COGNITIVE TUNING IN MUNICIPAL PROBLEM SOLVING

This paper presents two case studies of the interactions between politics and problem solving in municipal governments. Problem solving seems to be more efficient and to promote more action when administrative officers have the initiative and politicians tune in cognitively to the officers’presentations. Two main functions of politicians are to take responsibility for solutions, by committing themselves through formal decisions, and to defend solutions externally. Politicians learn about the merits of a solution through their interactions with administrative officers during the problem-solving process. When politicians feel that a proposed solution is based on sound principles, they are ready to speak as proponents of the solution.