- "Bureaucracy is a body of non-elected governing officials or an administrative policy-making group."
This focuses on the structure of formal organizations, with an emphasis on the authority, hierarchy, and formal lines of communication.
Classical Management Theory: This theory focuses on the principles and practices of management that were established during the Industrial Revolution. It emphasizes hierarchical structures, standardized procedures, and formalized communication within organizations.
Scientific Management: This theory focuses on improving efficiency and productivity in organizations by using scientific methods to study and analyze work processes.
Administrative Theory: This theory focuses on the functions of management and the principles of administration that should be followed by managers to achieve organizational goals.
Bureaucratic Theory: This theory emphasizes the importance of formal rules and regulations in organizations, and the need for a hierarchical structure and clear division of labor.
Principles of Management: These principles were developed by Henri Fayol and include planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling as the key functions of management.
Theory of Authority: This theory explores the different sources of authority in organizations and the ways in which managers use their authority to influence and motivate employees.
Organizational Structure: This topic explores the various forms of organizational structures such as functional, divisional or matrix structure, and their advantages and disadvantages.
Span of Control: This topic focuses on the number of workers that a manager can effectively manage, based on the manager's level of authority and the complexity of the work being done.
Division of Labor: This topic explores the allocation of tasks and responsibilities within an organization and the benefits of specialization.
Centralization and Decentralization: This topic explores the degree to which decision-making power is centralized in a few individuals or is spread throughout the organization.
Management by Objectives: This theory emphasizes the importance of setting clear and measurable objectives for employees, as well as regularly monitoring and evaluating their progress.
Motivation Theories: These theories explore the different factors that influence employee motivation and how managers can use them to increase productivity and job satisfaction.
Classical Organizational Theory: This theory focuses on the structures and processes that are necessary for effective organization and management, including communication, decision-making, and leadership.
Hawthorne Studies: These studies conducted by Elton Mayo highlighted the importance of social factors, such as feelings of belongingness and job satisfaction, in achieving high levels of productivity.
Theory of Management by Exception: This theory suggests that managers should only intervene if deviations from established procedures or goals exceed a certain threshold.
Theory X and Theory Y: These two theories explore different assumptions about employee motivation and behavior, with Theory X emphasizing control and punishment, and Theory Y emphasizing empowerment and trust.
Contingency Theory: This theory suggests that the success of organizational practices depends on the specific context in which they are implemented.
Participative Management: This theory emphasizes the importance of involving employees in decision-making processes and giving them a voice in determining their own working conditions.
Total Quality Management: This approach to management emphasizes continuous improvement in all aspects of an organization, with a focus on meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations.
Six Sigma: This is a data-driven approach to improving quality by reducing defects and minimizing variability in products and processes.
Scientific Management Theory: Focuses on improving efficiency and productivity by breaking down tasks into smaller components and optimizing each step of the process. Introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor.
Administrative Theory: Focuses on principles of management, organization, and decision-making. Introduced by Henri Fayol.
Bureaucratic Theory: Focuses on the importance of a well-defined hierarchical structure, formal rules and regulations, and impersonal relationships in achieving organizational efficiency.
Human Relations Theory: Focuses on the importance of social and psychological aspects of work, and the impact of communication and group dynamics on organizational performance.
Hawthorne Studies: A series of experiments conducted by researchers at the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric Company to study the impact of social factors on workers' productivity and motivation.
Systems Theory: Views organizations as complex and interconnected systems, with inputs, processes, and outputs that are affected by external factors and feedback loops.
Contingency Theory: Argues that there is no one "best" way to manage organizations, and that the most effective management approaches vary depending on specific factors such as the organization's size, environment, and goals.
Structural Theory: Focuses on the design of organizational structures, and argues that the most effective structures are those that align with the organization's goals and capabilities.
Classical Theory of Decision Making: Emphasizes rationality and logical decision making, and suggests that managers should identify all possible alternatives, assess their outcomes, and choose the best course of action based on objective criteria.
Classical Theory of Motivation: Suggests that individuals are motivated by basic needs such as safety, belongingness, and esteem, and that managers can use incentives such as salary, promotions, and recognition to encourage desired behaviors.
- "Historically, a bureaucracy was a government administration managed by departments staffed with non-elected officials. Today, bureaucracy is the administrative system governing any large institution, whether publicly owned or privately owned."
- "The public administration in many jurisdictions and sub-jurisdictions exemplifies bureaucracy, but so does any centralized hierarchical structure of an institution, e.g. hospitals, academic entities, business firms, professional societies, social clubs, etc."
- "The first dilemma revolves around whether bureaucrats should be autonomous or directly accountable to their political masters." - "The second dilemma revolves around bureaucrats' responsibility to follow procedure, regulation and law or the amount of latitude they may have to determine appropriate solutions for circumstances that may appear unaccounted for in advance."
- "The German sociologist Max Weber argued that bureaucracy constitutes the most efficient and rational way in which human activity can be organized and that systematic processes and organized hierarchies are necessary to maintain order, to maximize efficiency, and to eliminate favoritism."
- "On the other hand, Weber also saw unfettered bureaucracy as a threat to individual freedom, with the potential of trapping individuals in an impersonal 'iron cage' of rule-based, rational control."