BUREAUCRACY

By Max Weber
 Bureaucracy

 Was first used and described by a German Sociologist Max Weber in

the 19th century.
 Also referred to as bureaucratic theory of management or the Max
Weber Theory
 Believed to be the most efficient way to set up an organizations and
administration
 Believed to be better than traditional structure
vs
 Definition
Bureau - which means an office transacting particular business or a
government department
Cracy - denotes a particular form of government.

Implies a system of government in which most of the decisions are taken by

state officials rather than by elected representatives. So bureaucracy is a form
of government run or managed by some officers.
A systematic structure that handles the everyday business of an organization.
 3 Types of Power in an
Organization
1. Traditional Power – is an authority that is legitimated by the sanctity of
tradition. The ability and right to rule is passed down,
often through heredity.

1. Charismatic Power – an authority found in a leader whose mission and

vision inspire others

3. Legal-rational Authority - is empowered by a formalistic belief in the content

of the law (legal) or natural law (rationality)
3 Elements that Support Bureaucratic
Management

All regular
Rules can easily within a
be respected bureaucracy
on the basis of can be
established regarded as
methods official duties

Management has the

authority to impose
rules and regulations
 Uniform application of
rules and controls,
not according to Management Principles of
personalities
Bureaucracy
Division
of Labor
Managers are Uniform
career Authorit application of
Career
professionals, not rules and
Orientati y
owners of units controls, not
on Hierarch according to
they manage
y personalities
BUREAUCRACY
Uniform Uniform
application of Impersonal Formal application of
rules and ity Selection rules and
controls, not controls, not
Formal
according to according to
personalities
Rules personalities
and
Regulatio
ns

Uniform application of
rules and controls, not
according to
personalities
 BENEFITS – DISADVANTAGES - PROBLEMS

BENEFITS DISADVANTAGES PROBLEMS

Large organizations with many
hierarchical layers can become
structured and worked effectively.
Established rules and procedures that
allows for high efficiency and consistent other and the organization, making them
execution of work by all employees.
Management can control and make
adjustments when necessary
Organization can deliver consistent
output due to clear process of service
Large amount of RED TAPE, paper works, Demotivation is high due less
many desks, certain office culture and opportunity to grow, voice
slow communication due to its many opinion, no participation in
hierarchical layers decision making
Employees fairly distanced from each Annoyance is felt by employees
due to various rules, regulations
less loyal and requirements.
Extremely dependent on regulatory and
policy compliance. This restricts
employees to come up with innovative
ideas, making them feel like just a number
instead of an individual.
The DICHOTOMY of Politics and
Public Administration
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson is regard as the founder or father of study of public
administration.

Seminal essay entitled “The Study of public administration” which was

published in the Political Science quarterly in 1887.

There was a need to reform the government and the reforms should be
in the field of public administration so as to make it more efficient
Reason why he wrote the Essay:
Wilson wrote his essay, “The Study of Public Administration” in the era
of the Progressive movement which covered the last two decades of
the nineteenth Century. In the United States, this movement was
developed in response to increasing Urbanization, immigration, the
seeming loss of traditional values, Corruption, etc. There was
maladministration due to rampant political corruption and the
Prevalence of the “spoils system” introduced by President Andrew
Jackson. Under this system only the loyal political supporters of the
Party’s Victorium at the Polls were appointed to administrative posts
As a consequence less qualified and sometimes Unqualified people
entered the Public service and contributed to the increasing
inefficiency of public administration.
Politics-Administration Dichotomy
It is theory that constructs the boundaries of public administration and
asserts the normative relationship between elected officials and
administrators in a democratic society.

Administration Politics
• The field of administration is • The field which concerns the
a field of business. allocation of public resources.

• It is separate from the hurry • Formulation of necessary

laws, proactive
and strife of politics.
implementation of laws
crafted, and efficient delivery
• Administration lies outside of public service
the proper sphere of politics
Politics-Administration Dichotomy

VOTERS
(CITIZENS)
Formulate laws
and policies

REPRESENTATIVES
(POLITICIANS)

Implement and
ADMINISTRATORS execute laws and
policies
Distinction between Politics and Administration or simply
DICHOTOMY:
Politics Administration
Deals with the “expression of the will of the people “ Deals with the “Execution of the will of the
people”.
Deals with Politicians Deals with Civil Servants
One becomes Politician by his popularity ,either One becomes Civil servants by his intelligence
through positive or negative popularity
Positive Popularity , e.g., Sonia Gandhi
Negative Popularity e.g. Poolan Devi

One becomes Politics through election One becomes civil servant through selection
Prior training is not given to politician Civil servants are professionals
Power is the Centre of study in politics i.e , process of Running administration successfully is the central
capturing and retaining power focus here