B. Bureaucracy by Max Weber

• Described the structure, organization, and operation of many efficient organization
• ideal form of organization
• includes formal hierarchy, division of labor, and a clear set of operating procedures
• Well-defined authority hierarchy with strict rules for governing behavior, with few members with highest status on the top
• Increase productivity by reducing inefficiencies in organizational operations
• Characteristics of a Bureaucratic Organization

  • Specialization of labor
  • Well-defined Authority Hierarchy
  • Formal Rules and Procedures
  • Impersonality – behavior is based on logical reasoning rather than emotional thinking
  • Employment decisions based on merit
  • Emphasis on written records
• Division of Labor: each job is a specialized position with its own set of responsibilities and duties; division of tasks performed in an organization
• One potential difficulty involves the coordination of various tasks handled by various employees
• Tend to be top-down pyramidal organization
• Delegation of Authority: approach whereby supervisors assign particular tasks to separate employees and hold them responsible for completing these tasks (Micromanagers); information about which lower-level employees report to higher-level employees
• Structure: formal way an org is designed in terms of division of labor, delegation of authority, and span of control
• Characterized by Span of Control (number of subordinates who report to a given supervisor