Bureaucracy – Meaning, Features, Advantages and Problems

Advantages of Bureaucracy

1. Specialization

Bureaucracy offers a valid basis for dividing work. The organization is divided into different functional departments. People can specialize in their respective fields and show improved performance.

2. Rationality

Bureaucracy brings rationality to an organization. Judgements are made according to an objective and generally agreed upon criteria. Further, by structuring the duties, responsibilities and reporting relationships in a command hierarchy, bureaucracy provides form or substance to an organization. Such logical structuring of activities brings about orderly execution of assigned tasks.

3. Predictability

The rules, regulations, training, specialization, structure and other elements of bureaucracy enable it to provide predictability and stability to an organization. For example, bureaucracy enables a fresh student to predict with high confidence that his university will still be in existence three years later when he expects to receive a degree from it. He is also sure about the curriculum he will be required to take and he knows much about the university’s rules and regulations that will govern his behavior.

4. Democracy

In bureaucratic organizations decisions are arrived at according to an acceptable criterion. Rules and regulations bring about consistent behaviour within the organization. Activities are taken up on a priority basis, according to a time schedule. People are selected on the basis of merit. Patronage, favoritism and other arbitrary bases are not given weightage. Because the opportunity to train, apply and be selected for a job is open to every citizen, a significant degree of democracy is achieved.

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