Bureaucracy

Question 1

What are the two explanations for ethics being marginalised in business decisions?

Answer 1

1. Social organization: bureaucracy.
2. Economic organization: global capitalism.

(Jones et al., 2005)

Question 2

What is bureaucracy?

Answer 2

Bureaucracy is a system of organization that is characterized by hierarchy, specialization, and a set of rules and procedures. Bureaucracies are often found in large organizations, such as businesses, governments, and universities.

Question 3

What were Weber’s views on Ethics and Bureaucracy?

Answer 3

1. Bureaucracy eliminates emotions from official business.
2. Bureaucracy helps to distinguish between instrumental rationality (focusing on achieving set ends) and value rationality (questioning the ends)

(Weber, 1948)

Question 4

What are 3 main criticisms of Bureaucracy?

Answer 4

1. No regard for the end outcome: Blind adherence to rules may neglect ethics and actual objectives.
2. Dehumanisation (Bauman, 1989): It encourages detachment from ethical responsibility and the Other, transferring decision-making to abstract rules.
3. Moral Distance (Bauman): creates moral distance by structuring long hierarchical relationships between people, thus diminishing moral responsivenes e.g. Shell case!

Question 5

What was Du Gay’s views on Bureaucracy?

Answer 5

1. Bureaucracy is a Necessity for Democracy (impartial treatment of individuals)
2. Bureaucracy protects against abuse of power (blind decision making by only those in power)

Du Gay (2000)