Much of my recent and current research activities are motivated by my long-standing interest in the nexus between Organizations, American Political Institutions, and Decision Making Behavior in a variety of contexts. Practically all of my research activities have tangible implications for the study of democratic governance. Listed below are some of the core issues that represent the long-term scholarly interests that I have pursued throughout my academic career:

·         The limits and prospects confronting elected officials seeking to control policymaking authority
           consistent with democratic preferences.

·         Organizational arrangements and mechanism design within government institutions.

·         The role of executive authority in both policymaking and administration.

·         The logical underpinnings (“first-principles”) of decision-making processes in the realm of both
           mass publics and governments.

Currently, I am working on a large-scale research project on bureaucratic leadership in U.S. federal government agencies with Anne Joseph O’Connell (University of California, Berkeley, Boalt School of Law). This project analyzes both the causes and consequences of presidential appointments made to bureaucratic leadership positions within U.S. federal government agencies from the Carter through G. W. Bush administrations. My other current research projects fit neatly under the rubric of my long-term interests noted above.