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  • Essay / The relevance of Max Weber's ideal model of bureaucracy in today's society

    The main elements of Weber's ideal model of bureaucracy included division of labor, hierarchy and selection of personnel based on skills techniques. It provided for civil servants to be appointed, not elected, with fixed salaries and promotions based on length of service. Weber suggested a model of organizational environment that would be representative of any organization and follow the principle of hierarchy. That is, senior officers supervising the work of lower officers. A major feature of Weber's ideal model of bureaucracy is specialization and division of labor. Job specification examines jobs or tasks performed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the organization. This implies that there is no possibility of rotation or expansion of positions. According to McAlister-Kizzier (2014), "Weber's style of division of labor focused more on the assembly line style of work where employees had a narrow set of tasks or a single task to complete." This approach is now outdated as younger employees embrace job flexibility and value meaningful work. In the past, employees were encouraged to work independently, whereas in the modern workplace, collaboration is encouraged. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. It follows that bureaucracy facilitates rigidity and routinization, which, under an appropriate conception of work, has a negative impact on individual performance because it suppresses creative expression. . This rigidity leaves no chance for the now necessary “off the beaten track solutions”. According to Vittana, “because the bureaucracy is so dependent on rules and regulations, changes in the international business or government landscape can be difficult. It takes time for a bureaucracy to write new rules and regulations adapted to the new environments that have evolved. Furthermore, bureaucracy as it applied to government agencies failed miserably and it became necessary to introduce new public sector management. The current trend is towards economy, efficiency and effectiveness, which are the three pillars of new public management. This efficiency is accomplished by workers who have the opportunity to benefit from better working conditions, to be involved in decision-making, and to hold jobs that further their personal goals. New Public Management has also embraced technologies and seen their inclusion within the civil service. Their emergence (especially those related to communication, such as email, Instagram) now serves as a catalyst in the provision of services. After examining Weber's bureaucracy, we will find that most of these principles have lost their relevance in the modern world. In practice, bureaucracy slows down businesses instead of streamlining them. The desire of government is to be more efficient in delivering services to the public; the drawbacks of bureaucracy therefore made it necessary to remanage the public sector and make massive changes. As such, it must be seen that the statement is valid. Weber's ideal model falls far short of what is necessary for organizations to function properly in today's society. References Christopher Pollitt, EF (1990). The Oxford Handbook of Public Management. Excerpt from