Incrementalism sau ra ionalitate n luarea deciziei n institu iile publice de la nivel local i jude ean din Romania?

The article examines the decision-making process in public institutions at local and county levels in Romania according to the features of several theoretical models presented in the literature, namely: rational comprehensive approach, incremental approach, rule following approach, mixed scanning approach and garbage can model. The analysis is based on the findings of a research conducted at national level on a representative sample of public institutions. The sample included top level civil servants and public officials working for County Councils and Local Councils from county seats, municipalities, cities and communes. A questionnaire was drafted to ask the respondents to rate their perceptions with regard to several characteristics of the decision-making process in public institutions. The findings indicate a limited rationality bounding the decision-making process in the analyzed institutions, which is constrained by the budget, legislation and procedures. Further researches are required to better understand the decision process on particular domains and with regard to specific characteristics of some policy issues.