ABSTRACT
The public policy process, particularly that part of it concerned with implementation, is very largely an organisational process. It involves work within (intra-) and between (inter-) organisations.
Public organisations are often described as bureaucracies. The implications of the use of the word ‘bureaucracy’ are explored in light of the fact that it is often given a pejorative sense. This leads onto an examination of the most influential theoretical analysis of public bureaucracy, provided by the German sociologist Max Weber, and an exploration of the way his ideas have been used by others.
Comparative perspectives on public bureaucracies throw light upon differences in the way the issues about bureaucracy manifest themselves in practice. Weber’s contrast between the ‘rational legal’ model and other forms of legitimate authority poses questions about the relationship between bureaucracy and democracy. Whilst much comparative work on public administration focuses upon Europe, North America and Australasia, there is a need to explore issues about the forms of public bureaucracy that have developed elsewhere. Especially interesting in this respect are developments in East Asia and particularly China.
The chapter will then end by looking into issues about the internal characteristics of bureaucracy drawing upon the work on the sociology of organisations that is important for understanding public sector organisations. In the end, this leads to the introduction of varieties of organisation theory that suggests that the classical theory exaggerates the significance of the unitary, closely regulated, formal organisation when the actual boundaries between aspects of human life, and therefore between organisations, can be quite fluid.
