Bureaucracy and Modern Organization

If group is deemed a reference group, consider how this group affects or hasaffected your lifepersonally and/or professionally? If you select any organizations for youranalysis, consider Weber’s five characteristics of an ideal bureaucracy and suggest which (if any) of the characteristics are directly applicable to your organization. From personal experience, examine the positive and negative ramifications of operating within a bureaucratic structure.

There have been many bureaucracy practices throughout human history and in today’s world, while most of the practices are being criticized to be inhumane, and a threat to individual freedom both physically and mentally. Some argue that bureaucracy is the only efficient way of organizing a large population often not highly educated, while others states that bureaucracy would only shift power from individuals to the administrating party or the leader of the political

Bureaucracy is ahierarchical organization which follows strict rules and regulations in achieving desired goals and which has tendency to gain supremacy over other organizations. Famous German sociologist theorized ideal- type of bureaucracy. Max Weber thought bureaucracy is the highest efficient organization which falls under legal rational authority. Soon after the theory came out, like other theory, ideal-type bureaucracy theory encountered severe criticisms.Alvin Gouldner, Robert Merton, Phillip Selznick, Peter Blau are some of them who criticized the ideal-type of bureaucracy.

In sociological theories, bureaucracy denotes either a means of management, or a particular kind of organization. Such organizations tend to have homogenous characteristics, including regularized procedure, the existence of a discretionary budget, a tendency to expand their resources continuously and progressively, and impersonal relationships with much competition for political position within the organization. 'Bureau', is a French word meaning desk; thus, 'Bureaucracy' in literal sense is to manage through a desk or office, so a form of organization heavily involved with written documents or in these days their electronic equivalent. Most economic theories of bureaucracy

Bureaucracy is a term that has been coined by a French economist Vincent de tourney in 1745. In French bureau connotes desk. It is the systematic and organised body which makes it accountable for proper functioning. Its complexity and elaborate nature makes it reliable and error free. While the former can be a drawback, taking in to consideration the amount of time it takes and the large body of people involve, the latter is proving to make up for it. It can also be defined as a large scale. administrative, systematic and a well coordinated manner of carrying out organisational tasks and day to day activities. There are three types of power in organisations: Traditional, Charismatic and

The paper intends to discuss how bureaucratic organization expands in today’s modern societies in performing complex tasks efficiently and also further elaborates on how has it brings about the dysfunctions which leads to alienation and inefficiency in performing tasks. The paper also gives a brief idea on the advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy. Apart from that, the paper focuses on the implications faced in the organization mainly regarding the ever-changing technology, work knowledge, globalization as well as work service.

“Bureaucracy is an important and characteristic institution in modern societies.” (Dergisi, 1999) However, bureaucratic system has a long historical background in Europe and Asia. There are a lot of concepts and descriptions about bureaucracy. It can be look at from different point of views. Political scientists, sociologists, management’s scientists and economists have had studies on bureaucracy. (Dergisi, 1999)

There are many formal organizations in the world. Two of the major structures is the Japanese system and the bureaucratic system. Both structures have their equal importance in today’s development of the world economy. Bureaucracy is an organizational model rationally designed to perform tasks efficiently. Where as the Japanese work organization model is based on collective spirit to perform the tasks. (Macionis, J. (2012). Society: The basics (12th ed., p. 527). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: PEARSON.) There are various similarities and also differences between these two major formal organizations.

To Weber bureaucratic organization is a perfect method to apply on modern polity, the modern economy, the modern technology. Bureaucratic is type of organization that is very helpful to all other form of administration. How machine production is superior to handicraft methods, you may picture it this way. Max Weber a German sociologist proposed the theory known as principle of bureaucracy. Principle of bureaucracy is a theory which is widely applied in the 19th century. On Weber’s point of view, bureaucracy is the formal system of organization designed to improve the work done that is why he suggested an ideal model for management as bureaucratic approach. Other than that, Weber also talks about the basic principles of bureaucracy and emphasis on division of labour, hierarchy, detailed rules and impersonal relations in the book the theory of social and economic organizations.

According to Stephen P. Robbins and Mary Coulter in their book titled Management, bureaucracy can be defined as a form of organisation characterised by division of labour, a clearly defined hierarchy, detailed rules and regulations, and impersonal relationship.

Different scholars give definitions of bureaucracy. In the book “Managing&Oranizations” written by Clegg (2008,P.486), the concept of bureaucracy is summarized as “an organizational form consisting of a hierarchy of differentiated knowledge and expertise in which rules and disciplines are arranged not only hierarchically in regard to each other but also in parallel”. Weber (1948), who has significant influence on the formation of bureaucracy concept, considered that the formation, control and domination of any organization should be constructed from specific authority. However, LeEco Group is different.

In modern society a bureaucracy is defined as any system or government where important decisions are made by state appointed officials as opposed to elected officials. In the 1930’s, a German sociologist named Max Weber coined the term bureaucracy as an ideal way of organizing governmental agencies relating to civil service. A bureaucracy represents a governmental hierarchy in which a large number of people effectively work together towards a common goal. Weber’s belief on bureaucracies quickly spread to private organizations as an effective way to organize businesses as well.

Rhodes (2005), mentioned that (Weber, 1947), (Fayol, 1949) and (Taylor, 1947) were the significant contributors of Classical approach. They all set a bunch of principles that would be useful and helpful for the organizational works. Classical organizational theorists believed that there is a best way to design and create an organizational structure. The best way to create an organization according to Weber (1947) is ‘Bureaucracy’. The five main elements of Bureaucratic model were ‘A Staff’, ‘A division of labour’, ‘The hierarchy’,

The term organisation behaviour according to Stephen P Robbins is “A field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization 's effectiveness” (2000). It is the continuing study of attitudes and behaviour employees demonstrate and is concerned about physiological, behavioural and interpersonal dynamics in an organisation. This essay will focus on the study of rational organisation theory of bureaucratic management, based on the German sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920). It will focus on four main areas of bureaucratic management. Firstly, how Weber describes the rationality of society has introduced bureaucratization of society and how this has effected organisational behaviour amongst society. Secondly, how the organisational behaviour of bureaucracy can create proven organisational success. Thirdly, it will approach alternative organisational studies; thus being autonomous organisation theory and the also known as social organisation. Lastly, this essay will address the criticisms of Weber’s organisational behaviour study, and the disadvantages of bureaucracy has on success.

1. A Bureaucracy is an administrating group of management within the government or large institution that is comprised of a group of people with varying levels of authority. Bureaucracies are typically organized in hierarchical authority, with the manager/president of the bureaucracy at the top of the pyramid and appointed workers at the bottom. Bureaucracies are appointed to managing a certain issue, a specified department, corporation, etc. In addition, a bureaucracy follows a fixed set of rules and procedures to administer and implement in their specified department, institution, organization, etc.