POLS 2250 FINAL ESSAY (1)

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TAKE-HOME FINAL ESSAY 1 Take-Home Final Essay Carlo Martinez University of Guelph POLS 2250: Public Administration and Governance Professor Mau April 17, 2023

TAKE-HOME FINAL ESSAY 2 Max Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy The theoretical foundations of an organization are relatively diverse and have adopted a comprehensive range of methodological techniques, conceptual frameworks, and levels of examination. While it is improbable that we are able to devise an exclusive and all-encompassing theory of organizations, leading pioneers such as Max Weber and his achievements are abundantly evident in historical and even current public administration and organizational structures in society. Max Weber was an influential German social theorist who studied the possibilities and phenomena of bureaucratic organizations. Additionally, Weber gave birth to the identity and academic discipline of modern social science as a distinct field of inquiry. According to Weber, the operations and systems of bureaucracy have a fitting role in social and government organization that enforces a heightened level of efficiency and organization within the administration (Barker & Mau, 2016). Therefore, this paper aims to reflect on the potentialities of classical bureaucratic theory initially proposed by Max Weber and discuss whether his conception of bureaucratic organization has any practical relevance to today's structural administration. Max Weber did not initially have a concrete definition of what constitutes a bureaucracy. However, bureaucracy merely signifies the administrative method of organizing public servants in elaborate public or private organizations. Bureaucracy was even discussed prior to Weber by French political economist Vincent de Gournay in 1745 (Barker & Mau, 2016). Although Weber posits bureaucracy in a context in which the rationalization of society is inevitable. Weber stressed that bureaucratic principles such as order and security are commonly the utmost priority over those considered essential to a prosperous society (Barker & Mau, 2016). Furthermore, Weber's empirical research of the German bureaucratic foundation highly enlightened his own

TAKE-HOME FINAL ESSAY 3 understanding of how he perceives the functioning of a bureaucratic organization. Therefore, when Weber described his "ideal-type" bureaucracy, he formalized the concept of arranging bureaucratic organizations in a succession of superior-subordinate associations to minimize disorder and misguidance. This principle is also expressed as the unity of command (Barker & Mau, 2016). The authoritative guidelines produced by unity of command were one, if not one of, the most practical aspects that Webber proclaims to epitomize the functionality and efficiency of a bureaucracy over other forms of organization. Aside from having the importance of reporting to an exclusive authority, Weber correspondingly identified additional elements that support the Weberian model of bureaucracy. Firstly, the objective behind the hierarchical system was to distribute burdens to inferiors and ensure that each team is accountable to a higher authority, which supports deterring errors and abuse of resources. Hence, having a specialization of labour allows the organization to systematize and clearly define an employee's roles in the bureaucracy (Barker & Mau, 2016). Dispersing administrative responsibilities authorizes each unit of subordinates to manage and concentrate on their own tasks and ultimately work towards a shared goal within the organization. However, the division of labour is insufficient if the subordinates are not qualified to fulfil their obligations. Consequently, the promotion and appointment of an employee must be validated by their technical competence (Barker & Mau, 2016). Whereas prior to this, public servants often acquired employment via either inheritance, favouritism, or outright purchase. Evidently, the process of staffing based on merit and qualifications authorizes the best person for the position and eliminates inefficiency and unproductivity. In addition, Weber viewed being an employee in a bureaucratic organization as a full-time pursuit and a primary source of earnings (Barker & Mau, 2016). Full-time employment guarantees that public servants develop devotion to the bureaucracy and allow higher executives to exert authority over the daily duties

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TAKE-HOME FINAL ESSAY 4 of their public servants. Public servants are just as bound and controlled by the leadership of their superiors as by the impersonal rules that complete the bureaucracy. Formalized regulations are necessary for bureaucracy due to the clear framework they propose within which conduct must take place (Barker & Mau, 2016). Additionally, rules help to confirm that all public servants are conscious of the expectations and borders within which they must abide. The implications of these rules make written files very significant (Barker & Mau, 2016). Weber regarded materialized and written documents as tools that function as the administrative memory of the bureaucracy, as well as written files effectively demonstrate the regimes necessary for organized control. Finally, the last characteristic Weber emphasized in his ideal bureaucratic foundation is the differentiation between the public servant's private life and their employment position (Barker & Mau, 2016). Due to the great deal of authority and liberties that come with a bureaucratic position, it can easily be manipulated to be coercive. Therefore, bureaucrats do not possess their role and the privileges that go with it. Yet, it is necessary to note that authority is associated with status rather than the individual. For Weber, impersonality and ethics, secured by bureaucratic rationalization, assure that administrative objectives are not confounded with personal motivations. The inherent characteristics of Weberian bureaucracy permit dealing with situations and not strictly with people, tending to all in the exact decorous manner. Likewise, it would improve consistency in the operation of any organization. The structural aspects that Weber identified support the progress of the functions of a bureaucracy and are heavily cited and relied on by numerous major organizations on an international level. It appears that no corporation, government, or association of any sort can manage to be without a bureaucratic constitution (Barker & Mau, 2016). However, as relevant as these formal sanctions in regard to arranging a considerable number of

TAKE-HOME FINAL ESSAY 5 employees and executing intricate, repetitious duties. The applicability of this system in today's society is not pertinent to how current organizations perceive the rights and autonomy of their employees. Ironically, some of the very advantages of the Weberian model of bureaucracy are turned against itself. For instance, the superiority of an executive manager and the rules of an organization can easily be displaced by informal dimensions of organizational behaviour, such as personal interest and informal relationships (Barker & Mau, 2016). These will often have adverse effects concerning the formal goals of the organization, as they cause disorder and power struggles among actual authority figures. Lastly, the rigorous rules of the bureaucracy and the need to exclusively follow them can be destructive to the social services public servants provide. In spite of Weber's ideal bureaucracy being an embodiment of a double-edged sword, his knowledge and research persist in being beneficial in understanding the present administrative system in some way or another. Until this point, we have not been able to develop a substitute organizational structure for Weber's bureaucracy. It is highly useful for managing large-scale organizations. His sentiments on the appointment of officials based on credentials, the utility of written records in administration, hierarchy etc., can be witnessed in any administration of the current day. The monocratic bureaucracy proposed by Weber is exceptional to all other structures of organizations in conducting the prescribed purposes. To surmount some of the problems of the bureaucracy, we can only bring reforms to it but cannot replace it with any other organization. Therefore, regardless if Max Webber's ideas and knowledge are still applicable and suitable today, it's still important to note the source of great wealth Weber provided in the field of organizational research.