Merton studied under talcott parsons at harvard and later became professor at columbia. The article presents a discussion on bureaucratic structure and personality in a formal organization. Merton concludes that bureaucracy contains the seeds of its own destruction. Unlike the simple and traditional structure, however, the bureaucratic structure is more applicable to larger organizations or organizations that have more complex operations. Organizational structure types bureaucratic structures. Merton r 1940 bureaucratic structure and personality. His social theory and social structure agreed with webers analysis, but placed more emphasis on solving the dysfunctional nature of the model.
Juancristobal echeverria, student in the mppa online program at northwestern university. Bs is a strong personality and is known by many as an autocratic control is a strong. Pdf on mar 1, 2018, mokgata matjie and others published bureaucracy and. Theories of the bureaucratic personality by victor thompson and robert merton hold that personal characteristics of certain bureaucrats make them prefer elaborate rules and regulations, so this study tests such a model. It examines four themes in the papers and debates in the book, many of which were central to the study of bureaucracy in the 1950s and 1960s.
Using the lens of max webers theory of bureaucracy to. A formal, rationally organized social structure involves clearly defined patterns of activity in which, ideally, every series of actions is functionally related to the purposes of the organization. Merton social theory and social structure see other formats. Mental state image, including its phenomenological nature, structural organization, temporalduration dependent attributed dynamics, linkages with personality features etc. Robert k merton examines the structure and dysfunctions of a bureaucracy, also structural sources of over conformity. The studies show that subjective identification of mental state images persists in the process of time spans variation. Merton, bureaucratic structure and personality, social forces xviii 1939, 5608. Robert merton 1952 criticizes webers bureaucracy by observing that the bureaucratic features, which weber believes in enhancing rationality and efficiency, might actually be associated with irrationality and inefficiency. Jan 10, 2017 webers theory of bureaucratic leadership was expanded in the 1950s by an american sociologist robert k. Weber was a german sociologist and political economist. The mechanics depend on treating the staff department as a mass. Social theory and social structure was a landmark publication in sociology by robert k. This cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar. Merton the navy disbursing officer as a bureaucrat r.
Max weber, alive from 18641920, is considered the founding father of modern bureaucratic management theory. Structures, choices, mechanisms, and consequences charles crothers 1 the american sociologist volume 35, pages 23 36 2004 cite this article. Merton observed that the sentiments associated with the bureaucratic personality emanate from several sources. Merton tulane university a formal, rationally organized social structure involves clearly defined patterns of activity in which, ideally, every series of actions is functionally related to the purposes of the organization. With increasing bureaucratization, it becomes plain. Social theory and social structure robert king merton snippet view 1968. Mar 23, 2011 social theory and social structure is a landmark work by robert king merton first published in 1949. Both techniques represent a major extension of accountability in the modern corporation, into a zone previously defined in accounting terms as fixed overhead. As robert merton said, weber is almost exclusively concerned with what the bureaucratic structure attains. For merton, bureaucracy was an insult and no longer. Merton examines the nature of interpersonal interactions within bureaucracies and looks at how bureaucrats interact with their clients or constituents.
Mertons critique focused on the inflexibility of the style and believed the. Merton dysfunctions of bureaucracy animated presentation. The development of the bureaucratic personality thus becomes not only a relationship. In practice this means, for example, that the patriarchal family system is collectively valuable only if and to the extent that it functions to the satisfaction of col lective ends. Critical theory this will be an appraisal of webers theory of bureaucracy from a critical theory point of view.
Rossi continuities in the theory of reference groups and social structure. Bureaucratic structure and personality social forces. Turner bureaucratic patterns in the navy officer corps a. Social theory and social structure robert king merton. The bureaucratic structure is one of the several types of classical organizational structures. It is one of the most frequently cited works in the social sciences as it is a collection of theories and insights within structural functional paradigm. Mertons article bureaucratic structure and personality. Some comments on robert mertons bureaucratic structure and personality created date. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Bureaucratic structure and personality, social forces, volume 18, issue 4, 1 may 1940, pages 560568. The development of a bureaucratic personality consequences.
Merton wrote a now classic study of bureaucracy and bureaucrats entitled bureaucratic structure and personality. It was first published in 1949, although revised editions of 1957 and 1968 are often cited. Bureaucraltic personality barry bozeman, georgia tech hal g. It has been translated into close to 20 languages and is one of the most frequently cited texts in social sciences. Understanding the dysfunctions of bureaucratic structures.
What was the state of bureaucracy at the time of mertons article, bureaucratic structure and personality 1940. This article offers a critique of a reader in bureaucracy, by robert k. Bureaucratic structure and personality social forces oxford. Bureaucratic structure and personality essay example. Merton, bureaucratic structure and personality university of. Bureaucratic structures bureaucratic structures maintain strict hierarchies when it comes to people management. While merton agreed with certain aspects of webers analysis, he also noted the dysfunctional aspects of bureaucracy, which he attributed to a trained incapacity resulting from over conformity. Advantages of bureaucratic approach protects employees from unfair rulings from leaders which gives a greater sense of security to the employees.
Decades ago, merton 1940 spoke of the bureaucratic personality, describing the personal attributes of individuals who have a need for the constraints and rules of bureaucracy. The bureaucratic leadership is the management system a couple of large corporations are using till today. Robert merton described as the bureaucratic personality, where if the. Social forces, university of north carolina press csun. A bureaucratic organization is a form of management that has a pyramidal command structure. Merton expanded on webers theories of bureaucracy in his work social theory and social structure, published in 1957. Merton s article bureaucratic structure and personality. Rationality, of course, is a loaded word with a multiplicity of meanings, so it is important to be clear on what weber meant by it and how it related to bureaucratic organization. Bureaucratic structure and personality sociologia burocracia.
Organizational structure types following are the types of organizational structures that can be observed in the modern business organizations. Creates an opportunity for employees to become specialists within one specific area, increasing the effectiveness and efficiency in each area of the organization. As a social structure, it has no inherent value, since its functional value will vary from time to time and from place to place. Activitybased costing and management are now the stockintrade of a lucrative industry, with at least one big six consultancy operation devoted wholly to their promotion. Bureaucracy is a secondary group structure designed to carry on certain activities which cannot be satisfactorily performed on the basis of primary group criteria. A prime example of a bureaucratic organizational structure would have the. Organizational rules and the bureaucratic personality. Mertons bureaucratic structure and personality article. This can no longer seem only a tenet of marxism, but a stubborn fact to be acknowledged by all.
Pdf on mar 1, 2018, mokgata matjie and others published bureaucracy and personality find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. The development of a bureaucratic personality consequences for organizational learning markus winter seminar paper organisation and administration miscellaneous publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Introduction social structure and anomie continuities in the theory of social structure and anomie bureaucratic structure and personality role of the intellectual in public bureaucracy contributions to the theory of reference group behavior with alice s. A bureaucracy can be an effective means of organization in a business.
1247 44 313 1217 229 304 9 719 1304 1191 624 238 1077 1340 669 258 50 1537 133 401 1466 967 1312 571 1312 572 1130 118 170 298 120 177 409 591 457 1109 1196 978 1309 900 914 228 1033 137 22 1125 93