Max Weber Assignment

CHANGE MANAGEMENT
MBL 507
GROUP MEMBERS:
KENNEDY MUTEMACHANI B1953616

KRIS KWANGWA B1232910
CHRISPEN MARWODZI B1953490
BLESSING MWATIPEDZA B1543441
MAX WEBER: CLASSICAL THEORIES
Max Weber (1864 – 1920) was a German Sociologist who propounded the theory of
Bureaucracy as a way of organization. He attempted to develop methods of managing large
scale organizations. He argued for a move from authority based on tradition and charisma to
legal authority. He further advocated for meritocracy in selecting, hiring and promoting
employees. He was the first to coin the term Bureaucracy thus he is the father of bureaucratic
management theory. Weber believed that bureaucracy brought a more rationality and
efficiency than its historical predecessor.
Bureaucracy Defined:
Bureaucracy is basically a personnel and administrative structure of an organization. It is an

administrative system aimed at accomplishing large-scale administrative tasks by
systematically coordinating the work of many individuals. According to Weber, there are
three types of power in organizations, that traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal. There
rational-legal type is what he termed bureaucratic and is the one he viewed as the ideal one
(Smriti Chad, 2010).
Elements of bureaucracy
 Structuring an organization into a hierarchy
According to Weber, large organizations must be structured in such a way that there are
layers of authority, one on top of the other with a higher level enjoying greater authority than
the lower.
 Clearly defined rational-legal decision-making rules
This element entails that the organization must have clear rules, policies, systems and
procedures which apply across the organization. These form the basis of authority and assign
power/authority to offices and not individuals. Thus, the authority does not consider the face,
gender etc. but is derived by virtue of holding a particular office.
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Principles of Bureaucracy
i) Managers formal authority
Instead of the traditional approach whereby authority was derived from such factors as
charisma, Weber advocated for a formal source of authority i.e. that which flows from
rules, policies and position in the hierarchy. This authority gives power to hold people
accountable for their actions as well as to make decisions concerning the use of
organizational resources. There is supposed to be a level in the hierarchy which is
responsible coordinating activities of its members. In addition, some of the features are
that workers within the organization must be full time employees whose earnings are
based on the level within the hierarchy, rules and regulations determine tenure of
workers, the workers must not have any other interests in the organization besides being
its employees, and all such employees occupy their positions based on merit and
competence and not favour or bias.
ii) Positions should be arranged hierarchically
An ideal organization must have clear reporting structures and lines of authority. Jobs are
ranked in descending order with the highest offices being on top of the structure and each
lower level subject to the one above. Thus, all offices have some kind of control above
them, there is no autonomy or independence from such controls. A lower office enjoys
delegated authority from the one above it; the hierarchy is largely along functional lines
e.g. a lower HR officer is subservient to the higher HR Officer up to the Director level.
The lines and levels of authority also denote lines of communication and these are not to
be ignored, crossed or by-passed.
iii) Tasks and authority
All members of the organization must be clear on what is expected of them. Work
division is mainly along specialization with each office having a specified sphere of
influence beyond which it must not go. Thus, an incumbent has authority to carry out
tasks within his sphere of duties and failure to do these duties attracts clearly defined
repercussions. The decision of work ensures that no work is left undone and that all work
is done by those who are competent enough for them.
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iv) Well-defined system of rules
Rules, standard operating procedures (SOPs), values and norms must be developed by
managers as a way to control workers behavior effectively. Official rules govern how
workers interact amongst each other as well as with their respective jobs. Nothing is
personal. Because all operations are clearly defined and documented, there is uniformity
of performance and easier coordination of efforts by individual members of the
organization. The guiding rules and procedures are not changed willy-nilly and where
there is ambiguity, such issues are referred up the line for decision. This brings certainty
and stability in the organization.
v) Competency-based appointment and promotion
Because relations among individuals is guided by rules, the is no room for personal feelings,
favoritism and emotions in appointments and promotions. These are rather governed by rules
which emphasize on competence.
Merits of Bureaucracy
 Impersonality - rules and controls are applied uniformly

 Division of labor - authority and responsibility clearly defined
 Managerial hierarchy – clear chain of communication and command
 Formal selection – selection based on merit and expertise
 Career orientation – employees are career professionals and not chancers
 Formal rules and controls
Demerits
 Rules become an end in themselves and not enablers

 Change is difficult to introduce
 Blindly repeating decisions caused by extreme devotion to rules and other controls
 Rules and other controls may end up by viewed as specifying a minimum level of
acceptable performance and make people not perform to the best of their abilities
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REFERENCES:
1. B, Burnes. (2009). Managing Change, A Strategic Approach to Organizational

Dynamics, 5th Edition, Essex, London.
2. Katz, D. & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations. New York,
Wiley.
3. R, Dednegaared. (2010). Strategic Change Management, Change Management
Challenges in the Danish Police Reform, 1st Edition, Copenhagen Business School,
Copenhagen.
4. Weber, M. (1978). Economy and society: An outline of interpretive sociology. Univ of
California Press.
5. Mulder, P. (2017). Bureaucratic Theory by Max Weber. Retrieved [02/02/2020] from
ToolsHero: https://www.toolshero.com/management/bureaucratic-theory-weber/

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

KENNEDY MUTEMACHANI B1953616

Bureaucracy is basically a personnel and administrative structure of an organization. It is an

 Structuring an organization into a hierarchy

 Clearly defined rational-legal decision-making rules

i) Managers formal authority

ii) Positions should be arranged hierarchically

iii) Tasks and authority

v) Competency-based appointment and promotion

 Impersonality - rules and controls are applied uniformly

 Rules become an end in themselves and not enablers

1. B, Burnes. (2009). Managing Change, A Strategic Approach to Organizational

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