2. Brief Life Sketch of Max Weber
(1864-1920)
He was a German lawyer; a politician; a
historian; political economist & sociologist.
Weber completed his doctoral dissertation on ‘A
Contribution to the History of Medieval Business
organisation.’
Max Weber was the first administrative thinker to
study interrelationship between state & Society.
As a scholar of Law, he understood the
significance of power, authority & legitimacy.
3. Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy
Weber’s Bureaucracy is based upon legal-
rational authority.
The following are the basic features of his
theory of Bureaucracy:
4. Hierarchy
Bureaucratic
organisation
is based
upon a well-
defined
hierarchy.
Hierarchy,
based on
authority.
Highest Office
High OfficeHigh Office
Low Office Low Office Low Office
Lowest Office Lowest Office Lowest Office Lowest Office
5. Division of Labor Division of work,
functional
specialisation.
Every employee
in the
organisation
has a well
defined power &
authority,based
upon
employee’s
specialisation &
expertise.
Executive
Operations
Policy &
Planning
Strategic
Planning
Policy
Development
Regional
Management
Special
Projects
Legislative
Relations
Office Staffing Maintenance
6. Consistency
Bureaucratic
organisation
functions
within a
framework of
fixed rules &
regulations.
Rules regulate
all matters
“abstractly.”
i.e. no one is
special
Not Special
Not SpecialNot Special
Not Special Not Special Not Special
Not Special Not Special Not Special Not Special
7. Qualification
The
Bureaucrats.
should be
properly &
scientifically
selected.
This enables
efficiency of
Bureaucracy.
PhD
Master’sMaster’s
Bachelor’s Bachelor’s Bachelor’s
Associate’s Associate’s Associate’s Associate’s
8. Such a Bureaucratic organisation specifies the
duties & responsibilities of Bureaucrats.
Authority implies responsibility.
Every Bureaucratic organisation functions with a
specific procedure, laid down by the
organisation. This procedure is laid down for
performing their functions.
One of the unique features, suggested by
Weber, is the impersonal approach of an
employee, in the organisation. Every employee
should function withimpersonal approach, while
performing duties.
