THE DETERMINANTS OF NLRB DECISION-MAKING REVISITED

The authors develop a model of NLRB decision-making that, unlike the m odels employed in previous studies, distinguishes between decision-mak ing in more important, complex cases and less important, simpler cases . Using a representative sample of Board decisions over 1957-86, they find that in deciding the minority (20%) of disputes that were particu larly important or complex, Board members were influenced by their per sonal preferences and those of Presidents who appointed them-a finding consistent with the results of previous studies. In the remaining cas es (about 80%), however, Board members were influenced in their decisi ons by little more than the recommendations of regional offices and ad ministrative law judges. Another finding that substantially modifies t he conclusions of earlier studies is that Board members appear to have been highly influenced by their accountability to the public when dec iding more important, complex cases.