Bureaucratic Management
Max Weber gave the theory of Bureaucratic Management in 1915. Bureaucracy is a specific form of organization defined by complexity, division of labor, professional management, and hierarchical management control. Weber's theory has two essential elements - organizational hierarchy and rules-based management. Weber made a distinction between authority and power and advocated that authority must be given to the most competent and qualified people.
Bureaucratic management as one of the schools of classical management emphasizes the need for organizations to function based on professional management and hierarchical management control.
Weber (1864-1920), was a contemporary of Fayol and was one of the major contributors to the management school of thought. He observed that nepotism, which is the hiring of relatives in the organization, based on their relationships with owners and regardless of their professional competence, capabilities, and qualities was prevalent in most organizations. Weber (1915) felt that nepotism was not the right way of running an organization, was grossly unjust, and eventually hindered both the progress of individuals as well as growth or organizations. He, therefore, identified the characteristics of an ideal bureaucracy. According to Weber, bureaucracy represents the most efficient organizational design. Taylor emphasized the separation of planning and doing tasks.
Bureaucracy word is derived from the German word 'bur' and means “office”, referred to organizations that operated on a rational basis. According to Weber, "bureaucracy is a highly structured, formalized, and impersonal organization. In other words, it is a formal organization structure with a set of rules and regulations". Many leaders follow the bureaucratic leadership style.
Advantages of Bureaucracy
Nowadays, the term "bureaucracy" is used to denote excessively complicated administrative procedures with multilayered systems and processes. Clubbed with rigidness in operations with mountains of paperwork, procedures, and rules bureaucratic model is believed to slow down an organization's capacity to achieve stated goals. However, the bureaucratic characteristics of organizations outlined by Weber have certain advantages.
- It helps remove ambiguities and inefficiencies that characterize many organizations.
- Undermine the culture of patronage that he saw in many organizations.
- Competence and creativity thrive within a bureaucracy as bureaucracy demands a higher level of education and self-direction.
- The structure of bureaucracy creates more job security and provides a better work-life balance to the employees.
- In a bureaucracy impersonal relationships are formed, equality is respected and provides everyone an equal opportunity to succeed.
- In a bureaucracy, specific roles and duties are assigned that enable managers to supervise work and facilitates a team-based environment.
- It encourages specialization and promotes problem-solving and cost efficiencies by putting the best people at the best jobs.
Sources of Power
Weber also made a distinction between authority and power. Weber believed that power educes obedience through force or the threat of force which induces individuals to adhere to regulations. According to Max Weber, there are three types of power in an organization:-
- Traditional Power
- Charismatic Power
- Bureaucratic Power or Legal Power
Features of Bureaucracy:
- Division of Labor.
- Formal Hierarchical Structure.
- Selection based on Technical Expertise.
- Management by Rules.
- Written Documents.
- Only Legal Power is Important.
- Formal and Impersonal relations.
Suggested Reading and Resources
Related Links
You May Also Like
-
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory that explains that people are motivated by five basic categories of human needs. These needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. There is a little scientific basis for this concept of a hierarchy of needs.
-
There are four characteristics of leadership that help us to understand the character of leadership as a concept. 1. Leadership is a process, 2. Leadership involves influence, 3. Leadership always occurs in a group context and 4. Leadership involves goal attainment. These are the four components that make up the character of the 'leadership' term and help us to define the leadership concept. All of these components of leadership have common characteristics.
-
Management theories are the recommended management strategies that enable us to better understand and approach management. Many management frameworks and guidelines were developed during the last four decades.
-
Process & Stages of Creativity
Creative ideas do not come just like that. There is a process to it. There are a number of techniques of creativity to support the generation of ideas but the widely practiced ones are brainstorming and lateral thinking. Most innovations are not so much the product of sudden insights as they are the result of a conscious process that often goes through multiple stages. The creative process can be divided into four stages of preparation, incubation, evaluation, and implementation.
-
Modern Approaches to Management
The modern approaches to management look at organizational management in the current context. They take a holistic approach and look at organizations as a collection of interrelated parts influenced by both internal dynamics and also the larger external environment. These modern management theories have played a significant role in the evolution of management studies.
-
Quantitative Theory of Management
The quantitative management approach is given by the mathematical school that recommends the use of computers and mathematical techniques to solve complex management issues and assist in the managerial decision-making process. Managers observe historical quantitative relationships and use quantitative techniques such as statistics, information models, and computer simulations to improve their decision making.
-
Many different types of teams have been identified by social scientists. Managers may encounter the diverse types of challenges while managing different kinds of teams. Challenges associated with Cross-Functional Teams might be different from that of a Geographically Dispersed Team or a Virtual Team. This article explores some common categories and subtypes of teams.
-
Certain generally accepted truths or principles of communication are important to consider when communicating with others. These principles hold true for all people in every culture. By understanding these principles, you will experience greater communication effectiveness. An effective communication system is one that achieved its objectives. Communication is effective where there are no barriers to communication.
-
The ten most important qualities that define a good leader are self-awareness, interpersonal and communication skills, ethical values, organizational consciousness, self-confidence, adaptability and flexibility, imagination and creativity, focus & result-orientation, continuous self-development and accountability and ownership for his actions. These ten qualities of leadership every good leader should possess to a certain extent and must continually strive to develop them.
-
The best career choices are ones that match your values. Each person has several values that are important to him. These values are highly personal and knowing them provides a clearer sense of what's most important to you in your life and career. Career values are the beliefs you consider important from a work standpoint. Values help you understand what you want from a job? Explore a few examples of work values that can influence career path and job satisfaction.
