Abstract
This entry begins by describing the classical definition of bureaucracy developed by Max Weber, which is an organization where tasks are divided among technical specialists who devote their full working capacity to the organization and whose activities are coordinated by rational rules, hierarchy and written documents. It then discusses the causes and consequences of bureaucracy, with an emphasis on organizational performance, thus extending Weber’s definition to encompass two important but unanticipated consequences of bureaucracy: inertia and goal displacement.
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Haveman, H.A., Kluttz, D.N. (2016). Bureaucracy. In: Augier, M., Teece, D. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-94848-2_534-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-94848-2_534-1
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