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THINKER OF THE DAY | ROBERT D. MIEWALD
Work
Public Administration: A Critical Perspective (1978).
The Bureaucratic State: An Annotated Bibliography
Views
Defence of Bureaucracy – In “The Greatly Exaggerated Death of Bureaucracy” (1970), Miewald challenges the assumption that bureaucracy has become obsolete. He argues that Weber’s bureaucratic model cannot be dismissed merely because its structural features are criticised.
Weberian Rationality – Bureaucracy represents a broader process of rationalisation in modern society. Its significance lies not merely in hierarchy and rules but also in the belief that organisational activities can be governed through rational procedures.
Bureaucracy and Modernisation – Modern industrial society depends on organised administration, specialised knowledge and systematic decision-making. Bureaucracy therefore remains an important instrument of modern governance.
Personnel Administration – In his 1973 article, Miewald examines public personnel administration through a Weberian perspective, highlighting the relevance of bureaucratic organisation and professional administration.
His work encourages examination of bureaucracy beyond simplistic arguments that it is either entirely efficient or inherently dysfunctional.
Miewald’s work reminds us that the limitations of bureaucracy do not establish its obsolescence; the challenge is to reform it while retaining its institutional strengths.
