Bureaucracies

A bureaucracy is a system of organization noted for its size and complexity. Everything within
a bureaucracy — responsibilities, jobs, and assignments — exists to achieve some goal.
Bureaucracies are found at the federal, state, county, and municipal levels of government, and
even large private corporations may be bureaucratically organized. People who work for
government agencies, from high-level managers and executives to clerical staff, are
called bureaucrats. The superintendent of a large urban school district is a bureaucrat, as are
the teachers, librarians, nurses, and security guards.

The terms bureaucrat and bureaucracy have negative connotations. They bring to mind long,
difficult forms; standing in long lines; and encounters with inflexible and unsympathetic clerks.
The simplest requests are tangled in red tape, the paperwork that slows down accomplishment
of an otherwise simple task. Despite this popular perception, bureaucracy is necessary for big
governmental agencies to operate.

Characteristics of Bureaucracies

All bureaucracies share similar characteristics, including specialization, hierarchical

organization, and formal rules. In the best circumstances, these characteristics allow a
bureaucracy to function smoothly. The following are a number of important characteristics of
bureaucracies.

Specialization

Workers in a bureaucracy perform specialized tasks that call for training and expertise. Trained
personnel can accomplish their jobs efficiently. The downside of specialization is that
bureaucrats often cannot (or refuse to) "work out of class" — that is, take on a task that is
outside the scope of their job description.

Hierarchical organization

The structure of a bureaucracy is called a hierarchy, a succession of tiers from the most menial
worker in the organization to the highest executive. Each level has clearly defined authority
and responsibilities.

Formal rules

Bureaucracies function under formal rules. These instructions state how all tasks in the
organization, or in a particular tier of the hierarchy, are to be performed. The rules are often
called standard operating procedures (SOP) and are formalized in procedures manuals. By
following the rules, bureaucrats waste no time in making appropriate decisions.

There are contradictions in the operation of a bureaucracy, however. The narrow focus on
special expertise may blind a bureaucrat to a flaw in the performance of a task. Compounding
the problem may be the bureaucrat's inability to recognize the problem if it occurs in an area
outside the bureaucrat's expertise. The hierarchical structure also prevents a democratic
approach to problem-solving. Lower-level staff find it difficult to question the decisions of
supervisors, and executives and managers may be unaware that a problem exists several rungs
down the organizational ladder.

Benefits and Limitations of Bureaucracies

Benefits

Central authority in bureaucracy makes it effective in organizing

Advocates for bureaucracy have positive views on having hierarchy in an organization. They
say that since there is a chain of command, there will be specific roles and tasks for people
involved in the departments. This way, management will be able to monitor the performance
of the people in lower ranks. Also, with strict regulations and policies that need to be observed,
there is a big possibility that duties will be carried out in a systematic and timely manner.
Following these set of rules before decision making ensures choices and steps are ideal and
well selected.

It supports the hiring of specialized officials

Supporters of bureaucracy prefer the idea of designating appointed officials who have the
educational background and expertise on the agency they will assigned to. These bureaucrats
also have the training and skills particular to their designation. This ensures these non-elective
members know what they are doing and will be able to maximize their knowledge and apply
their skills. As a result, tasks are effectively carried out. Another point proponents express in
connection with officials having specialization is the possibility that there will always be
solutions to issues since problems which cannot be handled by an officer will be escalated to
an individual who is also competent.

It follows Standard Operating Procedure

Proponents of bureaucracy look at these formalized rules to bring about efficiency and
predictability in results. In this set-up, officials are to follow instructions and procedures step
by step in handling tasks and situations. This way, outcomes will be within the specified range.

It sets no room for favouritism

People in favour of bureaucracy claim that with the regulations and procedure to be followed
in order to achieve results, the risks of favouring some individuals over others will be minimal
if not none at all. A scenario mentioned is one of a student applying for a loan. There is a
systematic process involved and certain requirements to be met to get an approval. With
skipping a step or one of these requirements lacking, the process will not be able to move
forward. With bureaucracy, all will be treated fairly and will undergo the same procedure
regardless of affiliation to any of the officials in the particular agency.

It allows for merit-based hiring and promotion

For a non-elective member of a government agency, he or she should be qualified and pass the
qualifying exams to be employed or appointed as well as climb the hierarchy. This means that
whoever is appointed has the knowledge, expertise and skills to handle the job. No one will be
considered simply because he or she is a relative or a friend of a high-ranking official in the
agency.

It plays an important role in policy making

Although civil servants do not make policies, they gather the data forwarded to the political
executive. They are also responsible for formulating several alternative policies and determine
the pros and cons of each. In turn, the political executive will choose one policy which will
then be used as an alternative.

Limitations

Rigidity

Rules and regulations in a bureaucracy are often rigid and inflexible. Rigid compliance with
rules and regulations discourages initiative and creativity. It may also provide the cover to
avoid responsibility for failures.

Goal Displacement
Rules framed to achieve organizational objectives at each level become an end to themselves.
When individuals at lower levels pursue personal objectives, the overall objectives of the
organization may be neglected.

Impersonality

A bureaucratic organization stresses a mechanical way of doing things. Organizational rules

and regulations are given priority over an individual’s needs and emotions.

Compartmentalization of Activities

Jobs ore divided into categories, which restrict people from performing tasks that they are
capable of performing. It also encourages preservation of jobs even when they become
redundant.

Paperwork

Bureaucracy involves excessive paperwork as every decision must be put into writing. All
documents have to be maintained in their draft and original forms. This leads to great wastage
of time, stationery and space.

Empire Building

People in bureaucracy tend to use their positions and resources to perpetuate self interests.
Every superior tries to increase the number of his subordinates as if this number is considered
a symbol of power and prestige.

Red Tape

Bureaucratic procedures involve inordinate delays and frustration in the performance of tasks.

Comparison of Companies
The first bureaucratic company that will be discussed here is the Coca-Cola company. Coca
Cola's bureaucratic control mechanism has been effective in ensuring that the company
operates profitably. The company has a set committee known as the Coca Cola's Audit
Committee Charter that is in charge of effecting this control. The committee evaluates the
integrity of records of finance; it also oversees the evaluation of the company's audit as well as
implementing financial controls. This control has been greatly effective in ensuring the
company runs profitably. The profitability of the company attests to the effectiveness of the
application of this control. The code of business conduct serves as a guideline for that
employees take. This control aligns actions to the values and goals of the company. As a result,
Coca Cola has had its employees disciplined and able to work towards achieving excellence
for the company. This can be said to be working well for the company because world over the
Coca Cola's employees play by the company's rules. This is also what has led to the creation
of consistency, uniformity and success in the all branches of its operation, and thus creating a
big brand. The company has also been able to utilize market control mechanisms to enhance
its competitive edge. This is exemplified by the company's creation of small units distributed
geographically and by product. This has been greatly effective in enhancing its competition.
As a result, of the breaking and distribution the company has been able to expand greatly and
take up a large market share.

The next company to be discussed is the Nike company. Nike is a great place for a self-
motivated, intelligent individual to establish a career. While salaries are a bit lackluster in the
lower ranks, "total compensation", including benefits, are second to none. Career advancement
is readily available to those who actively seek it and career exploration is highly encouraged.
Working on high visibility projects and popular product is highly rewarding. Nike is a large
corporation. As such it is extremely easy for coworkers, including managers, to "go with the
flow" and ride the paycheck express. This can be extremely frustrating to those who are
motivated, dedicated and loyal to the company. The bureaucracy of business can be difficult to
deal with at times. Human resources and management can be a bit too "politically correct" at
times and lack strength in dealing with lacklustre employee performance for the sake of respect.

Recommendations

Here are a number of recommendations to reduce bureaucracy

1. Know what you want to get done. Often bureaucracy happens when people focus on
processes and forget about what the end result should be. Where are you trying to go? Find the
shortest route to get there, rather than making things complicated. Visualize your desired result,
and keep the focus on that.
2. Know your priorities. Keep in mind the most important work your company or organization
does. It almost certainly isn’t paperwork or meetings (with a few exceptions, possibly). Of
course, if you’re going to have a meeting with a potential client in order to sign him up, that’s
probably a priority. But for many employees, the real work will be something else: writing
code, writing articles, designing, making calls, crunching numbers, etc. Know the important
work, and focus on that.
3. Eliminate paperwork whenever possible. How many forms does your company have?
Much of that uses the same information. Can a simple computer program or online form be
used instead, so people don’t have to fill out paperwork but can just fill in an online form where
the basic information is stored and re-used so it doesn’t have to be re-entered? Often using a
computer program (online or off) will also automate things so paperwork isn’t needed. Or just
eliminate the paperwork altogether if it’s possible — sometimes it’s just better to take action
without having to fill in things.
4. Cut out processes. Are there steps and approvals and work that people have to do that can
be eliminated altogether? Keep an eye out for these processes and eliminate when possible.
Every time someone is doing something routine, ask whether it’s really necessary, or if can be
reduced or eliminated. Can several steps be cut out to make things quicker? Often the answer
is a resounding “yes”.
5. Empower people. Often a manager becomes a bottleneck, requiring his approval before
anything can get done. Worse yet is when approval is needed several times along the way,
meaning it has to be bounced back and forth a bunch of times. Better: give people clear
instructions about how to handle things and when approval is authorized, and allow them to
handle it. Monitor things closely at first to ensure that they know how to follow the instructions,
then give them more room to work independently and just report to you every now and then.
Make sure the instruction includes the circumstances when they need to alert you to any major
problems.
6. Don’t put off decisions. Worse than a manager becoming a bottleneck is a bottleneck where
decisions are delayed and things pile up. When a decision is required, try to make it quickly.
Make sure you have all necessary info, know what criteria you’re using to make the decision,
and then make the decision immediately. The longer you wait the worse the problems become.
Indecision is the enemy of action.
7. Have the information you need ready. If you don’t have information, you can’t make
decisions properly. This is often the reason people put off decisions, but they don’t always
realize it. As a result, they sit on a decision for awhile. Instead, go and get the info you need so
you can make the decision immediately. Better yet, have the information sent to you
beforehand, so you have everything you need to make the decision when it’s time. Figure out
what information is needed for your regular decisions and have it regularly on hand.
8. Keep “Action” at your forefront. Put up a sign on your desk that says “Action”. Make this
your mentality throughout the day. When you are putting something off, remind yourself to
take action. When you have a bunch of steps you have to do, remind yourself that eliminating
steps leads to taking action sooner. When you’re in a regularly scheduled meeting (like, every
day), ask yourself if this is preventing action.
9. Look for action-oriented people. When hiring or selecting a team, look for people who get
things done. This can be seen in their track record. Give them a trial and see if they tend to
focus on actions and decision, or processes and paperwork. Action-oriented people will get
things done more effectively.
10. Reward action. Reward team members as well as yourself for action taken. Rewards could
be as simple as praise or as big as a promotion or a bonus to the most action-oriented
employees. These rewards tell your company or organization — or yourself — that action is a
top priority.
Social Media

Definition of Social Media

Social media are computer-mediated tools that allow people or companies to create, share, or
exchange information, career interests, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual
communities and networks. The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services
currently available introduces challenges of definition; however, there are some common
features: (1) social media are Web 2.0 internet-based applications, (2) user-generated content
(UGC) is the lifeblood of the social media organism, (3) users create service-specific profiles
for the site or app that are designed and maintained by the social media organization, and (4)
social media facilitate the development of online social networks by connecting a user's profile
with those of other individuals and/or groups. Social media depend on mobile and web-based
technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities
share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content.

Types of Social Media

Social networks

A social network site is a social media site that allows users to connect and share with people
who have similar interests and backgrounds. Facebook is the most popular example of a social
network website.

Bookmarking sites

These sites allow users to save and organize links to any number of online resources and
websites. A great feature of these services is the ability for the user to “tag” links, which makes
them easier to search, and invariably, share with their followers. StumbleUpon is a popular
example of a bookmarking site.

Social news

This is a social news site that allows its users to post news links and other items to outside
articles. Users then vote on said items, and the items with the highest number of votes are most
prominently displayed. A good example of a social news site is Reddit.

Media sharing

Media sharing websites allow users to share different types of media, such as pictures and
video. Most of these sites also offer social features, like the ability to create profiles and the
option of commenting on the uploaded images. YouTube is the most well-known media sharing
site in the world

Microblogging

These are just what they sound like, sites that allow the users to submit short written entries,
which can include links to product and service sites, as well as links to other social media sites.
These are then posted on the ‘walls’ of everyone who has subscribed to that user’s account.
The most commonly used microblogging website is Twitter.

Blog comments and forums

An online forum is a site that lets users engage in conversations by posting and responding to
community messages. A blog comment site is the same thing except a little more focused. The
comments are usually centered around the specific subject of the attached blog. Google has a
popular blogging site aptly titled, Blogger. However, there are a seemingly endless number of
blogging sites, particularly because so many of them are niche-based, unlike the universal
appeal of general social media sites.

Pros and Cons

The Pros

Social networking creates new social connections

Statistics show that 70% of adults have used social media sites to connect with relatives in
other states, and 57% of teens have reported making new friendships on social media sites.

Students are doing better in school

This is an interesting statistic about the pros and cons of social media and its effect on students
doing well in school. Students with internet access at a rate of 50% have reported using social
networking sites to discuss school work, and another 59% talk about instructive topics.

Better quality of life

If you want to talk about the pros and cons of social media, take a close look at all the support
groups on Facebook. Members of these groups discuss their health conditions, share important
information, and resources relevant to their conditions while creating strong support networks.

Social media as a source of employment

Job sourcing has gone modern thanks to social media. Sites such as LinkedIn are a major
resource that 89% of job recruiters take advantage of when looking to hire potential employees.

Cons

Social media and the news

Much of the news information that people read about comes from social media websites, and
that figure estimate is around 27.8 %. This figure ranks just under print newspapers at 28.8%,
greater than radio’s figure of 18.8% and far outpaces the figure for other print publications at
just 6%.
Too much misinformation

With the advent of the web, people started to create their own websites and blogs. While many
of those blogs were just basic diaries, a few of them were about topics like health and politics
while others were how to blogs.

Pupils spending too much time on social media sites have lower academic grades

Here is another argument about the pros and cons of social media as it pertains to students.
Statistics show that pupils using social media too often tend to have GPA’s of 3.06 compared
to GPA’s of 3.82 for pupils who don’t use social media.

An even scarier fact is that students who use social media tend to score 20 % lower on their
test scores then their counterparts.

Social media sites to blame for lost productivity

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are a direct cause for lost productivity at the
workplace. In a survey 36 % of people said that social networking was the biggest waste of
time in comparison to activities like fantasy football, shopping, and watching television.

Social media is the cause for less face to face communication

Lack of one on one communication. In a 2012 study families who reported spending less time
with one another rose from a level of 8% in 2000 to 32% in 2011. The study also reported that
32 % of the people in the survey either were texting or were on social media sites instead of
communicating with each other during family gatherings.

Comparison of Two Companies

Zappos is an online retailer that sells shoes, clothing and accessories. They’re known for the
enormous emphasis they put on creating real relationships with their fans and customers. Their
catchy saying, “Let’s be in a Like-Like relationship,” shows they treat their potential fans as
equals, solidifying their relationships even more. One great strategy they’ve employed is to
first ask for the Like and then ask their new fans to join their email list. Once you click their
Like button, the custom tab changes and you then see the opportunity to sign up for their email
list and interact with their products, as seen in the image below. By waiting until after the fan
clicks the Like button, Zappos is proving they care about building relationships with their fans
first. In addition, Zappos uses a strategy often called “fans-only content” where they reveal
content only after someone has become a fan, such as the fashion images in the illustration
above. Once you click the Like button, you get instant access to exclusive content, videos and
special promotions.

They’ve also included comment widgets, as seen below, on their custom welcome tab where
you can post about their products and your comments will post to your profile or page, telling
all your friends or fans what you like most about Zappos. Great social proof!. One of the best
engagement strategies I’ve seen on Facebook is Zappos’ “Fan of the Week” contest. They
encourage fans to send in their photos with the Zappos box and other fans get to vote on the
best photo of the week. What’s great is that Zappos highlights the fan of the week by putting
him or her in their wall image photo for all to see. As seen below, this is definitely about putting
customers first. Cree is a business-to-business company that sells energy-efficient,
environmentally friendly, industrial LED lighting. When you think of social media marketing,
you wouldn’t think that an industrial lighting company that sells LEDs to grocery stores would
be shining; however, Cree is extremely social-savvy.

Cree knows how to make their customers’ experiences fun, social and interactive. In their
“Cries for Help” section, they encourage companies to showcase their terrible lighting on their
site. It’s a fun way to make light (no pun intended!) of their bad lighting situations in their
offices. In addition, Cree provides valuable content to pique their audience’s attention. With
articles such as “What happens if a baby holds a Cree light bulb?”, they’re able to speak to
their audience in a way that grabs their attention and gets them involved. Great content is the
key to a happy audience. Also, Cree knows the value of social proof. When you become part
of their environmental movement, you get to display a badge on your site that says, “Take the
pledge. I joined the LED lighting revolution.” This is a great way to build community with
your audience and get great viral exposure for your company.

Recommendation

Use social media in the way that works for the situation. There are a number of ways to work
with social media that can be effective – there is no one “right” way to use these tools. The
approach you should take depends on the goals and needs of the unit, so having a clear plan
that establishes objectives and desired outcomes is recommended, and that plan should reflect
the unique personality of the organization.
Listen, evaluate, adjust, experiment. One strength of social media is that you will often receive
feedback that provides insight on how to improve the approach. Listen to that feedback and
make adjustments as necessary.

Publish content via social media channels on a regular basis. You don’t have to publish every
day or even every week, but people should know that someone is engaged and attending to the
information on the page/channel. It is important to provide accurate information for people
who take the time to follow your page and/or ask questions about the offerings.

Be prepared to respond to questions that are asked through the social media
channel. Remember that when you answer in a public setting, many people may read that
answer. If the information you are providing is valid only for the one person you are
addressing, you may need to make that clear in the response.

Ask for feedback from the readers. If you need opinions from the audience on a particular
topic, sometimes the best thing to do is just ask. Writing a post in the form of a question is a
simple and effective way to do this. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that you don’t
control the answers, so be prepared for negative or positive responses.

Recognize that social media is not about control. You can control what you say through social
media, but you can’t control how people will interpret the message, how they will react, or
what they will communicate to others through these channels about the organization. That’s
the nature of social media; trying to change it is neither productive nor desirable. Focus on
telling the organization’s story honestly and providing accurate, timely information that is
relevant to the readers. This will give people an opportunity to share some of that information
with their friends and contacts, just as they might through face-to-face communication.

Assume everything you publish is public. The privacy policies of third party websites are
outside of UA’s control and subject to change.