Sunday, April 12, 2009
Weber's Rational Bureaucracy in Maganda
In Max Weber's essay on bureaucracy, Weber examines the different features of bureaucracy in terms of the officials appointed, the institution itself, and the historical preconditions necessary for a bureaucracy to emerge. He argues that bureaucracy is the most efficient and calculated form of capitalist organization, as it is “purely technical superiority over any other form of organization” (214). In the same rationale as Weber's bureaucracy, I find that through restructuring Maganda Magazine toward micro-managing and revising our constitution to solidify the terms of appointment for staff members, my institution under study is gearing more toward functioning as a bureaucratic organization rather than the grassroots organization that we started out as...
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Weber describes that a bureaucratic official must be oriented to their position through such terms as (1) having social esteem promoted by the authority (199); (2) being appointed to the position (200); (3) gaining tenure for life (202); (4) having a fixed salary (203); and (5) finding a career (203). These above conditions are important to the bureaucratic official because they must feel a sense of entitlement and accountability toward their duties as appointed officials. Without such incentives there is nothing that drives the official from corruption. Similarly in Maganda Magazine, although we are a nonprofit student organization that cannot provide incentives like a career, a fixed salary, or tenure, our appointed staff members share the remaining similarities. When being appointed to a staff position, the official must possess a lot of merit, which garners social esteem from the committee who appoints the individual to that position. For example, as an outgoing Editor in Chief the year it is my responsibility to make sure the organization is in good hands the next academic year. As an authority of the staff selection process, I am looking for individuals who possess the expert skills and qualifications to be appointed to positions.
ReplyDeleteAppointed bureaucratic officials must mesh with the six features of the bureaucratic institution in order to fulfill Weber's belief that bureaucracy is the most efficient form of capitalism. First, there must be fixed jurisdiction so that these officials know clearly what their responsibilities are. Second, there must be a hierarchy of officials so that all officials know who they must report to. Third, for consistency and efficiency's sake every aspect of the bureaucracy should be managed through documents and case files. Fourth, officials appointed must go through a process of expert training so that they become more efficient workers. Fifth, the officials must separate their home responsibilities from their work responsibilities through acting as full-time officials (in an office environment). Lastly, the appointed officials must abide by the rules set forth by the bureaucracy (197-198).
These six features that Weber outlines as the conditions for a bureaucracy are applicable to Maganda Magazine. As mentioned above we have recently revised our constitution so that the terms of appointment (or the management of the bureaucracy through rules) is more clearcut and efficient. Prior to revising the constitution, the various positions available within the organization were always changing, as those who were appointed organically created and developed their own responsibilities. After this year as Editor in Chief I found that this way of managing an organization is inefficient, as there is no real accountability (through documentation) to the rest of the organization. Thus I took it on as a project to revise the rules of appointment by revising the constitution. The new constitution includes clearcut descriptions of the different positions available on staff and the different components of staff including internal and administration, production, community relations, and marketing and promotions. Within these components there is a clear hierarchy of officials so that everyone knows who they are to report their duties to. Although it is difficult to really know whether or not this process of revising the constitution will gear Maganda toward restructure, I have fallen into the rational belief that the process of documentation is most efficient for the current conditions that the organization exist in.
Weber suggests four historical preconditions for bureaucracy to emerge: (1) we need a money economy (204); (2) we need to concentrate the needs of administration (205); (3) we need to replicate Roman law and its rationalized system of organization (206), and (4) we need to develop democracy (207). As we were going through the motions of restructuring our organization I had not realized that we were becoming more and more bureaucratic. Perhaps it is because we were unaware of the preconditions that we exist in. According to Weber, it only makes sense to organize ourselves toward bureaucracy if we want to expand the goals and vision for our organization. But now, I am not so sure.
The Maganda Magazine appears to share many characteristics with Weber's rational bureaucracy. It also seems that it is difficult to create and maintain a clear hierarchy of officials with clear duties. The new constitution could possible help with this since it clearly outlines people's positions. However, will people always follow their outlined duties or is that always the best strategy for a smaller organization? Also, is there a clear line of communication between higher ranking personnel and the Magazine and lower ranking personnel? This could point to the dysfunctions of bureaucracy.
ReplyDeleteYou should remember that for Weber bureaucracy is the devil; rationality is a develish intellectuality; and both, together, constitute the most horid nightmare that true believers in values and spirits (see Yair % Soyer 2008). Ho, and America itself is the devil incarnated (see his Protestant Ethic). Now - given this deep meaning of bureaucracy and rationality in Weber - think of yourselves and your Maganda again. Is there a devil there, or just plain institutionalization?
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