Bureaucracy and Professionalism: A Reconsideration of Weber's Thesis

One criticism of Weber's ideal-type of bureaucracy has been that in defining its characteristics Weber did not distinguish between hierarchical and professional authority. Critics see these as inherently incompatible and in conflict in formal organizations. Recent empirical findings indicate that professionalism and bureaucracy may be positively related on the level of organizational structure and individual orientation. Implications for organizational theory and practice are noted.