Bureaucratic Authority and Its Limits

Legal Authority in Bureaucracy

Legal authority, representing the maximum charge in a company that follows a bureaucratic model, is responsible for overseeing lower levels and establishing the roles, responsibilities, and authority for the entire organizational structure. This authority is depersonalized and operates strictly in accordance with the organization's rules and regulations. It has the power to assign roles and other functions within the company, providing a definite structure. All organizational decisions must ultimately pass through this ultimate authority.

In case of the suspension of statutory authority, there is a disconnection within the organizational structure and the body of rules, laws, etc. In such a scenario, each position becomes empty and cannot function due to a lack of established procedures, authority, duties, and responsibilities, paralyzing the entire organization.

Limitations of Bureaucratic Models

Bureaucratic models based on Weber's theory of legitimation of authority validate certain conceptions of conflict while overlooking dysfunctions that arise from stimulus-response latency. Furthermore, they fail to account for other conflicts stemming from the existence of individuals or groups with differing objectives that are legitimized by the legal structure. This type of conflict was not studied or considered in structural models. By using Weber's theory as a basis, representatives of this school adopt a theoretical tendency that, despite efforts to refine formal models, results in models that are formalistic rather than genuinely comprehensive.

In their conceptual application, these models always start from a formal scheme that is inherently formalistic and autocratic. This approach is inappropriate for control mechanisms that aim to prevent conflicts or manipulation. The rigidity and formality lead to latent reactions and become a permanent source of dysfunction. Consequently, while theories of bureaucracy offer some possibilities for describing the phenomenon, they do not provide adequate normative solutions.

Bureaucracy theories lack proposals for effective decision-making. They do not resolve the distortion created by the formalist origins of Weber's model, thus limiting their effective application. The rigid structure used in mechanical and control systems generates inefficiency, slowness, and excessive, increasing levels of task conflict.

Real-World Inefficiency

The reality observed in public administration, state enterprises, and some multinational corporations serves as a prime example of the inefficiency inherent in this model. A significant limitation is the difficulty in deviating from its strict application or making it more flexible or efficient.