Topic > Critical Analysis of Bureaucracy Management Theory

Index IntroductionThe Characteristics of BureaucracyThe Pros of Bureaucracy ManagementThe Cons of Bureaucracy ManagementConclusionRecommendationsReferencesIntroductionBureaucratic management theory is the administrative structure and process of an organization which is a formal management system. Bureaucracy has rules and regulations, processes, procedures and models created to maintain efficiency and effectiveness. Often refers to a government structure or large-scale organizations. Bureaucratic management theory was developed by Max Weber which contains two important elements that can help a government achieve its goal; such as 1) Structuring organizations into hierarchy and 2) Creating rules for fair decision making. Each element helps organizations achieve their goal. The main focus of Weber's theory is hierarchical structure. It focuses on separating the organization into hierarchies and; creating strong lines of power and control. It suggests that the organization should create broad and specific rules for carrying out tasks. According to Warwick (1975) and McNamra (2010), Max Weber believes that workers should honor the right of managers to coordinate activities managed according to organizational rules and regulations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Characteristics of BureaucracyHierarchical Management Structure: Hierarchy consists of people who are arranged in order or rank who are assigned a specific task. The higher rank controls its lower rank. Authorities and duties are characterized for each position. There are few examples like Departments, Organizational Charts or Chain of Command. Each supervisor assigned in the rankings or leaderboard would monitor the work placed under their department. Correct division of labor: when tasks are clearly characterized, employees are experts in doing one thing. Power and responsibility should be balanced. Each worker has a particular job to do and all the work is then combined to achieve the organization's goal. Formal selection process: The election and promotion of employees depends on experience, skills and qualifications based on examinations, education or training. It should not be influenced by personal relationships and benefits. Formal rules and regulations: Rules and regulations are created to ensure that it is reliable and states the duties and rights of employees. This rule allows the manager to ensure that tasks are completed accurately, appropriately and promptly. Rules and regulations can be a burden at times, however it is a place to create best practices for the discipline. Impersonality: Rules are applied equally to everyone. There is no particular treatment or favoritism. In a book entitled Bureaucracy and Formal Organizations, “The position is important, not the individual who holds it. You work for the organization, not for the replaceable person who heads up some place in the organization. Consequently, members of a bureaucracy owe allegiance to the office, not to particular persons. If you work in a bureaucracy, you become a small cog in a big machine. Each worker is a replaceable unit, as many others are available to perform each particular function. For example, when a professor retires or dies, someone else is appointed to take his place.” The Benefits of Managing Bureaucracy Encourage Specialization - Bureaucratic leaders prefer to have team members who have special job characteristics. Although thepeople with the right experience can be approached to fill multiple jobs from time to time, the goal of the leadership style is to create separation of individual skills. Each team member is assigned to perform a particular task which allows the individual to focus on their strengths in what they are good at (Lombardo, n.d.). For example, in a school, a teacher teaches the students, the school administration is responsible for overseeing all administrative tasks in the schools, and the finance department manages the students and school funding. Formal selection: All employees are chosen based on technical qualifications such as examinations, education or training. The electoral process and promotion policy depend on the capabilities of the individual. Help put the right people in the right jobs. This way, they can benefit both workers and their employer. Candidates must pass the required exams to be hired or appointed, as well as to increase their position in the hierarchy. This implies that whoever is selected has the knowledge, skills and competencies to tackle the job. No one will be considered simply because they are a family member or friend of a high-ranking authority in the organization. Job Protection - According to Gold (2019), a bureaucratic structure also offers greater job security than other organizational structures as long as the worker follows the orders that have been assigned. They are given specific benefits and a fixed salary that allows them to live the lifestyle they need, such as medical coverage, vacation time, and even retirement benefits, all of which are included in the security that bureaucracy can provide (Ayres, 2019). For example, the government of Brunei Darussalam provides free healthcare to its population. In addition to this, military personnel receive a retirement pension after specific years of work. No room for prejudice: when the rules are respected in all organizations, the risks of favoring one pair of individuals over others will be lower or zero. For example, students apply for a scholarship. There is a procedure and some requirements to be met in order for the student to be chosen. If you miss any of the requirements or if they are not fully met, the process will not be able to move forward. Everyone will be treated fairly, will be treated reasonably and will be subjected to the same procedure. The Cons of Bureaucracy Management Weber's theory of bureaucratic management also has a weakness and does not always always work. The following are the disadvantages of bureaucratic management: The rigid rules and regulations - Due to the formalities and rules in the bureaucratic organization which must always be followed, there will be a delay in decision making and communication will also be slow. A lot of time can be wasted because bureaucracy involves a large amount of paperwork. In this sense, bureaucratic management is not suitable for business associations, but may be suitable for government organizations. Due to these strict rules and regulations, it is not helpful when unexpected situations arise. Less opportunity to act within the bureaucracy – Because there is less freedom to act or make free choices, workers tend to venture outside such rules or laws without permission, which can lead them to face consequences such as dismissal or even imprisonment. There will be fewer opportunities for a worker to take action and assert themselves due to specific limitations. This can hinder achieving results over time - Critics argue that with the specific steps needed to accomplish the tasks and theneed to follow a chain of command proceed, a lot of time can be wasted if the choice and solution are needed immediately. For example, if a government is controlled by bureaucrats, there is a level of leadership, a certain decision such as military defense can lead to negative results since an action cannot be performed without different identities or authorities in the hierarchy. According to supporters, this makes the procedure slow. Poor Employee Relations – Employee relationship is important for every organization. Employees must respect each other and be present whenever necessary. If employees do not have a good relationship with each other, it can create problems in the work environment and their performance will eventually decline. If employees argue with each other, coordination turns into worry. Employees need to have a positive relationship with each other so that they can give their best at work and stay motivated (Juneja, n.d.). For example, a long-time worker has a family factor that requires him to temporarily take a day off to spend more time at home. But if the manager refuses her request, the worker will feel offended. After many years of loyal service, the company is still not considerate. Besides that, if the manager was thoughtful in understanding his important needs, the worker would be grateful. Conclusion Weber's work of The Management Theory is still used in many organizations today. It is generally applied to most large organizations such as military, hospitals, schools and so on. A bureaucratic structure may be considered ineffective by commentators, however there are also valid arguments made by supporters. The advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy demonstrate that a well-organized environment can improve efficiency and reduce boundaries that may limit production. A bureaucracy that is not well organized can be inefficient and cost more in terms of time. If flaws can be managed well and rule expansions are limited to necessary security needs, this is a powerful framework and an effective system that businesses and governments can use every day. Several countries work well with bureaucrats, however there are also obvious flaws within the structure that lead other people to criticize it. In any case, the reality remains, bureaucracy must still exist. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Recommendations Bureaucratic Management is recommended for its organized classification system. To improve, being more considerate is a way to ensure the employee has their rights by allowing them to have excuses to leave the office for reasonable reasons. Instead of choosing based on qualification alone, skills and abilities should be taken into consideration when evaluating and electing an employee. The contractual agreement between employers and employees would ensure that the working environment is based on the guarantee of reliability. The reward for exceptional marginal product from workers will be given by increasing their wages for achievements and fulfillment of responsibilities. Additionally, wages should be paid to prevent workers from leaving the government, company, or agency if better opportunities emerge elsewhere. References Ashe-Edmunds, S. (n.d.). An example of a hierarchical structure. Retrieved from https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/example-hierarchical-structure-16314.htmlAyres, C. (2015). Top 10 advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy. Retrieved from https://greengarageblog.org/10-main-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-bureaucracyAyres, C. (2019). 20 advantages and