Industries Served

Government Agencies

Government agencies are the several different administrative units of the government that each have unique, specific responsibilities. Agencies can be on a local, regional or national level. The government agency is separate from the government department or ministry. However, they often work closely with one another and report to several different departments. Many government agencies act independently, specifically those that oversee or regulate other sectors. A common concern regarding government agencies is the “captured agency.” This is when an interest group “captures” an agency with political pressure.

Often, people confuse government-sponsored enterprises with government corporations. Enterprises are companies that are owned by shareholders and are chartered by the government to oversee policies. On the other hand, a corporation is directly created by the government. For example, in the U.S., the best known government corporation is the United States Postal Service. A government enterprise is considered a government agency but a government corporation is not. Sometimes, a corporation is called a quasi-agency. A regulatory agency is one of the most common types of government agencies. Regulatory agencies set the standards for activity in private sectors and make sure that the standards are enforced. Often, government agencies are under the national government’s executive branch. However, a regulatory agency is not. Instead, this type of agency is established by a legislature.

Any type of government is going to have several agencies that have various objectives and responsibilities. Many government agencies are tasked with carrying out policies of the current government. Other agencies will deliver public goods and services through contracting, loans and government-sponsored enterprises. Overall, government agencies offer several jobs to job-seekers, especially on a local level. The larger the town or city, the more job opportunities there will be because the locale will have several government branches.