Bureaucracy Case

The term "Bureaucracy" evokes images of red tape, crowded offices, and gridlock. Many view the U.S. government as an inefficient bureaucratic maze. Nevertheless, bureaucracy in the traditional sense of the term far surpassed other systems like feudalism where birthright dictated the hierarchy. In fact, bureaucracies established a hierarchy that hired staff to create policies and procedures which effectively brought in order to organizations (Daft, 2008, p. 349). Daft (2008, p. 346) presents Weber's six dimensions of bureaucracy which are: (1) rules and procedures, (2) specialization of labor, (3) hierarchy of authority, (4) technically qualified personnel, (5) separate position for position holder, and (6) written communications and records. These six dimensions of bureaucracy make perfect sense in manufacturing industries and ensured the success of the Industrial Revolution. However, such rigidity is not useful for techy savvy start-up companies or many home-based businesses.

In my experience, other systems may exist within a bureaucratic organization. Working within a hybrid structure in a large bureaucratic hospital may seem strange but worked for my Quality Department. As a Clinical Data Analyst, I reported to the Quality Director who reported to the VP of Quality but then the structure stopped there so to speak. Although team members consisting of Quality Nurses all reported to the Director, we took turns directing projects and programs. At times, the Director took the back seat and let office staff lead specific programs. We all functioned as subject matter experts in our specific domain. In fact, being such experts extended to the whole hospital where we functioned as consultants. The atmosphere was rather collegial and each respected what the other had to say. Beyond the department's scope, the hospital ran with bureaucratic rigidity without much room for innovation.

The dimensions that persist today even in non-bureaucratic organizations are: (1) rules and procedures, and (2) written communications and records. These remain the most influential dimensions of Weber's bureaucracy. Through phone and electronic communication, virtual teams can work world-wide without ever meeting. Today's "post-bureaucratic" system is still adheres to most of Weber's dimensions except for the hierarchy of authority (Miewald, 1970).

Indeed, forty years later it's clear the hierarchy in certain organizations is diminished or replaced by quasi-authoritarian roles (Toren, 1976). Various offshoots of bureaucracy exist today (Gyorgy, 2003) but some companies like UPS adhere most to Weber's view of bureaucracy (Daft, 2008). Modern bureaucracies are more effective than traditional ones simply due to modification for better utility (Gyorgy, 2003). Regardless of sentiment, Weber's work on bureaucracy laid the foundation for modern-day organizations.