“Bureaucracy refers to a specific set of structural arrangements. The dominant structural definition of Bureaucracy, indeed the point of departure for all further analyses on the subject, is that of the German sociologist Max Weber” (Shafritz and Russell, 2005, p.234).
In Weber’s view, formalization, hierarchy, and other central features of Bureaucracy render the individual bureaucrat ‘only a single clog in ever-morning mechanism which prescribes to him an essentially fixed route of march’ (Shafritz and Russel, 2005, p. 267).
Max Weber used an ‘ideal type’ approach to extrapolate from the real world the central core of features that would characterize the most fully developed bureaucratic form of organisation (Shafritz and Russel, 2005, p.234). …show more content…
111). He believed that there were three types of authority- ‘Legitimations of dominance’: the traditional - such as the authority of a tribal chief; the charismatic – the appeal of an extraordinary leader; and rational/legal authority (Gerth and Mills, 1970, p. 78-80)(Cited in Hughes 2012). Rational/Legal authority is contrasted with the other forms of authority, which were essentially irrational and extra-legal, because of its modernity and efficiency (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 48). Weber set of six principles for the modern systems of Bureaucracy deriving from the idea of rational/legal authority (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 48). Weber’s first principle “The principle of fixed and official jurisdictional areas, which are generally ordered by rules, that is by laws or administrative regulations” The meaning of his first principle is that no other form of authority is to be followed. His second principle states that “The principles of office hierarchy and of levels of graded authority mean a firmly ordered system of super- and subordination in which …show more content…
Only when files physically exist the organisation can be consistent with the applications of the rules. The fourth principle outlines that administration is a specialist occupation, one deserving of through training; it is not something that can be done by just anyone. The principle states that “Office management, at least all specialized office management – and such management is distinctly modern – usually presupposes through and expert training” (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 49). Weber’s fifth principle outlines that working for the Bureaucracy is a full-time occupation, not the secondary activity it once was. This principle states “When the office is fully developed, official activity demands the full working capacity of the official … Formerly, in all cases, the normal state of affairs was reversed: official business was discharged as a secondary activity” (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 49). The final principle, “The management of the office follows general rules, which are more or less stable, more or less exhaustive, and which can be learned. Knowledge of these rules represents a special technical learning
In Weber’s view, formalization, hierarchy, and other central features of Bureaucracy render the individual bureaucrat ‘only a single clog in ever-morning mechanism which prescribes to him an essentially fixed route of march’ (Shafritz and Russel, 2005, p. 267).
Max Weber used an ‘ideal type’ approach to extrapolate from the real world the central core of features that would characterize the most fully developed bureaucratic form of organisation (Shafritz and Russel, 2005, p.234). …show more content…
111). He believed that there were three types of authority- ‘Legitimations of dominance’: the traditional - such as the authority of a tribal chief; the charismatic – the appeal of an extraordinary leader; and rational/legal authority (Gerth and Mills, 1970, p. 78-80)(Cited in Hughes 2012). Rational/Legal authority is contrasted with the other forms of authority, which were essentially irrational and extra-legal, because of its modernity and efficiency (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 48). Weber set of six principles for the modern systems of Bureaucracy deriving from the idea of rational/legal authority (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 48). Weber’s first principle “The principle of fixed and official jurisdictional areas, which are generally ordered by rules, that is by laws or administrative regulations” The meaning of his first principle is that no other form of authority is to be followed. His second principle states that “The principles of office hierarchy and of levels of graded authority mean a firmly ordered system of super- and subordination in which …show more content…
Only when files physically exist the organisation can be consistent with the applications of the rules. The fourth principle outlines that administration is a specialist occupation, one deserving of through training; it is not something that can be done by just anyone. The principle states that “Office management, at least all specialized office management – and such management is distinctly modern – usually presupposes through and expert training” (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 49). Weber’s fifth principle outlines that working for the Bureaucracy is a full-time occupation, not the secondary activity it once was. This principle states “When the office is fully developed, official activity demands the full working capacity of the official … Formerly, in all cases, the normal state of affairs was reversed: official business was discharged as a secondary activity” (Gerth and Mills, 1970) (Cited in Hughes, 2012, p. 49). The final principle, “The management of the office follows general rules, which are more or less stable, more or less exhaustive, and which can be learned. Knowledge of these rules represents a special technical learning