ASSUMPTION COLLEGE OF NABUNTURAN

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BELLY RAY O. VINSON

TOPICS: BUREAUCRATIC MANAGEMENT THEORY

Reflection/Reaction Paper No. 1

1. What significant learning did you get from the topic?

Bureaucracy as an organizational model was first developed by Max Weber

(1864-1920), an eminent German Sociologist. He was one of the founders of modern
sociology. Writing during the first part of 20th century, he was contemporary with the
scientific management movement and the early phases of administrative management
thought.

His concepts are introduced at this point because, although many of his ideas
belong to the classical” school, they seem to bridge the gap between the traditional
concepts of organization and management and on modern ideas in more respects.

Weberian bureaucracy is based on mechanistic assumptions about human

nature in the pre-1930’s tradition, whereas in other respects, his concepts match the
modern scholar’s search for general theories and understanding and the idea of the
ultimate predictability of organizational behavior.

The fully developed bureaucratic mechanism compares with other organizations

exactly as the machine with the non-mechanical modes of production precision, speed,
un ambiguity, knowledge of the files, continuity, discretion, unity, strict subordination,
reduction of friction and of material and personal cost these are raised to the optimum
point in the strictly bureaucratic administration and especially in the monocratic form.

Weber’s contention was that man is unpredictable, often emotional, not

necessarily rational, and that he possesses characteristics that tend to interfere with
efficient organizational performance. In accordance with this philosophy, lie set forth the
depersonalized form of organization as an ideal that would minimize the effect of
dysfunctional human behavior.

The Weberian model has been criticized from a variety of standpoints. His theory
has been called a machine theory and a closed system model over emphasizing the
formal rational aspects of bureaucracy while ignoring the whole range of socio-cultural
environments.

2. Why is the learning of value to you as an educator or as a future

school administrator?

The early establishment of bureaucratic administration were seen and put in to

practice in the system of the hierarchy structure, ruling by the king down to each step of
his subordinate. The civilian had no practice to say or voting right to the country policy
and its development. In that time, it was very much a class divided matters, the ruling
class for example king politicians and royal bloods were among the people that practice
and execute all the policies. Civilians at that time live under the control of the law which
were controlled by the upper ruling class. It has been gathered that the corruption level
was high; the practice ruling class used benefits and powers to serve their own demands.

The next point that we going to look at; are the reform in the nineteenth century. At
this time the last module of the bureaucratic system has been attacked that it is
technically inefficient, it is solitary to remember that it was itself an improvement
compared to early reform. It is recommended to: abolition of patronage and the
substitutions of recruitment by open competitive examination under the supervision of a
central examining board; reorganization of official staffs of central department in broad
classes to deal with intellectual and mechanical work respectively; and filling higher post
by promotion from inside based on merit.( Hughes, Owen) In this period of time the public
administration organization recruitment policy has developed, the understanding of
bringing in high skill workers reflected the development of the world education standard. It
is obvious that in this method the public administration performance would increase the
reflection of that comes directly from the devoted workers. It is true that to step up the
hierarchy ladder in the traditional module of public administration organization will
required times and services. The work forces will rely purely on their experience and the
length of time they have services the organization for them to increase in rank or being
promoted.

3. What are your realizations, insights, and discoveries regarding the

topic?

These management is still used in many organizations nowadays. It is generally

applied for most large organizations such as armed forces, hospital school and so forth. A

bureaucracy structure may be viewed as ineffective by commentators however there are

also valid arguments set by supporters. The advantages and disadvantages of this

demonstrate that well organized environment can improve efficiencies and diminish

boundaries that could limit production. A bureaucracy that is not organized well can be

inefficient and cost more in time consuming. If the flaws can be managed well and the

rule expansions are limited to necessary security needs, it is powerful framework and an

effective system that corporations and government can use each day. Some of school in

our country run well with this management system however there are also obvious flaws
inside the structure which make other people to make critics about it. In any case the

reality still remains, bureaucracy remains to be exist.