Formal Organizations

BUREAUPATHOLOGY (by VICTOR THOMPSON)

3 TYPES OF BEHAVIOR PATTERNS

 BUREAUCRATIC BEHAVIOR

 Mostly found in large, complex organizations based upon advanced specialization

 BUREAUPATHIC BEHAVIOR

 Behavioral patterns that do not help in the advancement of organizational goals as they reflect the personal needs of the individuals

 Consists essentially of exaggerations of bureaucratic behavior by insecure persons in hierarchical and non hierarchical position

 Arises from personal insecurity

 It can only be exercised downwards

 BUREAUTIC BEHAVIOR

 Reaction to modern organizations by people (including both employees and clients) who are unable to adjust to the complexity, impersonality, and impartiality of these organizations

 Associated with personal immaturity

 Cannot abstract thus, personalized the world and tends to be suspicious of everything

 Has underdeveloped power of investing energy in future projects

 A bureautic employee is not likely to get into the hierarchy and may come to be regarded as a failure

 TYPES OF BUREAUPATHIC BEHAVIOR

 Insecurity

 Starts with a need on the part of the person in an authority position to control those subordinates to himself.

 Hierarchical structure with its monopoly of success is a potent source of anxiety which can be associated with insecurity

 Anxiety is also associated with insecurity of function

- occupying a position no fully accepted by significant others tends to make one isolated or a minority in a hostile world

 Growing gap between the rights to authority (to review, to veto, to affirm) and the specialized ability or skill required to solve organizational problems

- persons in hierarchical positions are becoming increasingly dependent upon subordinate and non-subordinate specialists for the achievement of unit goals

 Need to Control

 This arises from insecurity and often results in behavior which appears irrational from the standpoint of organizational goals

 It advances only personal goals and satisfies only personal needs which create conditions which do not eliminate the need for control but rather enhance it.

 The