Advantages and Disadvantages of Bureaucracy - Essay Example

Advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy Name Tutor Course Date Introduction Many large-scale organizations exercise bureaucracy in their organizational structure. Worldwide bureaucracy still exists and mainly found in public and private institutions. Bureaucracy has been around for centuries from the eighteenth century until now. In an ideal situation hierarchies and authoritative type of relations, mainly characterize bureaucracy. Spheres of competence define the hierarchies that are mainly subjected to impersonal rules; recruitment based on competence and fixed type of salaries. The objective of bureaucracy is rationality, efficiency, and professionalism. According to Max Weber, a German sociologist bureaucracy is the most superior to all other forms of management in organizations. The main characteristics of bureaucracy in an organization are the delegation of duties to various positions in the organization. In bureaucratic organization explicit and clear rules that outlines an exact way in which the employees are supposed to undertake their tasks. Bureaucracy has a clear-cut division of labor and a high level of specialization involved in the same. The hierarchical steps in an organization are some of the basic characteristics of bureaucracy. The employment strategy in bureaucratic organizations is mainly based on technical qualifications, fixed salaries and no commission is involved. The carriers in bureaucratic organization are those that last for a long time. The model has rational design to perform complex tasks efficiently and in an appropriate manner. Rules and regulations govern , systematic way of record keeping as well as formal planning for the future are some of the characteristics of bureaucracy. Bureaucracy remains as one of the oldest organizational structure in the world. The influence that bureaucracy has on management of organizations is immense and it is mainly used as a template for designing the managerial technique used in an organization. The main reason as to why bureaucracy is still in use is the efficiency and regulated type of running a firm and its employees (Business School, 2011). In a bureaucratic organization, employees know their roles and duties in the organization. This allows for work delegation and an improved performance as well as efficiency. Quick decision-making is a characteristic of many bureaucratic organizations as clear-cut rules describe and demonstrate how an organization is supposed to respond to circumstances. The response to demands and easy making decision enable many organizations to cope up with an ever-increasing market change. The hierarchy of positions in a bureaucratic organization helps organization to have a sense of direction and purpose, a quality lacking in organization not using the same model. Succession is easy in a bureaucratic organization, the main reason behind this is the existence of a clear-cut criteria. The model triumphs over others because of the outcome that is expected out of it. The efficiency and functional techniques has made the system applicable in almost everywhere. Weber identified some of the characteristics that were found on many successful organizations. Rules and regulations enabled the firms to perform their activities in a predictable and routine manner (griffin, 2006).The clear cut rules enabled each employee to perform tasks that it is only registered to or assigned to him or her. The hierarchical authority gives a sensible mechanism that allows control and supervision to be undertaken easily. Technical competence remains a major strategy used in employee hiring this ensures that the productivity of an organization is maintained at its peak from time to time. As opposed to other models of management that hire family, friends and relatives without considering their qualifications. Bureaucracy reduces favoritism, and improves work performance .efficiency is promoted by bureaucratic way of management due to the fact that the position holder does not own the position or have an inherent right to the job( griffin,2006). Advantages of bureaucracy Written records in a bureaucratic organization provided efficiency, memory and continuity from time to time. Although, many people criticize bureaucracy rational control and organizational structure of bureaucracy allows for a commendable improvement in terms of management. The division of labor and clear-cut rules ensures that the performance of every employee is monitored. Precision is another advantage bureaucracy has, in that the employees are hired based on competence and qualification so they will give the best they can to the society. The speed at which work is carried out improves because each employee is assigned a duty to do. The division of labor and competence makes it possible for quick and easy way of working. The communication lines in a bureaucratic organization are clearly labeled hence clarity in communication occurs. The chances of a message delaying or improper passage of message are slim. Personal costs are reduced if bureaucracy is present mainly due to the reason that it is well laid out in the rules and regulations of the firm. The skilled employees in a bureaucratic organization have a higher bargaining power as it will be hard for the firm to replace them (Jaffee, 2001).This gives them a sense of job security. The prestige involved in bureaucracy makes the employees have some status in the society. The social and economic class generated by bureaucracy maintains likeminded individuals together and can help in fostering unity among the managerial classes. The division of labor in bureaucratic organizations helps the firm accomplish its goals and objectives much faster compared to non-bureaucratic firms. This is made possible by the existence of specified rules and regulations that govern the working design in a firm. Profit accumulation in firms is possible in such firms because each individual contribution can be assessed to ascertain their significance to the firm. The top managerial teams in the organization exercise a great control over the decisions made by the firm (Jaffee, 2001).The control is essential for firms as business owners require to exercise command and control in the organization. The decision making time is short in a bureaucratic firm as less individuals are involved in the process. Efficiency and consistency improves in such a situation because of the delegation of duties to employees. The ability to project power is another advantage of bureaucracy as unified and consistent fashion is one of the benefits of bureaucracy. Bureaucracy promotes the values and goals of the organization in a rationalized way. The systemic design and functioning remain crucial in maintenance of bureaucracy.Bureaucratic organizations link to each other in all manners from vertical to horizontal, this makes specialization easier and accountability known. Bureaucratic firms have control over their employees and the firms reduce losses by a greater margin. Bureaucracy is applicable in large organization, easy management of individuals is easy .coordination, and cooperation in the firms and institutions is simplified by presence of bureaucratic management (Moorehead & Griffin, 2011). Bureaucracy facilitates democracy as opinions can be delivered to senior managers. The goals and objectives of the firm are easily achieved as clear-cut guidelines assure results. Bureaucracy provides an avenue for performing tasks in large scale. The hiring and recruitment process is based on qualification this guarantees the objectives of the firm are achieved. Efficiency is also increased in bureaucratic organizations as clear-cut rules allow each individual to carry out what he or she is supposed to. Bureaucratic firms enable consistency in treatment of customers. Speed, regularity, un ambiguity, continuity and rationality are the main strongholds bureaucracy has. Bureaucracy can be applied in any field hence its multifunctional uses. Clear division of work and boundaries reduces chances of duplication of work. Neutrality and predictability is possible through written and well laid out rules and regulations. Bureaucracy allows for clearly defined hierarchy of authority, decision made are written down hence no misquoting or disagreements. Job security in bureaucratic organizations enables the employees to commit themselves in delivering the firms goals and objectives. Human resource recruitment and monitoring is made easy by bureaucratic nature of firms (Dr. Mohammed, 2004). The running and efficiency of the firms is easier through existing bureaucratic rules and regulations. Efficiency is increased as duties in an organization can be performed easily and more quickly. Disadvantages of Bureaucracy The main disadvantages involved in bureaucracy include multiplication of administrative functions. This is whereby the roles of the managerial class is delegated to other sub branches as described in the company rules and regulations. Bureaucracy promotes a vertical structure type of communication and management. The reason behind this is that the authority originates from the management going down to the lowest ranked employee. Departmental employees spend much time in protecting their own areas leaving what they are supposed to be doing. The bureaucratic model of management imposes a different notion in people in the organization as it gives them a sense of they cannot be trusted. The decision-making flows from the top managerial team going down to the lowly ranked individual in the firm. This makes the individuals feel as if they cannot make good judgment as the bureaucratic organizations do not give them a chance to do so. The working environment of bureaucratic organizations is so stiff that the workload in the firms is so high and the employees are stressed in carrying out the activities. The model encourages a situation where the firm grows top heavy while the operating units grow lean or smaller (Barzelay & Babak, 1992). There are chances that promotions in this kind of model are made on a political basis rather than the activity or hard work of the employee. In this kind of model, information is hoarded or kept in a secretive manner and based on position held in the company. The top managerial team is ill informed and covered up from the reality on the ground. The minor employees use the information they have against their colleagues for their own benefits. Selective use of data is prevalent and this is mainly done to make performance look better than it really is. The communication flow from the top as described by the vertical model is distorted and reflects what the organization is to be, than what it really is. In a bureaucratic organization, mistakes and failures are ignored, covered up and denied making the firm to undergo losses or loss of investors. Shifting of blame is the order of the day in a bureaucratic firm; employees will always try to protect their jobs by blaming their mistakes on others. Decision making in bureaucratic organization is made in large groups therefore, lacking accountability, as no one will be accountable for the decision. The decisions made are mainly based on the perceived desires of the superiors rather than a yearned concern for mission achievement. Rigidity of rules, policies, practices and procedures grow everyday and are followed endlessly. The superior managerial team is insulated from the reality on the ground and may use the information they get from their minors to make decisions (Perrow, 1986).The decision made maybe outdated or a stereotype type of thinking. In such a firm quantitative measurements are favored over qualitative ones. This brings a different scenario as focus is based mainly on the quantity of output rather than the quality of the output. The employees of the firm and customers are treated in terms of numbers rather than people. Personal issues and human needs are mainly ignored or discounted. Officials are impersonal and work on a fixed routine without exercising judgment and intelligence. The structure of bureaucracy discourages creativity and innovation in the organization. Generation of personalized ideas in such a situation occurs, as the owner cannot single out a single individual in the group to establish a certain objective. The rigid nature of bureaucracy makes employees to receive less satisfaction from their jobs due to the too much formality in the organization (Gawthrop, 2009). The changing conditions in the market place, industry and environment are difficult for a firm to adapt to as a rigid control makes it difficult. The bureaucratic nature of many firms and corporate culture render the firm resistant to change and adaptation. The bureaucratic positions held by the managerial team encourages furthering of private ends. Competency lacks in many managers as the selection can be politically motivated. Many firms especially government ones as politicians can use the organization to further their selfish interest. The social and economic impact of bureaucracy is lack of skill in carrying out the jobs gives less quality to the consumers (Gawthrop, 2009) .Bureaucracy encourages the establishment of social classes in the society, as people of the same caliber will roll together. According to Max Weber the bureaucratic nature of many firms, encourage disillusionment as many employees feel they lack growth and improvement at work. The bureaucratic type of management makes it difficult for accomplishment of goals as lack of one arm in the chain paralyses everything. Bureaucratic ideals make individuals succumb to failure, as they do not feel that they own the job. Based on Ritzer's explanation bureaucracy encourages predictability hence dynamism in terms of ideas and policies does not exist. In Mc Donald’s, for example, the operations are predictable and the economic and social class of the employees is quite easy to know. Bureaucracy encourages an environment of alienation, unpleasant working conditions as the employees feel oppressed by their seniors (Ingram, 2013) .Routine, and use of the same technology everyday does not give an employee a chance to grow as a professional. The payment of workers is fixed and this leaves them fixed in that bracket for their time as employees of such a firm. The idea brings a different scenario and socio-economic classes in the society. Another limitation of bureaucracy is the promotion of criminal behavior among the employees as they assume they were following orders. Routine works makes the workers lack ambition and resist any change as they are well established in their comfort zones. Bureaucracy encourages activities that individuals could not be willing to do but because it is stated in the firm’s rules and regulations, they have to do in order to be paid. Emphasis on the observance of rules, regulations and procedures encourages delay in activities. Bureaucracy encourages conservatism and resistance to change and cannot bring about any economic and social change in the society. Contingencies cannot be dealt effectively as volatile changes cannot be dealt with effectively. Division and subdivision of tasks is a major characteristic of bureaucracy (Johnson, 2013). The success of the enterprise can be composed of risks and responsibilities, which are mainly avoided by bureaucrats. The indifference that exists can lead to customers getting a raw deal. Individual judgment lacks in bureaucracy, as individuals tend to follow procedures overriding their own judgment. This encourages lack of entrepreneurial culture.   Conclusion In summary, bureaucracy robs human spirit and robbing the participants of their freedom and expression of working. The model eliminates official business love, hatred, irrational and emotional elements. In this sense bureaucratic rules still exists in the current world and organizations so the most important thing for organization to do is consider their coercive features. The bureaucratic nature of many organizations enables them to accomplish their daily routine jobs. Bureaucracy helps in the maintenance of organizational policies and achievement of their strategic goals. Bureaucracy has its merits and demerits but depending on the firm choice of management, technique is up to them. As much as bureaucracy does not seem desirable, following its structures properly can lead to achievement of results. Firms should establish and mix bureaucracies with other types of management techniques to enable them achieve success and growth. Bibliography Barzelay, M, & Babak J, A 1992, Breaking Through Bureaucracy. Berkeley: University of California Press. Business school 2011, Organizational design. Business publishing, Madrid Dr. Mohammed, R 2004, bureaucracy and bureaucratic mind. Available at http://www.yazour.com/site_doc/attch-219296.pdf viewed on January 8, 2013. Gawthrop, L 2009, Bureaucratic Behavior in the Executive Branch: An Analysis of Organizational Change, the Free Press, and New York. Griffin, R, W 2006, Management. Southwestern publications Ingram, D 2013, what are the advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy. Available at http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-bureaucratic-organization structure-2761.html viewed on 8 January 2013. Moorehead, G, & Griffin 2011, Organizational Behavior managing people and organizations 14th edn. Southwestern publications. Jaffee, D 2001, Organization Theory tension and change. McGraw hill. Johnson, W 2013, Advantages & Disadvantages of Bureaucratic Organizational Structure. Available at http://www.ehow.com/info_7760003_advantages-disadvantages- ureaucratic-organizational-structure.html viewed on January 8, 2013. Perrow, C, 1986, Complex Organizations: A Critical Essay, 3rd Edn, New York: Random House. Read More