The Nature of Bureaucracy
Chapter 14 : Bureaucracy
The Nature of Bureaucracy A bureaucracy is the name given to a large organization that is structured hierarchically to carry out specific functions. They are generally characterized by an organization chart. Public bureaucracies are basically any organization. They do not have a single set of leaders; they serve the citizenry. Private bureaucracies are those that have a single set of leaders-it’s board of directors. Government bureaucracies are not organized to make a profit. The Weberian Model of the modern bureaucracy which was developed by the German sociologist Max Weber, who viewed bureaucracies as rational, hierarchical organizations in which decisions are based on logical reasoning. The Acquisitive Model of bureaucracy that views top-level bureaucrats as seeking to expand the size of their budgets and staffs to gain greater power. The Monopolistic Model is a model of bureaucracy that compares bureaucracies to monopolistic business firms. Lack of competition in either circumstance leads to inefficient and costly operations. Administrative Agencies are a federal, state, or local government unit established to perform a specific function. Administrative agencies are created and authorized by legislative bodies to administer and enforce specific laws.
The Size of the Bureaucracy Excluding the military, the federal bureaucracy includes approximately 2.7 government employees. Since the 1970’s the growth of bureaucracy has been mainly at the and local levels.
The Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy The executive branch, which employs most of of the government’s staff, has four major types of structures:
Cabinet Departments - One of the 15 departments of the executive branch (State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Energy, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs). They are the major
The Nature of Bureaucracy A bureaucracy is the name given to a large organization that is structured hierarchically to carry out specific functions. They are generally characterized by an organization chart. Public bureaucracies are basically any organization. They do not have a single set of leaders; they serve the citizenry. Private bureaucracies are those that have a single set of leaders-it’s board of directors. Government bureaucracies are not organized to make a profit. The Weberian Model of the modern bureaucracy which was developed by the German sociologist Max Weber, who viewed bureaucracies as rational, hierarchical organizations in which decisions are based on logical reasoning. The Acquisitive Model of bureaucracy that views top-level bureaucrats as seeking to expand the size of their budgets and staffs to gain greater power. The Monopolistic Model is a model of bureaucracy that compares bureaucracies to monopolistic business firms. Lack of competition in either circumstance leads to inefficient and costly operations. Administrative Agencies are a federal, state, or local government unit established to perform a specific function. Administrative agencies are created and authorized by legislative bodies to administer and enforce specific laws.
The Size of the Bureaucracy Excluding the military, the federal bureaucracy includes approximately 2.7 government employees. Since the 1970’s the growth of bureaucracy has been mainly at the and local levels.
The Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy The executive branch, which employs most of of the government’s staff, has four major types of structures:
Cabinet Departments - One of the 15 departments of the executive branch (State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Energy, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs). They are the major