Revolving doors? A network analysis of corporate officers and US government officials

This article analyzes the movement of personnel among elite positions in business and government, contrasting the staffing patterns at higher rungs of the executive branch during the Clinton and G. W. Bush administrations. We find that the Bush administration recruited far more heavily from among corporate officers and directors than did the Clinton administration, particularly when staffing ambassadorships. We also find that both administrations served as springboards for subsequent corporate board appointments. There were relatively few patterns with respect to industry or geography, with the exception of the military: All but one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the turn of the millennium ended up serving on the board of a military contractor after completing their government service.