...ABSTRACT Bureaucracy is all about the rules and regulations to manage a particular activity in the organization. This paper is about how bureaucracy used in old organizations and how it affected the processes of new organizations. It explains how bureaucracy is not applicable in today’s business environment because of many facts. As years went through there was a drastic change in the operations of the organisation. The concern moved from organization to customer service, so the bureaucratic organizations changed their strategy from bureaucracy to customer service, this include government organizations also. Different authors thought about issue the issue different and this is explained in a very lucid language in this paper. INTRODUCTION TO BUREACRACY In the 18th century, officials of the French government demoted bureaucracy as desk cloth cover. Bureau means the official body which is engaged in the office which is public. This body uses the required implemental material and files. The term bureaucracy derived from the word bureau. (Reinhard Bendix,1968) According to Blau(1965), bureaucracy is defined as “The type of organization designed to accomplish large scale administrative tasks by systematically coordinating the work of many individuals.” However, Weber(1958) defined bureaucracy in a very scientific and systematic way. This means that technology became an important reason for the growth of organizations where bureaucracy is used. In the strict bureaucratic...
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...substantial differences between the two. Personnel Management focuses more on the management of employees and dealing with administrative tasks such as employment laws, contractual obligations and the payroll of the company, encompassing the range of activities to do with managing the workforce rather than resources. Human Resource Management takes a strategic approach to the overall management of not only workers, but their workplace and environment, focusing on aspects such as the safety, wellness, benefits, motivation, development and organization of employees. It can be said that Personnel Management is workforce centered; being largely about mediating between management and employees, while Human Resource Management is resource centered; concentrating on the planning, monitoring and control aspects of resources. There are four major stages in the evolution of Personnel and Human Resource Management as we know it today; social justice human bureaucracy consent by negotiation organization and integration Social justice Social justice was the budding stage in Human Resource Management, dating back to the 19th Century, when the work of social reformers such as Lord Shaftesbury and Robert Owen led to the appointment of the first personnel managers. Lord Shaftesbury was the leader of the Factory Reform Movement in the House of Commons and a key...
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...has recently been questioned by certain sociologists and interpreted instead as the "shell as hard as steel".[2][3] Weber wrote: “ | In Baxter’s view the care for external goods should only lie on the shoulders of the 'saint like a light cloak, which can be thrown aside at any moment.' But fate decreed that the cloak should become an iron cage."[4] | ” | Weber became concerned with social actions and the subjective meaning that humans attach to their actions and interaction within specific social contexts. He also believed in idealism, which is the belief that we only know things because of the meanings that we apply to them. This led to his interest in power and authority in terms of bureaucracy and rationalization. Rationalization and bureaucracy[edit] Weber states, “the course of development involves… the bringing in of calculation into the traditional brotherhood, displacing the old religious relationship.”[5] Modern society was becoming characterized by its shift in the motivation of individual behaviors.[3] Social actions were becoming based on efficiency instead of the old types of social actions, which were based on lineage or kinship. Behavior had become dominated by goal-oriented rationality and less by...
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...The bureaucracy is an agent for the fulfilment of the policies of the government. Rigid neutrality and rigorous impartiality regarding political issues are the basis of official conduct. Democratic objectives would be impossible to attain in modern society without a bureaucratic organisation to implement them. Bureaucratisation usually concentrates power in a few men and curtails the freedom of the individual, which is essential for democracy. Bureaucracy endangers democratic freedom but at the same time it serves important functions in a democratic society, which must not be ignored. Whatever the present state of administration, it seems clear that the art of administration implies democracy, which must be built on understanding of hierarchy as the structure of responsibility. The bureaucracy is an instrument to carryout public will, and this is expressed by parliament in the form of law. The principles of Weberian bureaucracy seem to be in use in the Bangladesh bureaucracy. Our bureaucratic institutions are centralised and hierarchical, they are professional and impersonal, and the staff is chosen on the basis of examinations. These principles might have worked well in Weber's day when the tasks were relatively simple and straightforward. But the world has changed rapidly: the situation is characterised by technological revolution, global economic competition, free markets, educated workforces, demanding customers and severe fiscal constraints. Bureaucracy has become too...
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...2014 BEAURACRACY, A CONTENTIOUS NECESSITY VINOD NANNAWARE TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES M2014HRM062 BUREAUCRACY, A CONTENTIOUS NECESSITY VINOD NANNAWARE, M2014HRM062 Charges of corruption, Policy paralysis like situations and leadership conflicts resulted in historic downfall of grand old party of the country and new era of governance started in India. ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’, one of the massively used and successfully scripted election propaganda did wonders for ‘party with difference’. No one ever imagined it would become an election campaign agenda, but astute Narendra Modi who played all of his cards very smartly in the LS poll 2014, knows the importance of using right words at right time. Many eminent scholars and economist all across globe blamed bureaucratic functioning and policy paralysis of UPA-2 as one of the main reasons of this defeat. Hence this historic victory of Modi led NDA puts number of questions in front of modern day sociologist, especially those who follows and believes in Marx Weber Ideas of Bureaucracy. Looking this phenomenon as only one of its kind or merely just an accident will lead to falsified inference about changing economical and social realities in modern India. After assuming the power the way in which team Modi has been tackling most of the pending issues surprised many of us. In fact governments last 2 months report card shows that our beliefs such as set of rules and regulations are inevitable part of government...
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... Weber’s name synonymous with bureaucracy Whether we live under most totalitarian despotism or under most liberal democracy, we are governed to considerable extent by some form of Bcy… De Gourney coined the term in 1745… Initially it meant Government by Officials… Marx’s critique of Bcy precedes Weber’s formulation… Bata K Dey views on Bcy… Structural, Behavioural, Purposive aspects Structural-> Value Neutral… Phenomenon associated with any large scale orgn Behavioural-> showing some functional and pathological symptoms Purposive-> Orgn that maximizes efficiency Rise of Bureaucracy Max Weber 1. Creation of Money Economy… System of rewarding Bcrats by land etc tended to turn Bcy feudal and led to its disintegration…. Money Economy permits payment of secure regular salaries 2. Emergence of Capitalist Economy… Created needs that only Bcratic. orgn. Could satisfy… Capitalism requires abd encourages government based on Bcratic. Orgn. Also not only govt. but pvt. Enterprise also started following Bcratic principles to enhance rationality… 3. Trend towards rationality in Western Countries… Protestantism, Devt. Of Science and Technology, Capitalism etc. 4. Democracy… Elimination of traditional rule of nobles and feudal elements and encouraging education and appointment to office on basis of Knowledge 5. Growth in Population… Larger orgn. Tend to assume Bcratic. Forms 6. Govt becam Complex… Like constructing waterways, provision of social services etc. 7. Modern forms of...
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...Max Weber’s Bureaucracy Written by Dr. Wasim Al-Habil College of Commerce The Islamic University of Gaza Beginning with Max Weber, bureaucracies have been regarded as mechanisms that rationalize authority and decision-making in society. Yet subsequent theorists have questioned the rationality of bureaucracies. Which features of modern-day public bureaucracies are rational? Which are not? Buttress your argument with citations from organization and/or public administration theories. Introduction: Max Weber’s work about bureaucracy, translated into English in 1946, was one of the major contributions that has influenced the literature of public administration. However, Van Riper (1997) argues that the work of Weber on bureaucracy has no influence on American PA until the 1950’s. The word bureaucracy is derived from two words; “bureau” and “Kratos.” While the word “bureau” refers to the office the Greek suffix “kratia or kratos” means power or rule. Thus we use the word “bureaucracy” to refer to the power of the office (Hummel, 1998, 307). “Bureaucracy” is rule conducted from a desk or office, i.e. by the preparation and dispatch of written documents and electronic ones. Bureaucracy is borrowed by the field of public administration (PA) from the field of sociology. It was borrowed by PA in much a similar way that practices of business were borrowed from the field of business administration and economics. Weber (1946) presents bureaucracy as both a scientific...
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...be duplicated by several teams. Poorly defined working roles may prove ineffective where team members are unaware of the scope of their roles, and thus desired or necessary work is not carried out. Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/adhocracy.asp#ixzz2Dxb4zHsW Bureaucracy and Adhocracy The main aim of any organisation is to reach certain predetermined goals. In an attempt to survive and obtain this goals effectively, certain decisions must be made as to what type of structure the organisation will posses which will entail guidance for individuals associated with the group as per their duties and day to day activities. Ultimately determining how efficiently the desired goals will be acquired. Questions this structure will need to confront will include the amount of specialisation in areas of work and responsibility, the levels of management and their consequent size, the grouping of departments together for functionality of expertise, and the kind of integrative mechanism for control over work done. One of the more common types of organisational structures found within today’s society that has attempted to answer these questions of direction and efficiency is known as Bureaucracy. The Bureaucratic model in itself is not a functioning organisational structure within itself, but more of a hypothetical guide to creating ones own business design based on...
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...Max Weber’s Bureaucracy Written by Dr. Wasim Al-Habil College of Commerce The Islamic University of Gaza Beginning with Max Weber, bureaucracies have been regarded as mechanisms that rationalize authority and decision-making in society. Yet subsequent theorists have questioned the rationality of bureaucracies. Which features of modern-day public bureaucracies are rational? Which are not? Buttress your argument with citations from organization and/or public administration theories. Introduction: Max Weber’s work about bureaucracy, translated into English in 1946, was one of the major contributions that has influenced the literature of public administration. However, Van Riper (1997) argues that the work of Weber on bureaucracy has no influence on American PA until the 1950’s. The word bureaucracy is derived from two words; “bureau” and “Kratos.” While the word “bureau” refers to the office the Greek suffix “kratia or kratos” means power or rule. Thus we use the word “bureaucracy” to refer to the power of the office (Hummel, 1998, 307). “Bureaucracy” is rule conducted from a desk or office, i.e. by the preparation and dispatch of written documents and electronic ones. Bureaucracy is borrowed by the field of public administration (PA) from the field of sociology. It was borrowed by PA in much a similar way that practices of business were borrowed from the field of business administration and economics. Weber (1946) presents bureaucracy as both a scientific...
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...Maybe it is time to rediscover bureaucracy? Johan P. Olsen Working Paper No.10, March 2005 http://www.arena.uio.no 1 Abstract The paper questions the fashionable ideas, that bureaucratic organization is an obsolescent, undesirable and non-viable form of administration, and that there is an inevitable and irreversible paradigmatic shift towards market- or network organization. In contrast, the paper argues that contemporary democracies are involved in another round in a perennial debate and ideological struggle over what are desirable forms of administration and government, that is, a struggle over institutional identities and institutional balances. The argument is not that bureaucratic organization is a panacea and the answer to all challenges of public administration. Rather, bureaucratic organization is part of a repertoire of overlapping, supplementary and competing forms co-existing in contemporary democracies, and so are market-organization and network-organization. Rediscovering Weber’s analysis of bureaucratic organization, then, enriches our understanding of public administration. This is in particular true when we (a) include bureaucracy as an institution, and not only an instrument; (b) look at the empirical studies in their time and context, and not only at Weber’s ideal-types and predictions; and (c) take into account the political and normative order bureaucracy is part of, and not only the internal characteristics of “the bureau”...
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...authority is based on traditions and customs that the leader has the legitimate right to use authority. Charismatic authority is the belief that the leader whose mission and visions will inspire others. Legitimate authority is based on formal, system of rules. In the 1930s, Weber introduced that the bureaucratic form as being the ideal way of organizing government agencies. This soon became popular in both the private and public sectors. Weber believes that the development of rational forms to be the most important characteristics in the development of Western society and capitalism. He considered the traditional and charismatic forms as irrational. Rationality is based on reasoning, calculation and logic. One of the many types of rationality includes the formal rationality. The notion of formal rationality is important to the emergence of industrial capitalism as capitalism values reason, calculation and precision, science and logic. Formal rationality is a form of rationality that characterizes bureaucratic organizations. Bureaucracy refers to the execution of tasks that are governed by official administrative and formal rules of an organization. Weber’s bureaucratic management theory focuses on dividing organizations into hierarchies with authorities and control. The ideal type is extreme, empirically based and yardstick for comparison. Weber has 6 major principles for his ideal type of management style. Firstly, the organization has a formal hierarchical structure, which refers to...
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...| A bureaucracy is the most effective organisational structure The bureaucracy consist of a suffix cracy which derives from Greek word kratis, means power or rule which is exercised by bureaucrats who sit behind their bureaux, or desks making and administering the rules that are to guide organisation activity. In bureaucrats organisation the highest position has ultimate power to running the organisation (Morgan, 2006). Weber a German sociologist, studies the bureaucracy structure and mainly on power and authority. He pointed out definitions of tasks and responsibilities within the structure of management gives rise to a permanent administration, regulation of work procedures and change in the actual holders of office. The term of bureaucracy has been criticised as official rules and processes that seem unnecessary (red tape) and cause delays although, it only applies to certain structural features of formal organisations. Weber analysed it as idea type which is the most characteristic feature of all known organisations. He saw the development of bureaucracies as a very important part in human social life. In bureaucratic organisation the tasks are allocated as official duties among the various positions. A hierarchical authority applies to the organisation of offices and positions. Uniformity of decisions and action is achieved through formally established systems of rules and regulations. Together with a structure of authority, this enables the co-ordination of various...
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...achieve their purpose and goals, and nearly every firm needs to undergo reorganization at some point to help meet new challenges. Structural changes are needed to reflect new strategies or respond to changes in other contingency factors such as environment, technology, size and life cycle, and culture. The following essay seeks to critically analyze and discuss the realignments that have taken place in the Zambian bureaucracy since the last quarter of 2011 with reference to the body of knowledge on organization structure and design. In the period between October, 2010 - September 2012, the government of the Republic of Zambia has made pronouncements to change the public service organization structure. This has been as a result of the change of government following the Patriotic Front under the leadership of Micheal Chilufya Sata (PF) ousting the Movement for Multiparty Development (MMD), this was in the September, 2011 Zambia general elections. Ludwig (1944, defines bureaucracy as a personnel and administrative structure of an organization, implying that the bureaucracy of any organization is a structure that has got positions with people carrying on day to day activities. Organizational structure is the hierarchical arrangement of lines of authority, communications, rights and duties of an organization. It determines how the roles, power and responsibilities are assigned, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between the different levels of management. A structure...
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...achieve their purpose and goals, and nearly every firm needs to undergo reorganization at some point to help meet new challenges. Structural changes are needed to reflect new strategies or respond to changes in other contingency factors such as environment, technology, size and life cycle, and culture. The following essay seeks to critically analyze and discuss the realignments that have taken place in the Zambian bureaucracy since the last quarter of 2011 with reference to the body of knowledge on organization structure and design. In the period between October, 2010 - September 2012, the government of the Republic of Zambia has made pronouncements to change the public service organization structure. This has been as a result of the change of government following the Patriotic Front under the leadership of Micheal Chilufya Sata (PF) ousting the Movement for Multiparty Development (MMD), this was in the September, 2011 Zambia general elections. Ludwig (1944, defines bureaucracy as a personnel and administrative structure of an organization, implying that the bureaucracy of any organization is a structure that has got positions with people carrying on day to day activities. Organizational structure is the hierarchical arrangement of lines of authority, communications, rights and duties of an organization. It determines how the roles, power and responsibilities are assigned, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between the different levels of management. A structure...
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...Table of contents Introduction The loyalty The bureaucracy of Japan Face-saving The increasing stress Introduction For discussing about the culture of the Japanese companies, we think that the type of the culture in Japan business is the task type. In Charles Handy’s theory, there are four types of behavioral characteristics: Zeus (power); Apollo (role); Athena (task); Dionysus (personal). We think that the Japanese culture is the task culture. The task culture is job- or project- oriented. Much of the power and influence lies at the connecting points of the organization. The whole emphasis of the task culture is on getting the job done. It is the job of manager to be concerned with the continuous and successful solution to problems. Influence is based on expert power rather than on position. The task culture uses the unifying power of the group to improve efficiency and to link individuals with the objectives of the organization. It is appropriate where flexibility and sensitivity to the external environment is important, and where speed of reactions is important. Groups, project teams or task forces are formed for a specific purpose and can be reformed, abandoned or continued. The organization works quickly, since each group ideally contains all the decision-making powers required. Individuals find in this culture a high degree of control over their, judgment by results and easy working relationships within the...
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