Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a public employer has the right to: determine how the statutory mandate and goals of the public employer, including the functions and programs of the public employer, its overall budget, and its organizational structure, are to be carried out; and direct employees of the public employer. The State, through its appropriate officers and employees, has the right to: determine the mission, budget, organization, numbers, types and grades of employees assigned, the work projects, tours of duty, methods, means, and personnel by which its operations are to be conducted, technology needed, internal security practices, and relocation of its facilities; and maintain and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of governmental operations; determine the: services to be rendered, operations to be performed, and technology to be used; and overall methods, processes, means, and classes of work or personnel by which governmental operations are to be conducted; hire, direct, supervise, and assign employees; promote, demote, discipline, discharge, retain, and lay off employees; and terminate employment because of lack of funds, lack of work, under conditions where the employer determines continued work would be inefficient or nonproductive, or for other legitimate reasons; set the qualifications of employees for appointment and promotion, and set standards of conduct; adopt State or Department rules, regulations, or procedures; provide a system of merit employment according to the standard of business efficiency; and take actions not otherwise specified in this section to carry out the mission of the employer.