Max Weber is a well-known sociologist. He wrote many theories in his lifetime that affected the lives of those around him. In his theory, he discussed religion, responsibility, rationality, and management. His works mostly dealt with religion. Weber’s successes has a reason. Weber approached the problem from a development perspective. He did not think that science, medicine, or technology had made the greatest changes in five hundred years. He thought the biggest change in society was the shift in thinking. His ideology has been questioned by people living in the 21st Century. Apparently, Weber was not taken into consideration by people who were more focused on the end result. Weber’s method of critical thought is still valid in the 21st Century. This research aims to improve Weber’s theory and analyze his thinking process.
The word bureaucracy is typically associated with negative words, such as rigidity, inefficiency, and complexity. Weber’s bureaucratic style of management played an important role during the transition between feudal and modern societies. Weber was born at the end the 19th century. The first German National State was forming at the time. He was affected by the turmoil of change. He studied the social changes and tried to grasp them. He studied history and the social background before he created a bureaucracy-management mode. Weber’s idea was different. People thought that the change from traditionalism into modernity started with a time-process. Weber thought that time change was natural, and people were the real change.
Weber noticed that people and societies were becoming rationaler as he reflected on history. He believed that thinking was what really defined the transition from traditionalism to modernity. He began to study the causes of the shift in public opinion. According to divine Right of Kings “In European historical history, a doctrine that asserted the kings’ authority was derived directly from God. Therefore, they were not accountable for any actions taken by any earthly authority like a parliament. The theory of divine right originated in Europe. It is based on the medieval idea that God gave temporal power and spiritual power to rulers. His analysis led him to conclude that the reformation in religion was the reason for the change of people’s ideology.
Weber was also interested in what sparked this rationalization. Weber saw the transition between traditionalism and modernity as beginning with the protestant Reformation. Max Weber stated that in Europe at the time of his writing, “Protestants reflected values more closely aligned with capitalism than Catholics.” By focusing on Calvinism (Little 289), he demonstrated how Protestant values influenced capitalism and created the modern order. His analysis was based on a comparison of modernity and traditionalism, in an attempt to find out their differences. Weber analyzed the thinking of people and how their ideas became rationaler. He thought modernity was more open-minded than traditionalism. Modernity is a world of opportunity. He designed bureaucracy using the traditional authorities of leadership and decision-making, which is based on relationships, family, customs, and kinship. The transition to a modern state is not complete without bureaucracy. In comparison to traditional authorities, bureaucracy lends itself better to rationalizing society. Weber’s bureaucratic theories include two components: a clear hierarchy of organizations and rules for decision-making. Each hierarchy had legal-rational power. The power is held by the person in charge, not the individual. Weber wanted the leaders of organizations, in particular, to be able to reach goals with more clarity and rationality. Weber called the clear rules Weber set for making decisions “rational-legal” rules.
Organisations should follow rules. Peek writes that Max Weber’s management theory is a good example of this. “In the ideal bureaucracy all workers are treated equally. Their work responsibilities and areas of expertise are clearly delineated.” Peek writes that a clearly defined hierarchical system is necessary to achieve this. It provides clear communication lines and divisions of labor depending on which layer of management you work in. Weber identified six features of bureaucracy: hierarchical structure, divisions of labor, formal process of selection, career orientation and formal rules, as well as impersonality. These characteristics are characterized by their effective independence, systematization and combination. A clear system of command and control is part of the bureaucracy. This gives it legitimacy and efficiency. This arrangement is based on roles with specific responsibilities and written formal communication. Bureaucracy has a clearly defined hierarchy of roles and an efficient chain of command. The hierarchy is composed by a number of highly specialized positions and is kept together with formal, written communication.
The bureaucratic approach is preferred by many organizations. Weber’s Bureaucracy Theory is the basis for this concept in America today. In the US, people make decisions about the direction of bureaucracy by voting every four years. People running for leadership positions in Democratic and Republican bureaucracies are supported by their respective political parties. Bureaucracy is highly regarded in large organizations. Weber thought that this system was scientific and could strengthen modernization during the transitional phase. Pierson, in The Modern State wrote: “It’s obvious that the bureaucratic foundation is essential to a modern great state. This is true in all cases, no matter how big the state is and how much it grows to be a superpower state.
Weber’s analysis prompted people to consider the twenty-first Century. Weber bureaucracy’s flaws will become apparent when we examine history. Weber’s management system was hierarchical, which spread out responsibility over many levels. The lower levels must obey higher-level orders, and the people at higher-levels not only supervise the lower levels, but also adhere to the central command. Everyone is clear about what they are supposed to do, and their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. This structure can be used to connect high-level positions with lower-level jobs in an organization. In the 19th century, hierarchical structures were widely used in Germany. The nineteenth century Germans were influenced to work hard and not question the hierarchy levels. However, in the twenty first century, the people have improved their ideology. Weber’s hierarchical system of management is a bad idea. The chain has to be too crowded with positions. Business owners will have to pay a higher salary for high-level positions because of their experience and skills. Weber’s hierarchy of management could also be complex enough to slow down the decision making and execution. The need to have each level report to higher positions can slow down the process and waste time. Different leaders have different standards because of their personalities. Weber’s hierarchical system was not efficient and did not produce positive results when compared to a company with only one decision-maker.
Weber’s division has limitations that are still in use today. Weber’s principle was that every individual be allowed to do specific work in a professional way. He thought that if everyone worked well on their part, then it would benefit the entire chain. Weber felt concerned about the divisions of labor. Weber stated that it was “horrible to think” of a world filled with only little cogs. Little men would cling to their little jobs while striving for bigger ones. A state of affairs seen in Egyptian records is one which plays a growing role in our administrative system. Everyone is concentrating on their particular part of a chain. Everyone is familiar with the route and knows exactly what to do. Each employee is viewed as a tiny piece in the whole. However, division of labour can lead to problems in defining responsibilities. It was difficult to track down all the people who did wrong when something went wrong in the chain. A person’s limited skill meant that if they quit, no one knew how to fill in for them. Also, people don’t just work for money. It is important to realize your potential and create value. It is not a rewarding way to live. Despite the fact that this type of job can increase production efficiency, employees are treated cruelly.
Sean Peek, writing in Business.com, says that Weber’s formal process is based on equal opportunity and reasonable evaluation methods to choose leaders. According to Weber’s formal selection process, Sean Peek writes in business.com “In the ideal organization, Weber believed that employees should be chosen based on their technical skills and competencies which are acquired through education or training – no other factors should be considered” (Peek). Currently, the majority of people get hired via an interview. The interview process cannot show a full picture of someone’s capabilities. Some people lie in the interview. They may exaggerate the skills they have to get through the interview. When the person actually starts working, the skills they have may not match what was said in the interview. A person’s old experience was also applied to the new job, which is a disadvantage. The person might not even be able to analyze the reality of the situation. Employees will be influenced by negative emotions and thoughts. The best way to promote is to pick people who already work there. This would give you more choices. This can help employees develop a competitive spirit and encourage them to compete with each other.
Weber believes that a career-oriented rule is beneficial for employees. This rule is designed to help employees find their strengths and build a model for personal capabilities and competences. In order to build up the loyalty of employees, you can encourage them to work their hardest in the company. Weber wanted formal rules to be made and documented so everyone would follow them. The standard of work is known by all. Employees could better understand the rules by reading them in documents. The use of formal rules in large organizations is widespread today.
Bureaucracy’s flaws have gradually been exposed in practice with the different changes that society has undergone. Bureaucracy is a manifestation of this. It emphasizes personalization in organizational management. This is an organizational that exists at the cost of people’s personal freedom, relationships with others, feelings and development. The bureaucratic organisation is emotionless if you follow it to the letter. The bureaucracy is too focused on following laws and regulations. This shows that regulations must restrict the operation of an organization and its behavior, which leads to rigidity and a lack of flexibility in the behaviour of staff and the organization. Repetition suppresses creativity, individual freedom and behavior patterns.
Bureaucratic organizations place too much emphasis on the formal organization function and ignore the real operation process, as well as the relationship between the organization’s external environment and the internal structure. Bureaucracy is obsessed with the structure of the organisation and its technical efficiency. However the division between departments has resulted in the growth of departments. Overlap between departments has led to communication problems and coordination issues, which have further reduced the efficiency. Although the moderation of levels and the moderating authority can clearly define the responsibilities and the authority, the reliance on text-based communication slows down the efficiency. Bureaucracy is lacking in competition, and officials are not given internal incentives. This is detrimental to improving service quality or innovation.
Weber’s theory is still used and influences people’s daily lives. Weber’s theories are still in use and influence people’s lives, even though they have been analyzed. In public administration, it is important to consider the human development as a whole. The value that people place on society is high. They are also the driving force behind social development. This is an orientation based on social values. Weber’s theories of bureaucracy can be improved to reflect the changing social climates around the globe. The theory has some useful parts for organizations. As society develops, it is important to see problems from a development perspective. Weber’s ideas will stimulate the minds of many people. Weber mentioned the future in his thesis. He understood science in a way that is still applicable today. Weber writes in his Essays in sociology that: “In the science, everyone knows what they have accomplished in ten, 20 or fifty years will be outdated.” Science is destined to this fate; it is in fact the purpose of its work. Its meaning is quite different from other fields of culture where it holds true. Every scientific fulfillment’ raises a new question’, it asks for being’surpassed’ or outdated. Weber’s theory might not be the best fit for 21st-century society, but it will still influence people. Weber encouraged reflexivity. Weber’s ideas played a key role in reminding people of the importance of ideas over money and tools for changing nations.
Works Cited
“Bureaucratic Management.” Lumenlearning, courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-principlesofmanagement/chapter/reading-bureaucratic-management/. Accessed on 16 October 2020.
“Divine right of kings.” Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/divine-right-of-kings. Accessed on 3 October 2020.
Little, William. Introduction to sociology. 1st Canadian ed., BCCAMPUS, 2014. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter-15-religion/. Accessed on 16 October 2020.
Peek, Sean. Business.com. Business.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com. 2020, www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-max-weber. Accessed on 27 October 2020.
Pierson, Christopher. The Contemporary Political System. Taylor & Francis Group published in 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/lakelandcollege/detail.action?docID=995717. Accessed on 27 October 2020.
Weber, Max. Taylor & Francis Group, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/lakelandcollege/detail.action?docID=1111791. Accessed on 16 October 2020.
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