Bureaucratic ManagementEssay from the year 2007 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: A, University of Bradford, language: English, abstract: The theory of bureaucracy is one of the fundamental elements of the study of organisations and derives from the work of the German sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920) (Toye, 2006). A bureaucratic organisation is typified by formal processes, standardisation, hierarchic procedures, and written communication. When operated sensibly, bureaucracy is efficient because it benefits from economies of scale and avoids duplication of effort, whilst maintaining standards of quality (Ballé, 1999). Aim of this essay is to provide an overall understanding of bureaucratic management by illustrating why bureaucratic systems developed in the 19th century; how bureaucracy solved the problems and satisfied the needs of the last two centuries; which advantages and disadvantages derive from the main characteristics of bureaucracy; and to which extend bureaucratic management form is able to survive in the modern ever changing world. The first section of this paper comments on the Weberian characteristics of bureaucracy, in the way it has been used in recent organisation literature. Development and importance of those characteristics will be introduced and main advantages and disadvantages will be identified. In the second part reasons for the development of the bureaucratic model will be analysed and changes in the 19th century which caused the need for a bureaucratic approach will be illustrated. Moreover it will be shown how and to which extent the bureaucratic approach solved the problems of those times. The third section will demonstrate whether or not we are now working in a post-bureaucratic management tradition. The modern times, with its challenging environment and changing technologies will be analysed, along with the post-bureaucratic concept and its characteristics. As well the academic literature will be consulted in order to understand whether or not we are living in a post-bureaucratic management tradition. |
Common terms and phrases
20th century development Accessed via Metalib analysed argue authority Huczynski Ballé Buchanan Bureaucratic characteristics bureaucratic forms develop bureaucratic management bureaucratic model bureaucratic organisations Bureaucratic success bureaucratic to post-bureaucratic Castells characteristics of bureaucracy Clegg et al complex organisations corn stones development of Bureaucracy Dick economies of scale emerged employees enterprise and knowledge Fayol Fayol’s Administrative Principles Fineman form of organisation formal rules functional fundamental new ideas Ghoshal Goose-stepping Heckscher hierarchy Höpfl Huczynski et al ideal official impersonal and rational Impersonal relationship industrial age Industrial Revolution Josserand & Teo Journal of Organizational knowledge management London Luthans main characteristics manage Clegg Maravelias Max Weber 1864 modern Network enterprise organisation Clegg organisation Daft organisational forms organisational structure Organization Organizational Change Management ostensively separate organisations Pearson Education Pitsis Post-Bureaucratic management tradition post-bureaucratic organisation re-theorized recent organisation literature Robbins SAGE Publications Ltd Specialisation Taylor’s Scientific Management today’s Toye understanding of bureaucratic unity of command Vinelli Wikipedia.com