Executive Behavior and Decision Making in Small U.S. Cities

Abstract

This study examines how chief executives in small U.S. cities allocate their time, view their involvement in decisions related to the dimensions of the governmental process, who they consult in making decisions about local services, and the extent to which they perceive that their decisions are influenced by community interest groups. The study confirms that several differences exist among the different types of executives with respect to time allocation and role emphases. City managers spent more time on and perceived themselves to be more extensively involved in decisions related to local mission, policy, administration, and management compared with mayors. Mayors and city managers exhibited different patterns of consultation with key stakeholders inmaking decisions about local services. City managers were more likely than mayors to engage in activities related to the city’s mission and policy, but they tempered that involvement with a more inclusive pattern of consultation.