Weber

In his book, Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies do and why they do it, James Q. Wilson’s main objective is to better define the behavior of governmental bureaucracy, believing traditional organizational and economic theory does not adequately explain their actions. Wilson believes that government agencies are doomed to be perceived as inefficient entities by the public. He gives examples of commonly held perceptions of bureaucracies and reveals how these are mostly misconceptions. He points to the environment of bureaucracy, where rules and procedures, dictate goals, along with context, constraints, values, and norms.

Osborne and Gaebler argue that the American bureaucratic model was created and developed during the economic depression and two World Wars, which was appropriate and worked superbly. At that time, people wanted security, stability, fairness, and equity from government. The government put more emphasis on stability rather than quality. But today, the American public wants increased quality and choice of goods and services, flexible and adaptable institution that empower citizens rather than serving them. Therefore, there are three major weaknesses of bureaucracy which are not in accordance with the current condition: the bureaucratic model was rigidly hierarchical, focused on regulating the process, and far away from flexibility and creativity.

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.

According to Morgan he describes how organizations “are designed like machines, and their employees are in essence expected to behave as if they were parts of the machine” (Morgan, 13). Organizations that are “designed and operated as if they were machines are … usually called bureaucracies” (Morgan, 13). One of the benefits of having a bureaucracy is that it allows employees to work on one key function of the organization. It can enhance the organization’s internal controls and safeguard its assets by making people responsible to depend on others in order to carry out a specific

The most prominent model of bureaucracy was formulated by German Sociologist Max Weber during the nineteenth century. Webster’s model was formulated from the rampant patronage systems that existed during his time. Webster’s model proposed a solution for more professionally and efficiently managed merit-based organizations.Webster’s model however, represented a broad framework rather than an all encompassing model, complete in every detail.The central goal of Webster’s model was to make possible an optimum degree of control.Weber's bureaucratic theory emphasized the need for a hierarchical structure of power. It recognized the importance of division of labor and specialization. A formal set of rules was bound into the hierarchy structure to insure stability and uniformity. Weber also put forth the notion that organizational behavior is a network of human interactions, where all behavior could be understood by looking at cause and effect. He prescribed these five key elements(1) division of labor and functional specialization, (2) hierarchy, (3) maintenance of files and other records, and

The bureaucratic model of leadership is based on the concept of fixed duties that are maintained through a hierarchy of authority. Max Weber (1800) believed that organizations had one critical weakness and that was closely interacting with employees and simulating a family or community like environment. He believed that the only way that and organisation could be run was by separating work and pleasure and ensuring that employees followed a stick code of conduct which would be enforced and managed by more trustworthy and higher ranking employees. However while prominent for over a century the bureaucratic management model has become scarcely used in the last few decades as more and more organisations seem to be gradually reverting to pre bureaucratic values. Organisations like Valve and Google have cause the diminishment of the

However, despite Max Weber’s theory that bureaucracies are like iron “iron cages” that are a efficient form of administration. Prior to modern government reform patronage, spoils, and bribery were just part of the political environment for Public Administrators. In today’s, modern government Public Administrators are hired based on the merit and technical qualifications that secure the individual can carry out the duties of the office. However, Public Administrators are forced to work in a hierarchical organization

It has been identified by earlier scholars such as Robert Merton that there are four imperative traits, which most bureaucrats develop as a result of their work. (Merton; Goodsell 94) One would be a lack of adaptability in the workforce. This happens due to the fact that each agency is filled with workers with a specific skill set that would aid them in that job position and make it hard for their skill to be used in a separate job. The second trait would be that the bureaucrats are sticklers for the rules. The need for following the rules and guidelines can cause them to loose sight of the big picture such as the original goal. The third trait would be that due to the fact that most hold their positions for long periods of time they may become hyper-conscious and attached to it. The Fourth and final trait Merton mentioned in the article would be that the need to follow the rules causes them to overlook the fact that they are serving another person. Sometimes they lose sight of the fact that they are dealing with individuals (Merton; Goodsell

Specialization, departmentalization, unity of command, and span of control are the principles of the organizational structure. Bureaucracies usually have the characteristics of a set application of rules and a standard way of getting things done. Both however have their positive and negative aspects to it. What we understand about a set way of doing things is that it holds fairness in high regards. If specialization is key though,

Bureaucracies are meant to be efficient and get the job done, but their process of going about it isn’t always right. The way they are ran can result in the dehumanization of their workers, and can make them feel as if they’re parts of a machine rather than actual human beings. They are stuck in, as Weber called it, an iron cage because their lives are dictated by multiple rules and guidelines that they have to follow. This layout which is meant to be efficient, can end up being the exact opposite of that. Regardless whether or not bureaucracies are successfully completing their task, there’s a high chance that on the inside there is dissatisfied, improperly trained workers unable to act like anything but robots.

The second model of bureaucratic dysfunction describes rational individuals working within an organization which is structured irrationally. It is difficult to control an individual’s self-interest in conjunction with the goals

Weber's discussion of authority relations also provides insight into what is happening in the modern world. Weber distinguished three main types of authority: Traditional authority, Rational-legal authority and Charismatic authority.

Bureaucracy was one of the most popular theories developed and is used in some modern organisations such as the NHS and the Police. Through the years bureaucracy has developed a bad reputation for de-humanizing jobs (Grey, 30) “In the ideal-type, people are no more than parts in a well-oiled machine –devoid of passion, prejudice and personality”, although some people prefer this structure (Handy, 22) “No one, it seems, approves of bureaucracy except, interestingly, lots of people in organisations who like to know where they stand.”

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.

Weber’s bureaucratic approach focuses on the importance of hierarchy by putting great emphasis on the use of rules, procedures and making impartial personnel decisions when managing. He put great emphasis on the jurisdiction, explaining that work should be “divided according to type and purpose” staying within the correct working unit just as the organization’s rules and laws would state (Milakovich, et. al., 2013, p. 146). A hierarchy would be established with a chain of command clearly identifying a system of super- and