Max weber-rationality, bureaucracy & organizational theory: relevance in U.S. society

According to Gerth and Mills (1946), Max Weber's diverse knowledge base allowed him to be considered as one of the most widely recognized pioneers of sociology today. In order to develop Weber's notion of bureaucracy, this paper discusses Weber's concept of bureaucracy as it relates to Organizational Theory and highlights the relevance of Weber's notion of bureaucracy as it relates to contemporary U.S. society. Additionally, the paper reviewed aspects of Weber's early life in order to gain an insight into the historical and personal forces that helped shape his ideas. The paper recognizes the role of rationality as it applies to bureaucracy and organizational theory and shows how Weber's explanation of the “Protestant Ethic” aided in the shaping of the bureaucratic system that allows for domination. The paper however justified the links between Weber's notions of bureaucracy and how it intertwined with contemporary U.S. (United States) practices.