Max Weber’s Contribution to Educational Administration Essay Example

when there are changes in personnel. However, rules and regulations often produce organizational rigidity and goal displacement. Teachers may become so rule-oriented that they forget that rules and regulations are means to achieve goals not ends in themselves. Disciplined compliance with hierarchy and particularly with the regulations frequently produce rigidity and inability to adjust. Such formalism may be exaggerated until conformity interferes with goal achievement. In such a case, the infamous characteristic of bureaucratic red tape is vividly apparent.

Secondly, Weber asserts that offices should be arranged hierarchically in educational organizations. That is each lower office should be under the control and supervision of a higher one. This bureaucratic trait is made manifest in the organizational chart with the superintended on the top and assistant directors, principals, teachers and students at successively lower levels. This attempts to guarantee the disciplined compliance to directives from superiors which is necessary for implementing various tasks and of the organization. Even though, Wayne (1987:114) argues that hierarchy of authority does enhance coordination but frequently at the expense of communication and the major dysfunction of hierarchy are distortion and blockage of communication.

Weber further postulates that there should be division of labour and specialization in the educational bureaucracy. Meaning, regular activities required for the purpose of a bureaucratically governed structure should be distributed in a fixed way of official duties. Tasks in educational organizations are too complex to be performed by a single individual, so division of labour among positions improves efficiency. Anderson (1968:12) say this is where teachers are assigned to teach specific subjects at specific grade levels often to students of about the same ability background and also departmental duties

are centralized and assigned to a department head responsible for supervising instruction. However, it is argued that this characteristic can also destroy the meaning of teaching and render their job devoid of interest and challenge which results in boredom.

Weberian Bureaucratic Model, according to Wayne (1987:112) states that the working atmosphere of schools should provide the dominance of a spirit of formalistic impersonality without hatred or passion and hence without affection or enthusiasm. Meaning the teacher is expected to decisions based on facts, not feelings. This assures equality and facilities rationality. But rationality also produce a rather sterile atmosphere in which people interact as nonpersons resulting in low morale, in turn, frequently impairs the school’s efficiency.

Moreover, Weber postulates that educational bureaucracy should be based on technical qualifications, teachers should think of their work as a profession. Whenever there is such career orientation, Weber maintains there is a system of promotion according to seniority, achievement or both. And to foster loyalty to the school, individuals with special skills must be protected from arbitrary dismissal or denial of promotion. However, insofar as career orientation produces a sense of teacher loyalty and motivates teachers to maximize, which are not compatible. For instance, rapid promotion of high achievers often produces discontent among the loyal, hard- working, senior teachers who are not as creative, opines Weber (1987:114).

In conclusion, in expressing these ideas and concepts of bureaucracy, Max Weber attempts to impart the significance of office management in educational organization and in other organization. Therefore educational organizations if not adapt Weber’s principles, should create their own set of attributes for each office in circle to make the school function well.