BUREAUCRA

CY
MEANING

The term bureaucracy had been used widely With invidious connotation
Directed at government and business. Bureaucracy is an administrative
System designed to accomplish large scale administrative tasks by
systematically coordinating the work of many individuals. Weber has
Observed three types of power in organisation : traditional,charismatic,
And rational –legal or bureaucratic.He has emphasised that bureaucratic
Type of power is the ideal one.
 FEATURES OF BUREAUCRACY :
BUREAUCRACIES HAVE FOUR KEY CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE
THEIR RESEMBLANCE TO BEEHIVES ALL THE MORE APPARENT.

• A clear hierarchy - Bureaucracies have a firm chain of command.

Every worker has his or her own place in the chain, and
everyone's work is overseen by someone on the next level up.
Power flows down from the top of the hierarchy and diminishes as
it approaches the bottom. Just think of the beehive. The queen bee
stands at the top, and each worker bee or drone has its own place
in the hive's chain of command.
• Specialization - Everyone in a bureaucracy has a specific job to do and often
becomes an expert at it. Bees have specific jobs, too, collecting pollen,
making honey, or populating the hive.
• A division of labor - In a bureaucracy, nearly every task is broken down into
its component parts, and different people work on different parts of the task.
Together they get the job done, just like bees in a hive who divide their labor
for maximum efficiency.
• A set of formal rules - These so-called standard operating procedures are the
clear, written instructions for each specialized job at every level of the
hierarchy. Workers who follow them can be sure that they are on the same
page as their colleagues and are doing their jobs properly. According to
beekeepers, bees, too, have a sophisticated system of communication that
keeps their hives running smoothly.
HERE ARE THE 5 BIGGEST PROBLEMS OF
BUREAUCRACY:

• 1. Rigidity Stampedes Creativity:The whole bureaucratic system is formed

around rigid rules and regulations. This excessive form of rigid structures
stampedes creativity and restricts growth. In all types of officialdom there is
always adamant, inflexible and unaccommodating. Furthermore, bureaucracy
requires everything to follow a given system, which diminishes any chances of
creativity and out-of-the-box solutions.With the modern-world changing fast
and evolving in light of new challenges, this rigidity of bureaucracy is a big
problem for any organization or government.
• 2. Impersonal:According to Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy, it all works
within a structure that does not have enough room for human emotions,
satisfaction, needs and values. It is impersonal in nature and neither cares for
the consumers nor the employees working around.In a bureaucratic system,
the fixed rules and regulations of an organization are more important than
any individual’s emotions, values or needs. It is one of the biggest
shortcomings of bureaucracy, which makes it one of the most disliked forms
of administration.
• 3. Customer Dissatisfaction:Although bureaucracy claims to have a framework to
organize things, but the byproducts of it makes it all the more difficult to manage
things quickly and efficiently. There are a lot of paperwork, files, registrations
and processes in a bureaucratic system. This makes dealing with customers or
consumers more troublesome, complex and problematic.For example, if a
consumer complains about a product or service, he requires immediate
redemption and action on his complain. The consumer does not want to get
bogged down with filing procedures, structured hierarchy and complex systems.
• 4. Slower Decision Making:As you know that a bureaucratic system runs in
accordance with its structure and set mechanics of officialdom, it significantly
slows down the decision-making processes. Bureaucracy most often fails to
quickly respond to the ever-changing competitive world. It cannot react to business
changes, consumer complaints and demand-and-supply needs as quickly as some
of the other competitors can do.This is one of the reasons that we see unnecessary
delays in a bureaucratic system. Today’s world requires fast-paced decisions and
instant reactions – something that bureaucracy will always fail to comply with.
• 5. Limits Capabilities of Employees:Last, but not the least, limiting capabilities of its
employees is one of the biggest drawbacks and problems of bureaucracy. You must
know that a bureaucratic system believes in heavy departmentalization and division of
job responsibilities. Although compartmentalization may bring some advantages, but
on the other hand, it significantly limits the potential and capabilities of the
employees.The job compartmentalization does not allow an employee to work beyond
its delegated responsibilities. This not only limits the personal growth and motivation
of the employee, but it also confines the overall productivity level of the organization.
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