1. Organizational Theory and Public Administration
Douglas Brown
Pols 341
Winter term, 2011

2. Organizational Theory and Public Administration
Structural/Mechanical Theories of Bureaucratic organization
Humanistic Management Theory
Theories of Decision-making

3. The Role of Theory 1. Empirical generalizations 2. Paradigmatic model
3. Critical ideology
Why theory needs to change….
new empirical evidence
new crises and perspectives
new ways of considering knowledge

4. Max Weber’s eight principles of bureaucracy
Hierarchical structure: a chain of command
Unity of command: no competing power centres
Specialization of labour within the organization
Employment and promotion based on merit

5. Weber’s principles
Full-time employment; full-time devotion to organization
Decisions based on impersonal rules, not self-interest or personal preferences
Importance of written record-keeping
Separation of private life and interests from bureaucratic duty: guarding against corruption

6. Pro’s and Con’s of Weberian Model
Professionalism
Neutrality
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Rationality
Control
Consistency
Uniformity
CONs
Impersonal
Overly complex
Slow
Noncreative
Rule-bound
Hard to access, and understand
Inflexible to special cases

7. Post-Weber Organization Theories
Frederick Taylor, late 19th century: time and motion in an industrial setting: the idea that there is one best way to do each job.
Arthur Young, 1918: extends “Taylorism” to classification of jobs in federal civil service –matching the best person to the job
Gulick and Urwick, 1930s: adapting organizational structure to different purposes and differing needs for control

8. “humanistic” and organic theory
Barnard: The need to lead and the importance of cooperation
Motivation and behavioural psychology – Maslow’s “hierarchy of human needs”
Hebert Simon’s proverbs: getting the balance right between competing organizational values
Chris Argyris: importance of long-term “human resource” development
Peter Drucker’s theory of participatory management: communication is key

9. Managerial Decision-Making: Alternative theories/ approaches
Rationalism: The dominant assumption and theory
Alternative approaches:
Incrementalism
Bounded rationalism
Mixed scanning
Public choice
Revised bureaucratic interests theory
Policy networks

10. The Rational Model Identify the problem
Determine and priorize the goals
Examine the alternatives
Review the consequences (costs)
Compare alternatives and consequences
Choose based on best fit of alternatives, consequences and goals

11. Alternative Models and Theories..1 Limits to Rationalism
Lindblom’s incrementalism – decisions most often are to make very minor adjustments
Hebert Simon’s bounded rationality – seeking the most satisfactory solution in the circumstances
Etzioni’ – “mixed scanning” involves a mixture of fundamental vs. incremental decisions

12. Alternative Models and Theories..2 Deciding, but not in public interest?
Public choice: decisions made to maximize “private” interests of the organization
Bureaucratic politics: decisions reflect bargaining among competing power centres