Introduction
Max Weber is a renowned sociologist, born in German and an economist based on politics. He is famous for his thesis on the protestant ethic connecting Protestantism to capitalism and the grand theory of bureaucracy (Felten & Oertzen 1). Weber developed an interest in why people acquired authority by social status instead of capability and skills. Leaders were not committed to the organization, and facilities were applied for the advantage of the shareholders and management instead of conforming to organizational objectives (Felten & Oertzen 1). Weber agrees that organizations rely on good authority, where a mandate granted to the person with the highest skills and experience will be more effective (Felten & Oertzen 1). This logical organization is what Weber refers to as bureaucracy.
Characteristics of Bureaucracies
Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy explains six characteristics that lead to an optimal formal organization. The first one is the Hierarchy of authority, which designates one person or office in control of another, who are answerable to their bosses (Suzuki & Hur 877). In a university setup, the lectures are assigned duties by the department heads, who are liable to the vice-chancellor. The vice-chancellor is accountable to the CEO, who is the chancellor and board members, everyone in the bureaucracy adheres to the chain of command. The second rule is the clear division of labor, which states that every person has a specific duty to perform within a bureaucracy (Suzuki & Hur 877). For instance, medical professors teach medicine but do not take care of the university’s financial issues.
The third characteristics involve rules and regulations, which are in a statement, documented, and standardized (Suzuki & Hur 877). For instance, at the university, learners’ practices are included in the student handbook. Bureaucracies also get direction from impersonality, which excludes individual attitudes from the professional condition (Suzuki & Hur 877). This rule protects from nepotism and favoritism, effectively cushioning students and others served by the university. Bureaucracies also involve a formal selection process, that focuses on skills, experience, and technical credentials illustrated by education, training, and evaluation tests (Suzuki & Hur 877). The last characteristic is career orientation, which states that management differs from shareholding, and leaders are career employees (Suzuki & Hur 877). In a university setup, the head of the department has protection from biased dismissal.
Negative and Positive Impacts of Groupthink in an Organization
Groupthink is a process that happens when a group of people gets to an agreement without reasoning or examination of the problems or options. It is based on a common wish not to disappoint the balance of a team of individuals (Cha et al. 207). Groupthink affects the organization negatively as it restrains personal thought, and innovations are mainly concerned (Cha et al. 207). Adverse risk of this groupthink happens with organizations operating under devastating internal and external conditions, primarily due to deviation from the standard process (Cha et al. 207). Companies with similar workforce are also more affected by groupthink than organizations that diversify on gender balance and different age groups.
The positive part of groupthink in an organization may happen when high levels of disputes exist. It can result in some sense of harmony by evaluating and stimulating a common ground (Cha et al. 207). Groupthink can also help in the operation of a new organization by focusing on the commonplace and consolidating an organized performance toward a single team (Cha et al. 207). Therefore, apart from groupthink having negative impacts on the organizations, it positively affects some specific situations.
Conclusion
Based on Max Weber’s bureaucracy theory, the university as an organization is reflecting on it. The structure of leadership in universities conforms to the rule of the Hierarchy of authority for bureaucracies. The selection of leadership is also focusing on skills and experience. Additionally, employees have designated duties as stated by the rules of bureaucracies. Focusing on groupthink does pose adverse effects to the organizations and also imposes positive impacts that aid in growing a new company.
References
Cha, Namjun et al. “The Optimal Knowledge Creation Strategy of Organizations in Groupthink Situations.” Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, vol. 26, no. 2, 2020, pp. 207-235.
Felten, Sebastian, and Christine von Oertzen. “Bureaucracy as Knowledge.” Journal for the History of Knowledge, vol. 1, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-16.
Suzuki, Kohei, and Hyunkang Hur. “Bureaucratic Structures and Organizational Commitment: Findings from a Comparative Study of 20 European Countries.” Public Management Review, vol. 22, no. 6, 2020, pp. 877-907.