max webber
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM
This is a study of the bureaucratic characteristics of Turkish elementary and secondary schools. Little is known about the organization and foundation of these schools. This study is a beginning in an effort to develop a body of literature in these schools. Max Weber's (in Gerth &
Mills, 1946) thinking and Hall's (1961) operationalization of bureaucracy form the theoretical foundation for the study. Because the construct of alienation is the main construct that has been studied with relation to bureaucracy, this study also examines the relationships between bureaucracy and sense of power as a measure of alienation.
Context
Organizations surround us. Bureaucracy is a blueprint for organizing human activities for a desired end. It is a sociological phenomenon that has evolved throughout the history of civilization. As a sociological tool it has been used to build pyramids, to invade nations, to cure illnesses, to keep criminals incarcerated, to land on Mars, to massacre millions, to educate, and so on. It is the tool of power, an "effective" device to control and direct human effort and behavior. The bureaucratic theory of Max Weber has been a point of departure for the development and modification of organization structure to influence the flow of interrelationships within organizations (Hall, 1963). The degree of bureaucracy in an organization sets the boundaries for human action. These boundaries that regulate people's freedom have a by-product known as alienation. The construct of alienation has been studied with relation to bureaucracy. It has been demonstrated that people who work in bureaucracies have a limited "say" in what they do. For good or for evil, bureaucracy is the machinery to control human behavior. What matters is how to use this device without alienating people.
Schools are one of the forms of bureaucracy where a large portion of our lives is spent.
Schools prepare youth for bureaucracies. If the
THE PROBLEM
This is a study of the bureaucratic characteristics of Turkish elementary and secondary schools. Little is known about the organization and foundation of these schools. This study is a beginning in an effort to develop a body of literature in these schools. Max Weber's (in Gerth &
Mills, 1946) thinking and Hall's (1961) operationalization of bureaucracy form the theoretical foundation for the study. Because the construct of alienation is the main construct that has been studied with relation to bureaucracy, this study also examines the relationships between bureaucracy and sense of power as a measure of alienation.
Context
Organizations surround us. Bureaucracy is a blueprint for organizing human activities for a desired end. It is a sociological phenomenon that has evolved throughout the history of civilization. As a sociological tool it has been used to build pyramids, to invade nations, to cure illnesses, to keep criminals incarcerated, to land on Mars, to massacre millions, to educate, and so on. It is the tool of power, an "effective" device to control and direct human effort and behavior. The bureaucratic theory of Max Weber has been a point of departure for the development and modification of organization structure to influence the flow of interrelationships within organizations (Hall, 1963). The degree of bureaucracy in an organization sets the boundaries for human action. These boundaries that regulate people's freedom have a by-product known as alienation. The construct of alienation has been studied with relation to bureaucracy. It has been demonstrated that people who work in bureaucracies have a limited "say" in what they do. For good or for evil, bureaucracy is the machinery to control human behavior. What matters is how to use this device without alienating people.
Schools are one of the forms of bureaucracy where a large portion of our lives is spent.
Schools prepare youth for bureaucracies. If the