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In ] theories, <b>bureaucracy</b> refers to an organizational structure characterized by regularized procedure, division of responsibility, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. The term can be used to describe either governmental or nongovernmental organizations. | ||
| The term can be used to describe either governmental or nongovernmental organizations. | |||
| A hypothetical bureaucracy would consist of many levels of management which require many signature approvals to make any decision. A second characteristic of many bureaucracies, especially government ones, is extreme difficulty in firing or laying off employees. | A hypothetical bureaucracy would consist of many levels of management which require many signature approvals to make any decision. A second characteristic of many bureaucracies, especially government ones, is extreme difficulty in firing or laying off employees. | ||
| ] has probably been the most influential user of the word in this Social Science sense. However, contrary to popular belief, "bureaucracy" was an English word before Weber; the Oxford English Dictionary cites usage in several different years between 1818 and 1860, during which time Weber was not yet alive. | |||
| ⚫ | In modern usage, bureaucracy is equated with inefficiency, laziness, and waste. It is oftentimes characterized in the popular imagination as existing solely for itself and only creates things which end up in enlarging the size of the bureaucracy. It is thus generally used as a negative word. |
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| ⚫ | In modern usage, bureaucracy is equated with inefficiency, laziness, and waste. It is oftentimes characterized in the popular imagination as existing solely for itself and only creates things which end up in enlarging the size of the bureaucracy. It is thus generally used as a negative word. However, Weber originally described the concept in more positive terms, considering it to be a more rational form of organization those that precede it, which he termed as ''charismatic'' and ''traditional''. | ||
Revision as of 18:58, 16 September 2002
In sociological theories, bureaucracy refers to an organizational structure characterized by regularized procedure, division of responsibility, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. The term can be used to describe either governmental or nongovernmental organizations.
A hypothetical bureaucracy would consist of many levels of management which require many signature approvals to make any decision. A second characteristic of many bureaucracies, especially government ones, is extreme difficulty in firing or laying off employees.
Max Weber has probably been the most influential user of the word in this Social Science sense. However, contrary to popular belief, "bureaucracy" was an English word before Weber; the Oxford English Dictionary cites usage in several different years between 1818 and 1860, during which time Weber was not yet alive.
In modern usage, bureaucracy is equated with inefficiency, laziness, and waste. It is oftentimes characterized in the popular imagination as existing solely for itself and only creates things which end up in enlarging the size of the bureaucracy. It is thus generally used as a negative word. However, Weber originally described the concept in more positive terms, considering it to be a more rational form of organization those that precede it, which he termed as charismatic and traditional.