CMC Public Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which principle of public administration holds that each employee should receive orders from only one supervisor?
- Unity of command (Correct answer)
- Span of control
- Chain of command
- Division of labor
Correct answer: Unity of command
Unity of command means each subordinate reports to only one supervisor, preventing conflicting directives.
Question 2: A municipal clerk notices that a council decision conflicts with a state statute. The clerk's BEST immediate action is to:
- Implement the decision anyway
- Notify the city attorney for legal review (Correct answer)
- Refuse to record the minutes
- Submit the issue to a public vote
Correct answer: Notify the city attorney for legal review
The city attorney should review any potential conflict between local decisions and state law before implementation.
Question 3: In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which level must be satisfied BEFORE an employee seeks esteem needs?
- Physiological needs
- Self-actualization
- Social/belonging needs (Correct answer)
- Safety needs
Correct answer: Social/belonging needs
Social (belonging) needs at the third level must be met before an individual pursues esteem needs at the fourth level.
Question 4: Which budgeting approach requires every program to justify its entire budget from zero each cycle?
- Line-item budgeting
- Incremental budgeting
- Zero-based budgeting (Correct answer)
- Program budgeting
Correct answer: Zero-based budgeting
Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) starts each cycle from zero, requiring full justification for all expenditures.
Question 5: The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at the federal level primarily requires agencies to:
- Encrypt all public records
- Disclose government records upon request (Correct answer)
- Charge fees for all record requests
- Destroy old records on a set schedule
Correct answer: Disclose government records upon request
FOIA mandates that federal agencies disclose government records to the public upon request, with limited exemptions.
Question 6: Which term describes the legal authority granted to a local government by the state to govern itself and enact local ordinances?
- Preemption
- Home rule (Correct answer)
- Intergovernmental agreement
- Statutory authority
Correct answer: Home rule
Home rule grants municipalities authority to govern local affairs without requiring specific state legislative approval for each action.
Question 7: An agenda item listed as 'executive session' is typically held to discuss:
- Annual budget presentations
- Routine consent agenda items
- Personnel matters or pending litigation (Correct answer)
- Public works project updates
Correct answer: Personnel matters or pending litigation
Executive (closed) sessions are legally permitted for sensitive topics such as personnel decisions, real estate negotiations, or pending litigation.
CMC Public Administration 2
Which principle of public administration holds that each employee should receive orders from only one supervisor?