Bureaucracy (Max Weber's Bureaucratic Model)

Bureaucracy(Max Weber's Bureaucratic Model ) 
Weber was the first social scientists who made a systematic study of bureaucracy and its characteristics.  Weberian model of bureaucracy is a source of inspiration to many because it largely reflects the spirit of modern bureaucracy. That is the reason why Weberian model is used as a reference baseline for other models on bureaucracy. 


Characteristics of Bureaucracy 
Division of Labour 
The work of the organization is divided among the employees in such a way that each employee has only a certain parts of the work to perform.  In this way he repeatedly performs a certain job and becomes efficient at it .


Hierarchy 
In every bureaucracy these is a chain of command or hierarchy, so that officials at lower levels are supervised by those at higher levels. 


Written Documents 
Every transaction decision and order of the organization is recorded. Files, punch cards or computer tapes then constitute the memory of the organization and help in efficient Decision-making in the future. 


Expertise 
Employees are selected on basis of technical qualifications. Recruitment is made through a competitive examination.  Officials are appointed not elected since election does not test technical qualifications. 

Career System 
Employment of a member of a bureaucracy conotitutes a career . The employee expects to be promoted from lower position to higher position within the hierarchy of the organization.  Promotion is based upon both merit and seniority.


Money Salaries 
Employees are remunerated by fixed salaries in money . This is different from the payment made in kind in older days. In addition to the salary there is a provision for a pension or a provident fund to take care of employee when he grows old and retires from service.


Rules 
Management follows a set of rules which are made known to all employees and partly also to clients.  Rules prevent arbitrariness since they are equally applicable to everyone. They also make for efficiency since they help to avoid mistakes. 



Impersonality 
Officials are expected to carry our their duties without allowing themselves to be influenced by their personal likes and dislikes. 



Efficiency 
The bureaucratic organization is the most efficient form of Organization. Just as a machine is more productive than any other mode of production so a bureaucracy is more efficient. Both the machine and the bureaucracy have the advantage of technical superiority.  Their efficiency derives from rationality.



Weberian Model of Bureaucracy 
The model of legal -rational bureaucracy designed by Weber has the following characteristics :

1. Official business is conducted on a continuous basis;

2. An administrative agency functions in accordance withstipulated rules and is characterised by three inter- related attributes:(a) the powers and functions of each official is delimited in terms of impersonal criteria; (b) the official is given matching authority to carry out his responsibility;  and (c) the means of compulsion at his disposal are strictly limited and the conditions under which their employment is legitimate are clearly defined; 

3. Every official and every office is part of a hierarchy of authority. Higher officials or offices supervise while lower offices and Officials have the right of appeal.

4. Officials do not own the resources necessary for rendering the duties but they are accountable for use of official resources.  Official business and private affairs official revenue and private incomes are strictly separated;

5. Offices can't be appropriated by the incumbents as private property which can be sold  and inherited; and

6. Administration is conducted on the basis of written documents. 


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