Post bureaucracy and the politics of forgetting
The management of change at the BBC,
1991-2002
Martin Harris
University of Essex, Colchester, UK, and
Victoria Wegg-Prosser
Bournemouth University, Dorset, UK
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the imputed “fall” and subsequent
“reinvention” of the BBC during the 1990s, relating a managerialist “politics of forgetting” to the broader ideological narratives of “the post bureaucratic turn”.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on a wide range of primary and secondary sources, combining case study analysis with long-term historical perspectives on organisational change.
Findings – The paper shows the ways in which public sector professionals
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Some scholars working in the
Foucauldian tradition of organisational analysis have argued that market-oriented policies and managerial discourses may act to “capture” and fix the ways in which the world is seen by public sector professionals (for a full review see Trowler, 2001;
Doolin, 2002). But there is now a very substantial body of work which shows the ways in which these discourses have been contested and “displaced” by public sector professionals (Kirkpatrick and Lucio, 1995; Kitchener, 2000; Trowler, 2001; Doolin,
2002; Farrell and Morris, 2003; Kirkpatrick et al., 2005). A recurrent theme in these critiques is that the new forms reflect not the “end” of bureaucracy but a complex, and often highly unstable, bifurcation of the bureaucratic form which devolves operational responsibility whilst attempting to extend the controls exercised by senior management (Farrel and Morris, 2003, p. 134). A growing number of scholars have argued that the “epochalism” promulgated by the anti-bureaucratic turn has produced a highly restricted, caricatured and an historical view which detaches analysis from the relevant organisational contexts, interests and social choices (Reed
and
Goodsell’s book “The Case for Bureaucracy: A Public Administration Polemic” is composed on the contrary. Goodsell makes several arguments in favor of the fundamental soundness of American bureaucracy. His thoughts are derived from a core belief: the quality of public service in the United States is vastly underrated (p. xi). His polemic is such that the flaws and the faults of bureaucracy in America are far fewer on a proportionate basis than is generally thought. The argument of this book is that a wide gap exists between bureaucracy’s repopulation and its record. Despite endless ranting to the contrary, American bureaucracy does work – in fact, quite well (p. 4). According to Goodsell criticisms of government bureaucracy are based more on myth than reality. Goodsell argues that government agencies actually play a valuable and indispensable role in making our society a better place to live. For instance Goodsell examines studies that show what he argues is evidence of public satisfaction with bureaucracy. His arguments are based on such statistics as “most” citizens believing that police do not accept bribes (p. 27) or that “only” a quarter of welfare recipients waited a half hour or more for service (p. 35). In addressing direct performance evaluation, Goodsell shows that public bureaucracy has witnessed overall growth in productivity from 1967 through 1990. He acknowledges, however, that this cannot be fairly compared to private industry’s experience over the
"To the extent that US bureaucracy succeeds, it is due not just to the competent work inside individual organization but the competent interactions among them.” (Goodsell 2008) This quote from Goodsell’s book sums up the book perfectly for me when it comes to the tasks that society puts on bureaucrats. Before reading Charles Goodsell’s, The Case for Bureaucracy: A Public Administration Polemic, I did not appreciate the United States Government and what is accomplishes on a daily basis. Goodsell’s book examines how essential the United States’ public service institutions are, even when though they are often heavily criticized. Goodsell showcases the research he’s conducted and survey evidence that shows how that bureaucracy is effective in accomplishing tasks that are free of corruption and staffed with employees who are passionate about their work. He discusses criticism and misconceptions of the United States system of government and argues against that. Overall, Goodsell’s book has reinforced and fully convinced me that bureaucracy at all levels in the government is both effective and efficient. The thesis of the book is to describe the larger difference between bureaucracy’s reputation and its actual record. Goodsell discusses issues of bureaucracy, over expectations of bureaucracy, and why bureaucracy is so important. Common misconceptions
In Bureaucracy, James Wilson examines government agencies in comparison to the private sector. The portion we read is centered around both the individual (operator) and the organization as a whole. The idea that bureaucracies are inefficient based solely on red tape is discredited with this piece. There is no simple solution to improving the bureaucracy. Finally, Wilson demonstrates that a great deal of variables and ideas contribute to bureaucratic inefficiency.
The Bureaucracy was created by the framers to guarantee limited and responsible government. The constitutional framework was designed to do this, but a lot of the framework isn’t even apart of our federal Bureaucracy today. This is because of the separation of powers that the Congress, The President, and the Judiciary branch has or is fighting for the total power of the administrative branch.
According to Jackall, Bureaucracy expands the freedom of those on top by giving them the power to restrict power from those beneath them”pg 127 . Higher management have the ability to distribute their work to whomever they like and not be held accountable for anything. The only keen Once the work is done and projects are complete the small people receive a token of appreciation from their manager ,however the manager is receiving the for making the CEO look good . Moreover, the CEO are the highest on the totem pole and seldom deals with the people below. Jackall explains adeptness at inconsistency that allows lobbying to keep regulation as they are, latter saying it was standard at the time, making changes that only benefit the corporate office and the ability to say one thing and do something else. Overall, Jackall confirms, ‘bureaucracy breaks apart the older connection between the meaning of work and salvation.
The Constitution is a plan to help the government help the people. There are many events that helped form the Constitution, but here are a few; Shay’s Rebellion, The Stamp, Sugar, and Quartering Acts, The Revolutionary War, and the First Constitutional Convention. The Constitution once worked for the United States, but we have since expanded. We have advanced technologically, we have a risk of an aristocracy, and the Constitution doesn’t give everyone representation.
Surprisingly when reading Bureaucracy and Democracy by William T. Gormley Jr. and Steven J. Balla the authors give a better understanding of how bureaucracy and democracy play apart in everyday life. This is not your average dry college text book. At first glance, it can be daunting to read as it focuses on the four-main parts of social scientific theories. As you continue to read you will discover stories though out the book on different situations, how to handle them, and your role as a public administer.
Woll views the bureaucracy as the center of governmental power because agencies exercise legislative, judicial, and executive functions, and because of how strongly administration and politics are intertwined. Woll argues that contrary to popular thought, the President and Congress have infrequent control over the administrative process. Agencies make definite decisions that carry out vague policy initiated in Congress or by the President. Agencies also offer expert advice and are receptive to interested pressure groups. Not only do agencies determine the policies that the legislative and executive branches recommend, but the agencies affect the policy-making process through the decisions they make.
“Once fully established, bureaucracy is among those social structures which are hardest to destroy. Bureaucracy is the means of transforming social action into rationally organized action. Therefore, as an instrument of rationally organizing authority relations, bureaucracy was and is a powerful instrument of the first order for one who controls the bureaucratic apparatus. Under otherwise equal conditions, rationally and directed action (Gesellschaftshandeln) is superior to every kind of collective behavior (Massenhandeln) and also social action (Gemeinschaftshandeln) opposing it. Where administration has been completely bureaucratized, the resulting system of domination is practically indestructible,” (Weber, 1922, p.336-337).
After looking at all those critical points of view about bureaucracy one should ask himself a question: If this system has so many disadvantages, why is it still so relevant in the world? Or is it still relevant? Du Gay, who is one of the most famous protagonists of
The Bureaucracy has manifested in the human administration system for over 5000 years. The history has written that such organization has been invented in the times of the Egyptian dominant. The creation of a bureaucratic system raise from the monarchy, the ruling of one principle monarch has established a figure that can be seen as the start of the bureaucratic organization. In my essay I’m going discuss is it or it’s not possible for the “Fourth Branch” of our government (the bureaucracy) to be equal with the other three branches.
There have been many bureaucracy practices throughout human history and in today’s world, while most of the practices are being criticized to be inhumane, and a threat to individual freedom both physically and mentally. Some argue that bureaucracy is the only efficient way of organizing a large population often not highly educated, while others states that bureaucracy would only shift power from individuals to the administrating party or the leader of the political
The word “bureaucracy” has a negative connotation to many people. The fact is that our current system of government would not be able to survive without bureaucracies. The bureaucracy has become the “fourth branch” of the government, it has quasi-legislative and judicial powers and in it’s own field its authority is rarely challenged. The presence of these large, inefficient structures is necessary if the American people want to continue receiving the benefits that they expect.
In his book, Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies do and why they do it, James Q. Wilson’s main objective is to better define the behavior of governmental bureaucracy, believing traditional organizational and economic theory does not adequately explain their actions. Wilson believes that government agencies are doomed to be perceived as inefficient entities by the public. He gives examples of commonly held perceptions of bureaucracies and reveals how these are mostly misconceptions. He points to the environment of bureaucracy, where rules and procedures, dictate goals, along with context, constraints, values, and norms.
Abstract: The theory of bureaucracy was proposed and published by Marx Weber (1947). Although there are some studies on this perspective were discussed before him, those theories did not form as systematic theory. After Weber, the issue of bureaucracy becomes a hot topic in the field of social organization. Almost all well-known scholars such as Martin and Henri have published their views on it. Bureaucracy adapted as the traditional organizational model during industrial society, essentially, bureaucracy could exist rational. This essay firstly will review the principle of bureaucracy in organization based on organizational design perspective. Secondly, it will analyze the strengths and weakness of