After explaining the bureaucratic theory in my personal context, I will explain how a different individual can interpret this theory. In the section above, the theory has been viewed according to my beliefs, attitudes and values. However, it is a given fact that each individual has a different set of values, beliefs and attitudes, which may have different effects on their lives. Therefore, the way I view the bureaucratic theory will differ a lot from how another person with different beliefs will view it. Therefore, in this situation, there might be a person who would like to work according to his own discretion and would not want to be dictated by any other principles. In that case, no matter how the theory works out in the organisation, the manager would still never be able to work with it. Also, the different features of the theory might not appeal to the manager and hence he or she would always prefer to use his or her methods. This may create a lot of chaos in a section, as some individuals may work according to the bureaucratic management theory, and some of them would work according to what the manager believes is right.
Therefore, in this situation, the way in which the different individuals react depends entirely upon the values and beliefs that they possess, which will dictate their ultimate attitude. This interpretation does not mean that the individual viewing the theory in a different way is wrong, because every individual has been born and brought up in different situations. It is according to these conditions that different individuals have different opinions about situations which have been put forward in front of them. Therefore, the reaction of these individuals would completely depend upon how they have been conditioned and on what are the different ways in which their attitudes would come out to be.
Before I started heading my section, and was in lower grades, I had a different heads who leaded the section instead. I will be talking about my last head, who I find her management style different from mine. This is due to the different beliefs and attitudes and values we have.
This person, in my opinion, followed the bureaucratic theory in a completely different way according to her moods at the time. When it came to distribution of work even if the duties were hers, she always tried to give tasks to us. For example, we usually perform a monthly report where at the end of the month we gather information on how many applications and payments were approved under our various schemes in the section. This strictly speaking is the head's duty to perform, but since she did not know how to find this data, she gave me the task instead. Although, I used to find this unfair, I used to do the report as she asked. The first time she asked me to do it, I disagreed but after she insisted, and even I did not know exactly what was asked from me, I decided to ask another ex head of mine to show me how this was carried out, which she did. After this time, there was no turning back since this task became part of my routine although I was practically a clerk at that time. By using this example, I think that she does not respect the defined job descriptions each grade has as per our collective agreement, and also using her hierarchical power in a wrong way, since in my opinion, she could have given the task to the person next in line after her grade.
She was also frequently distracted either on the phone or elsewhere and often trying to organise social activities and outings for the colleagues instead. Although I agree with social activities with colleagues as this reduces stress and might avoid conflict in a section and empowers team building, there has to be a balance since I believe that first you have to get the job dine and then think about having fun and going out. Due to this attitude and behaviour of hers, most of the time she would not know what is really happening in the section, and was always trying to push duties given to her directly from the director to us subordinates. Due to this, I think she did follow the main points such as job roles and procedures, and respecting a hierarchy which form the bureaucratic management theory in a different way. She also did not act in a disciplined way and always acted in a different way, something which is not up to my calues as I value conformity and discipline in the place of work.
I believe that most people when working in a certain environment where a certain system is in place, prefer and appreciate that their superiors follow the system in order to avoid unnecessary confusions, clashes and misunderstandings.
