Managing Modernity

Bureaucracy has long been a cornerstone of advanced industrial societies and a defining feature of modernity. At the same time many commentators from all quarters argue that it is on the wane in this post-this or that world; or that if it isn''t it should be dismantled to free up organizations enterprise and innovation.But do we live in a more or less bureaucratic world? Do contemporary forms and means of communication undermine or modify bureaucracy or does technology create new ''iron cages'' and forms of control? If bureaucratic models of organization are abandoned do we run risks of organizational failure and inequity? Are there certain moral professional and social values associated with bureaucratic models?This book explores these issues in different organizational contexts - public administration the National Health Service the modern firm and corporation - and offers new insights into enduring questions. It will be an invaluable resource for academics researchers and students in organization studies management public administration and sociology. The volume will also appeal to managers planners and policy makers who deal with these challenges.