From 'grey to green'- investigating the capabilities of the ... - lumes

ased on the organisational structure. The actor approach will be based on Lundquist’s rational actorapproach regarding bureaucratic actions within the rational ‘ideal type’ organisation.There are a number of desirable attributes in Weber’s ‘ideal type’ bureaucratic organisation.“These include the focus on impartiality when selecting employees: security of employment to protectemployees against arbitrary authority and changes in skill demands: rules and regulations to promoteimpartiality in decision-making: and the establishment of clear lines of authority and responsibility”(Robbins et al 2002:308-309). The ‘ideal type’ also combats favouritism through using the notion ofobjectivity and reducing nepotism (Robbins et al. 2002:309). Simon and March (1958) are both critical toWeber’s theory but their argument should also be seen as a development of Weber’s theory. They indicatethat the continuous changes for the environment the organisation is within leads to that the organisationalposition becoming “loosely coupled” (Ahrne et al 1999:47). Meaning that different parts become isolatedand coordinating these positions is an important part of the organisation. March later developed the ideathat organisations have a limited level of rationality called “garbage can decision making”(Ahrne et al1999:9). That the rationality of making decisions is more based of creating non-existing problems andsolving them based on external changes such as an increased budget. This type of critique can be easilylinked to the issues regarding SD and sectoralisation within the organisation that is one of the maincritiques of the inability of the bureaucratic organisation to implement and grasp SD policies. The nextsection will analyse the concepts more closely, to define what Weber found being the ‘ideal type’ and thedistinction of these definitions.Division of profession and specialisationWithin an organisation scientists have also found that different professionals decide to own theirproblems. Andrew Abbot (1988) defines this as a situation where a different part of an organisationdecides to “own” a problem area, excluding others from addressing it (Flaa et al 1998:62). Weber definesthis in his ‘‘ideal type’; as specialisation. Specialisation is necessary for large bureaucratic organisations tobe able to handle the complexity of the modern society (Lundquist 1998:120). This process can beidentified as being a part of the rationalisation structure of an organisation based on the principles ofWeber’s ‘ideal type’ organisational structure. The case for the organisation is that one division specialisesin one type of problem and handle many individuals that face this problem, instead of handling a few witha diversity of problems to increase efficiency (Lundquist 1998:121). This type of division is very efficientwhen policies are directed and defined with goals and measures, however this sectoralisation also leads toa lack of perspective in every department within the organisation. This issue has a positive impact if thepolicy is defined, however SD policies are rarely defined and are many times cross-sectoral. This policyconstruction means that the organisational structure makes it very difficult for the organisation to handlesuch policies.2.2.1 HierarchyThe concepts of hierarchy mean that the decision-making and implementation of policies follow a systemwhere the manager controls lower level officials. The loyalty towards the policies and the goals that are setfor the organisation has to be emphasised and the civil servants has to execute the goal that has to bedelegated to them (Lundquist 1998:121). However, the hierarchical concept is not included in SD policesas they are horizontal which again leads to implementation problems on a structural level.2.2.2 Absolute rules, formalisationFormalisation is a guiding point in the bureaucratic organisation, and is based on that the organisationfollows set codes of conduct. This ensures that all actors in contact with the bureaucracy are treatedequally. It also implies that the organisation is to act in an impersonal manner. The formalisationperspective means also that the roles are set and that alternative perceptions or policies that do not fit intothe formal codes of conduct can lead to complications. SD polices that are visionary and needs definitionon a local level are therefore hard to define through these formal communicative structures.2.2.3 ObjectivityThe organisation needs to be founded in objectivity when dealing with society, the organisation has to followthe goal’s that have been delegated from the state to ensure loyalty towards the ruling state and thedemocratic values. If the organisation does not follow the objectivity and decides to conduct actions that do16