week 2: bureaucracy 1 foundational theories Flashcards
Bureaucracy:
method of administration organizing numerous people who need to work together in large or complex pubic or private organizations
3 things thoerys do
describe, explain, predict
describe
Describe events that the theory is trying to explain/ predict
assumptions and generalizations
explain
Why something happened/ happening
predict
Hypothesis about things that haven’t happened yet
hardest to do
some pa thoeries are …
normative – Explain what/how things should be
What is Marx’s idea of Bureaucracy as a special interest?
Goal is to increase its power
Individual bureaucrats are motivated by power, status, and prestige
Who are Neo-Marxists?
Modern day theorists carrying out and implementing the original theories and ideas of Karl Marx
accumulation
foster growth, make profits
Attract economic growth, healthy business environment
legitimation
ensure that a challenge to capitalist doesn’t develop
max weber
Strict and operation rules within rational behaviour should be in force
ideal type bureaucracy
Simplification of common traits
Ideal-type bureaucracy and 7 associated facets?
hierarchy, specialization, merit, full-time employment, impersonality, written files, authority as a function of position
hierarchy
System of organization ranked division of labour b/w superior and subordinate personnel
creation of upward reporting
unity of command is important element of…
hierarchy
unity of command
Each position in hierarchy only reports to one supervisor
specialization of labour
Responsibilities for each position are defined and clearly allocated
Increase efficiency and effectiveness
merit
Recruited in competence rather than personal relationships
full time employement
job protection
impersonality
Work is based on prescribed impersonal rules
All clients ought to be treated the same
written rules
Treat all clients equally, set of rules, and written rationale for their actions
authority as a function of position
Power and authority are attached to positions not individuals
What are the two main ideas with Robert Merton’s bureaucratic dysfunction?
trained incapacity
goal displacement
What is the relevance of Herbert Simon’s critique of Weberian bureaucracy?
Proverbs of administration
Structuralist Theorists
People, resources, and facilities are interchangeable parts of a org structure
Humans like machines
What is Taylor’s scientific management approach?
The “one best way” – efficiency
Workers as machines
What is Gulick’s POSDCORB?
Planning, organizing, staffing, directing, co-ordinating, reporting and budgeting
line functions
About actually producing the functions (i.e., police officers, social workers, garbage
staff functions
aid and support line functions (i.e., human resources, IT, legal)
humanist theories
Critique of structuralism
focuses on human beings rather than supernatural or divine insight
Hawthorne effect
To test taylors assumptions
What are the outcomes/discoveries of the Hawthornes experiments?
Altered form of supervision
Productivity increased when altered form took place
Ex. lighting, boss in room, temperature, how to make job better
What are the ideas behind Mayo’s theory of group dynamics?
Workers are more responsive to peer pressure over management controls and incentives
What is the relevance of Barnard’s view of organizations as cooperative human structures?
Org should be viewed as cooperative human structures rather than machines
theory x assumptions
structuralist approach
theory y assumptions
human relations approach
