Share your views about the summary below with Max Weber thoughts on Bureacracy a

Question

Share your views about the summary below with Max Weber thoughts on Bureacracy and if you think Bureaucracy is good,ugly or bad in a minimum of 150 words.

Make the case for and against bureaucracy. What is the good, the bad, and the ugly of how bureaucratic organizations work? Discuss fully the contributions of Max Weber in terms of the formal structure of bureaucracy as noted in Chapter 2 of the Stillman text.

Bureaucracy is the foundation of our country since having fought for freedom from an overbearing monarchy. It gave the answers to not only what to do next as a country but how to do it.  In my opinion, bureaucracy is the less of the three evils when compared to traditional or charismatic approaches of authority. In this, "legal-rational" approach of bureaucracy, rules are applied, and justice is meant to be carried out logically (Stillman, p51, 2010). The idea behind this is to negate the subjective decisions of individuals which can be biased and influenced. Because power is dispersed between numerous entities and in public structures, such as the government has levels, the idea is to avoid an overbearing ruler or dictatorship (Stillman, 2010). The formal structure of bureaucracy, in the Stillman text, consists of the rules and regulations of this "machine" in which certain appointees or leaders of the "machine" serve a specific purpose (specialization, rules, division of labor,) and have the experience and training to carry out their role (Stillman ,p53,2010). Their work is done in a professional and office setting that is to be separate from personal affairs. Their movement can be vertical but is tenured or earned by seniority or election (hierarchy) (Stillman ,p53, 2010). Also, according to Max Weber's ideals, bureaucracy is a permanent structure. Once implemented, it cannot be undone, not without complete chaos (Stillman , 60, 2010).  

Of course, there are many advantages and disadvantages that we see every day in bureaucratic structures. Advantages include the ability of professionals to move up within a role, and that decisions must be made in a "methodical" way that follows laws and rights of people. As noted in the Stillman text, Max Weber pointed out that the bureaucratic approach to conducting affairs can result in more "precise work" which can lead to lower costs as well (Stillman,p 59, 2010). Some disadvantages is that humanity is removed from much of the decision making since it is expected to be objective and methodical. Political influence can place individuals in leadership positions in which their work reflects their interests, and this then trickles down the bureaucraticstructure. The ugly is how difficult it can be to undo acts that have been done and found not just at all; leaders replace each other and have to take on a slew of policy or structural change of those that may have failed before them. This may include changing the leadership or department heads just to make one small change. The ugly, is that bureaucratic structure tends to reflect what the very majority reflects, and the trickling down of this can lead to entire groups being oppressed. The undoing, like Max Weber stated, can seem impossible (Stillman , 60, 2010) .

Explanation / Answer

Max Weber theory. He believed bureaucracy was the most efficient way to set up an organization, administration and organizations. Max Weber believed it was a better than traditional structures. In a bureaucracy, everyone is treated equal and the division of labour is clearly described for each employee.

What is bureaucracy? Bureaucracy definition: “Bureaucracy is an organizational structure that is characterized by many rules, standardized processes, procedures and requirements, number of desks, meticulous division of labour and responsibility, clear hierarchies and professional, almost impersonal interactions between employees”.

Legal responsibility: According to the bureaucratic theory of Max Weber, three types of power can be found in organizations; traditional power, charismatic power and legal power. He refers in his bureaucratic theory to the latter as a bureaucracy. All aspects of a democracy are organized on the basis of rules and laws, making the principle of established jurisdiction prevail.

The following three elements support bureaucratic management:

Max Weber’s bureaucratic management principles

Below is a more detailed explanation of the 6 bureaucratic management principles:

1. Task specialization/ Organization by functional specialty: Work is to be done by specialists, and people are organized into units based on the type of work they do or skills they have. Every employee is responsible for what he/she does best and knows exactly what is expected of him/her. By dividing work on the basis of specialization, the organization directly benefits. Each department has specific powers. As a result, there is a delineation of tasks and managers can approach their employees more easily when they do not stick to their tasks. Every employee knows exactly what is expected of him/ her and what his/ her powers are within the organization. Every employee has a specific place within the organization and is expected to solely focus on his/ her area of expertise. Going beyond your responsibilities and taking on tasks of colleagues is not permitted within a bureaucracy.

2. Hierarchical authority/ A formal hierarchical structure: Each level controls the level below and is controlled by the level above. A formal hierarchy is the basis of central planning and centralized decision making. Managers are organized into hierarchical layers, where each layer of management is responsible for its staff and overall performance. In a bureaucracy, there are many hierarchical positions. This is essentially the trademark and foundation of a bureaucracy. Hierarchy is a system in which different positions are related in order of precedence and in which the highest rung on the ladder has the greatest power. The bottom layers are always subject to supervision and control of higher layers. This hierarchy reflects lines of communication and the degree of delegation and clearly lays out how powers and responsibilities are divided.

3. Formal selection/ Employment based on technical qualifications: Tasks are divided into simple, routine categories on the basis of competencies and functional specializations. All employees are selected on the basis of technical skills and competences, which have been acquired through training, education and experience. One of the basic principles is that employees are paid for their services and that level of their salary is dependent on their position. Their contract terms are determined by organizational rules and requirements and the employee has no ownership interest in the company.

4. Rules and requirements/ Management by rules: Controlling by rules allows decisions made at high levels to be executed consistently by all lower levels. Formal rules and requirements are required to ensure uniformity, so that employees know exactly what is expected of them. In this sense, the rules and requirements can be considered predictable. All administrative processes are defined in the official rules. By enforcing strict rules, the organization can more easily achieve uniformity and all employee efforts can be better coordinated. The rules and requirements are more or less stable and always formalized in so-called official reports. Should new rules and requirements be introduced, then senior management or directors are responsible for this.

5. Impersonal/ Purposely impersonal: The idea is to treat all employees equally and customers equally, and not be influenced by individual differences. Regulations and clear requirements create distant and impersonal relationships between employees, with the additional advantage of preventing nepotism or involvement from outsiders or politics. These impersonal relationships are a prominent feature of bureaucracies. Interpersonal relationships are solely characterized by a system of public law and rules and requirements. Official views are free from any personal involvement, emotions and feelings. Decisions are solely made on the basis of rational factors, rather than personal factors.

6. Career orientation/ An "up-focused" or "in-focused" mission: If the mission is described as "up-focused," then the organization's purpose is to serve the stockholders, the board, or whatever agency empowered it. If the mission is to serve the organization itself, and those within it, e.g., to produce high profits, to gain market share, or to produce a cash stream, then the mission is described as "in-focused."

Employees are selected on the basis of their expertise. This helps in the deployment of the right people in the right positions and thereby optimally utilizing human capital. In a bureaucracy, it is possible to build a career on the basis of experience and expertise. As a result, it offers lifetime employment. The right division of labour also allows employees to specialize themselves further, so that they may become experts in their own field and significantly improve their performance.

Bureaucracy is how we drive the organisation towards its growth. But bureaucracy has its black image for it being misused by the powerful bureaucrats who start acting in their self vested interest rather than the interet of the public whose service they have been assigned.

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