphasizes a more flexible response and more employee involvement.

Commissioner of Social Security JoAnn Barnhart described the goals of the agency as service, stewardship, solvency, and staff. $.$ Decreasing budgets and a smaller workforce, at the same time that application caseloads are increasing, can lead to conflicts in pursuing all of these goals. In light of these challenges, SSA workers must strive to achieve an ambitious agenda$-$nothing less than meeting the social security needs and expectations of the American people. These workers are required to exhibit the values of respect, responsiveness, and reliability in accomplishing this daunting task. Clearly, these employees are faced with a challenge.

At the same time, they are committed employees, who are dedicated to their jobs, as exemplified by the fact that the agency was ranked seventh by its workers in the Best Places to Work in Federal Government Survey. SSA workers also have a great deal of respect for one another, ranking the agency third in the same survey in team orientation. They find their work meaningful because it eventually touches the lives of every American citizen. The same survey identified some serious problems, however. One problem is leadership. Since the agency's executives are political appointees, who turn over with every new presidential administration, the change at the top can lead to serious disruptions in the agency. As a result, SSA workers five the agency low scores for effective leadership.

Disability Insurance $($DI$)$ is one of the three major programs administered by SSA, along with Old Age and Survivor