​According to Max Weber, in an ideal bureaucracy:
A. Jobs are broken down into simple, routine and well-defined tasks.
B. Offices/Positions are organized in a hierarchy.
C. All organizational members are to be selected on the basis of technical qualifications.
D. Rules and Regulations are applied uniformly, avoiding involvement with personalities and personal preferences of employees.
E. The interests of any one employee or group of employees should not take precedence over the interests of the organization as a whole.
Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:​

Correct option is A

Max Weber’s concept of an ideal bureaucracy is a formal organizational structure characterized by specific features designed to increase efficiency and rationality. According to Weber:

• Jobs are specialized (A): Tasks are divided into simple, routine, and well-defined duties to increase efficiency through specialization.

• Hierarchy of offices (B): Positions in the organization are structured in a clear chain of command, where each level controls the level below and is controlled by the level above.

• Technical qualifications (C): Personnel are selected and promoted based on their technical skills and merit rather than favoritism or arbitrary factors.

• Rules and regulations (D): Decisions are made according to established rules applied uniformly, ensuring impersonality and consistency.

Information Booster:

In Max Weber’s ideal bureaucracy, the division of labor is essential, as jobs are broken down into simple, routine, and well-defined tasks. This specialization enables employees to become experts in their roles, increasing overall efficiency. The organizational structure is hierarchical, meaning there is a clear chain of command where each position controls the one below it and is accountable to the one above, ensuring order and clarity in authority. Selection and promotion within the bureaucracy are based strictly on technical qualifications and merit, which helps prevent favoritism and promotes competence. The operation of the bureaucracy is governed by formal rules and regulations applied uniformly to all members. This ensures decisions are made impersonally, avoiding biases related to personal relationships or preferences. These characteristics collectively create a rational-legal authority system designed to bring predictability, fairness, and stability to the organization. While bureaucracy aims for efficiency, it can sometimes become rigid due to strict adherence to rules.

Additional Knowledge:

​E (The interests of any one employee or group should not take precedence over the organization):
While bureaucracies aim for rule-based fairness, Weber's core theory does not explicitly prioritize organizational interests over personal or group interests in his original framework. This is more of a modern normative ideal rather than a definitional element of bureaucracy.​