Organizing the Federal Communications Commission for Greater Management and Regulatory Effectiveness

Book excerpt: There is substantial merit in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) form of organization for regulating domestic and international communications, a complex and politically sensitive area. Technological changes in the communications industry have prompted a critical reexamination of basic communications policy and regulatory methods contained in the enabling legislation of FCC. Many of the criticisms of independent regulatory agencies, including FCC, are directed at weaknesses related to internal organization and procedural matters, and management of the organization. FCC has not established a comprehensive planning process, a basic element of management, within which it defines its organizational goals and objectives in relation to its mission, sets priorities to achieve these goals and objectives, and measures results through organized, systematic feedback.