Formal organizations have existed for thousands of years and like technology, the way an organization operates has changed tremendously over time and continues to change today. For example, many years ago the technology to communicate with one another over the phone, internet, texting, etc. was nonexistent, back then it took days sometimes even weeks to communicate with others. Thus, hindering the production efforts of the company; whereas in today’s times with the many means of communication the way an organization is operated has changed tremendously. Most formal organization has some form of bureaucracy. When most people think of bureaucracy they automatically think of the government. However, bureaucracy is also defined as the administrative structure of a large or complex organization based on the American Heritage Dictionary.
Much like the government there are many advantages and disadvantages to bureaucracy in formal organizations. Those bureaucratic inadequacies include alienation, inefficiency and ritualism, and bureaucratic inertia based on research by Max Weber.
However, Max Weber also identifies six key elements that promote the efficiency in a bureaucratic organization. Those key elements are specialization, hierarchy of offices, rules and regulations, technical competence, impersonality, and formal written communications.
The element of specialization refers to individual job functions. It is vital that the correct individual is qualified for the position for which he or she is assigned to. The hierarchy of offices element, done correctly will form an organizational pyramid. There must be a set of rules and regulation for which the organization must operate by in efforts to have organization and direction for the employees to follow. Technical competence like the specialization element refers to a properly trained and qualified person for the position for which they are to be hired for. The impersonality element is important because this