Formal Organizations And Bureaucracies

1. By: Danny “Disaster” Murphy and Ty “Smay on the Beach” Formal Organizations And Bureaucracies

2. Thesis • To understand the impact of formal organizations and bureaucracies and the important role that they play in society.

3. Definitions • Formal Organization – is a secondary group formed to accomplish specific, set objectives. • It transforms the way in which society is organized. • Ex: A corporation is usually a formal organization. Corporations tend to be large and are characterized by secondary relations among their employees. The goal of most corporations is very specific: to increase profits.

4. Corporations • Two Biggest : • Wal-Mart • Exxon Mobil (gas company)

5. Evolution of Formal Organizations • Industrialization sparked formal organization • Static – doesn’t change too much • Has become larger, yet more efficient over the years • Continues to be used since early times through present day

6. Characteristics of Formal Organizations • Easy to understand and explained • Works from higher to lower positions (top down) and has a hierarchy • Very well aligned • Doesn’t change much • Formed by certain orders and rules • Mostly based on status and less of the individual • Efficient

7. Formal Organizations All Around Us • Born into them • Education • Work • Death • *Society as a whole is formally organized

8. Bureaucracy • Definition – it is the structure and basis of regulations set in place to control activities, most often in large organizations. • Concept – since beginning of nationhood • Word comes from Western Europe

9. Bureaucracy (cont…) • Ideal vs. Real • Dysfunctions • Rule is a rule • Loss or lack of communication • Alienation • Incompetence • Significance • Perpetuation

10. Max Weber • Max Weber found the ideals and “guidelines” of bureaucracies and their development/ growth. • Believes it is efficient and rational • 7 principles • Bureaucratic official

11. Impact on the U.S. society • All around us • Impact absolutely everyone • Sometimes created to look over other organizations • Takes care of various social and political necessities

12. Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0m4CPfI_70&feature=related

13. Interview • Jordan Monroe’s take on formal organizations: “Formal organizations are what make society go. Society is one big formal organization, and no matter what we do, we are involved in formal organizations.”

14. Interview (Cont.) • Jordan’s take on why formal organizations are necessary: “Society needs order, and formal organizations allow for order and organization. Without this order, society would be unable to function efficiently.”

15. Interview (Cont.) • Jordan’s opinion on whether or not the idea of bureaucracy is competent: “Bureaucracy allows for society to function on a basic set of principles, and thus it would seem to be a reasonable theory. Overall, it once again serves as a way to provide order to a society that requires it, and this to me proves bureaucracy to be a reasonable ideal.

16. Works Cited "Bureaucracy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 15 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureaucracy>. "Formal organization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 15 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_organization>. "Groups Within Society: Social Groups and Organizations: Sociology: SparkNotes: 101s." SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides. 15 May 2009 <http://www.sparknotes.com/101/sociology/social_groups_and_organi zations/groups_within_society.html>. "Groups and Formal Organizations." University of Missouri - St. Louis Home. 15 May 2009 <http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/010/groups.html#formalorg>.