The theory of Max Weber Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The theory of Max Weber - Essay Example The theory of Max Weber Such an organization will always be considered effective and will have a stable and legitimate authority with proper relationship between the leaders and the followers (Weber, 25). According to Max Weber, there are basically three types of authority in existence: traditional, rational-legal and charismatic. Traditional authority is derived from an established set of beliefs, customs and traditions whereby those upon which the authority is vested have the command to exercise it. This type of authority exists majorly in patrimonial systems and feudalistic societies where it is mostly handed down from one generation to another. One important factor in this type of authority is the acceptance of the followers to obey the authority without which the authority cannot exist. On the other hand, rational-legal authority is basically derived from a belief in the legality and hierarchy in existence. It is mostly realized in bureaucratic systems and in formal structures where people are expected to follow a given set of rules and regulations set forth (Miles, 112). Charismatic authority on the other hand arises out of the exceptional nature of individuals, their heroism or exemplary aspects in their character which grants them many followers especially in time of crises. . In modern administrative structures, it is traditional authority and rational-legal authorities which can provide proper administrative structures. In formal organizations, people must follow the set of rules and obey their seniors at work. Formal structures formed on the basis of charismatic authority must evolve properly in order to be successful. This involves the adoption rational-legal authority for proper administrative structures. With his theory of scientific management, Fredrick Taylor actually pioneered the scientific approach to management. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Taylor was totally dissatisfied with the manner in which human organizations were managed and totally dedicated his time and energy on how this could be improved. He therefore pushed for a shift from the conventional style of personal management to a new style of scientific management. In personal management, the leader of the group was expected to be exceptionally bright in order to manage effectively (Taylor, 25). However, under scientific management, a group of ordinary people could perform better than the bright captain if they applied a scientific approach. He advocated for the training of employees in an organization to follow a given set of behavior rather letting them work at their discretion. In this regard, the spirit of cooperation was very important as it ensured proper working relationship between the management and the workers. Indeed such a situation was hitherto unknown in the organizations of that time. According to Taylor, the workload had to be effectively shared in the organization with the managers conducting the scientific work of instruction while the workers focusing o n the provision of labour. In this case, there is less wrangles in the organization as long as each party diligently performs their duty. In modern organizations it is realized that the scientific mode of management as described by Taylor greatly helps in creating authority and legitimacy. Organizations are headed by leaders who are expected to apply science in managing the employees. On the other hand, employees should follow the instructions of the managers in order to create order