Sociological Theories applied to bureaucracy 2016

Transcription

1 Contents 1. Introductory 2. Complexity of Organizations 3. Attempts at Reforming the Bureaucracy in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada 4. Literature on Institutions EXTENDING SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES TO BUREAUCRACY 1. INTRODUCTORY: 1.2 The classical definition of a market is a place where business transactions take place among several participants. Action in a market is both economic, financial, and socio political. 1.3 Granovetter 1 (1985) extended the 1981 argument of White 2 that only when actors took in to account one another s behaviour, could a stable production markets be made to exits. 1.4 Social forms persist 3 : A study of community networks in 1986 the same in 2000 revealed that relationships established prior to advent of air travel technology have preserved locally focused networks, which suggests that this pattern is maintained by emulation of locally legitimate templates of action. 1 Fingstein Neil, (1996) Markets As Politics: A Political Cultural Approach to Market Institutions in American Sociological Review, 1996 Vol. 61 (August : ) 2 White, Harrison 1981 Where Do Markets Come From? American Journal of Sociology 87: Marquis Christopher, The Pressure of the Past: Network Imprinting in Intercorporate Communities. 10x10learning.com Page 1

2 1.5 This research contributes to imprinting as well as directorship networks by suggesting the way information flows through this network may be geographically contingent. 2. Complexity in Organizations 4 : Model of selection in which the pursuit of information is identified as an important counterbalance, to the effect of the tendency to interact with others who are like oneself. Theories include 2.1 Institutional meanings into organizational structures: Measuring Meaning Structure : Mohr. 2.2 Authority in Organizations: On the Reconciliation of Democracy and Expertise : Lawrence B. Mohr 2.3 Institutional Theory is inherently difficult to explicate because they tap the taken for granted assumptions at the core of social action 2.4 Institutional Theories of Organization by Zucker 2.5 Post contractual opportunistic behavior: Vertical Integration Attempts at Reforming the Bureaucracy 3. In the United States : 3.1 In the United States the large size of the government bureaucracy was declared to be 'a part of the problem' in 1981 but no significant headway could be made to make the government 'lean and efficient'. 4 Frank and Fahrbach Organization culture as complexity 10x10learning.com Page 2

3 3.2 In 1993 bureaucracy was again viewed as outdated and inefficient and specific recommendations for creating a government that works better and costs less were made. Yet not much headway could be made in effect despite redefining the role of the state and shaping of the government machinery. 4. In Australia 4.1 Better success was achieved in Australia and in New Zealand. In Australia, a 'Commonwealth Service Delivery Agency' called 'Centre link' was established in 1996, for providing a range of services to the public. It is created on the basic principle that the policy making function needed to be separated from the service delivery functions. 4.2 This executive agency maintains an 'arms length' relationship with the government and enjoys internal autonomy. It is based on a clear arrangement of a 'division of responsibilities' and a 'division of accountabilities'. No conflicts or controversies have arisen in the Australian system so far. (Jagmohan, 2005: ) 5. In New Zealand 5.1 In New Zealand, a 'comprehensive, coherent, and coordinated' government model has been created. In this model any activity that could be handled by the private sector was removed from the area of government functioning. 5.2 Policy was separated from service delivery and the Minister's role was restricted to monitoring and formulation of policy and goals for the service delivery agency. 10x10learning.com Page 3

4 5.3 The function of service delivery was undertaken on commercial lines, but with clearly spelt out elements of autonomy and accountability of the service agency. 5.4 These reform measures were institutionalized through new laws. As a result a large number of government trading organizations were either privatized or converted into corporations. 5.5 The New Zealand model of bureaucratic reforms has been hailed as 'the world's most advanced performance system' based on 'creative innovation' that has pioneered the fiscal sustainability movement. 5.6 However, its critics find that it has a range of information monitoring activities that are no different than 'formal monitoring' by the bureaucracy. It is based more on the 'science of measurement' than on the art of management. (Waldersee: 1999; Jagmohan, 2005) 6. In Canada 6.1 In Canada an efficient and effective system of governance was sought to be created in 1984 through measures that aimed to give 'more work with fewer people and less cost'. 6.2 The measures included privatization of public service delivery, disinvestments of public corporations, and drastically cutting the size of government bureaucracy. 6.3 The measures were successful and were followed by 'Public Service 2000'. It promised to provide 'a committed, modern, flexible, and professional public 10x10learning.com Page 4

5 service' that was non-partisan and was imbibed with a mission of service to the people. 6.4 This was projected as one of the legacies of the government to future generations, but was not found to be as successful as claimed by the government. It was criticized as 'will do nothing to make it easier for the public to deal with the bureaucracy'. 6.5 Nonetheless it provided a new structure, a new style and culture to the civil services by reinvigorating values of governance such as honesty, integrity, loyalty and prudence, fairness and impartiality and professionalism in carrying out public duties. ( Jagmohan, 2005: ) 7. Literature on Institutions 7.1 In the 1970s literature on the Political Institutions of the State, Legislature and Judiciary, Economic Institutions of the Market and the Firm and the Sociological Institution of the Bureaucracy, propagated theories that viewed these institutions as located at the centre of national activity and assumed to be reflecting the will of the people. 7.2 The welfare of people was always deemed to be the primary objective of all government activity. Democratic politics based on the rule of the majority was viewed as aggregating the choices of individuals motivated by 'maximizing individualism'. 7.3 The underlying paradox was that this self interest based political activity was assumed to be working for the welfare of the people. In effect, however, the purpose of 10x10learning.com Page 5

6 the resource allocation activity of the political government and the bureaucracy was to perpetuate the established system. 7.4 It was meant to retain in power with those who already had it. Political pressures dominated economic policy making reforms difficult, and resulting in the state machinery being used increasingly for private gains. 7.5 State intervention had created monopoly rents through regulations and license based controls of the economy. For this reason the concept of Governance envisaged the confining of the role of the Government to creation of institutional support for the market. 10x10learning.com Page 6