The Irrational Use of Weber's Ideal Types

Max Weber's model of bureaucracy has been widely criticised as incapable of adequately capturing empirical reality, internally inconsistent, and inappropriately juxtaposed with the concepts of efficiency and rationality. This article first argues that much of this criticism can be disregarded as irrelevant, insofar as it has been largely based on a misinterpretation of Weber's conceptions, and then explores a variety of reasons for this misinterpretation. It is argued that the fundamental problem is the consideration of Weber's model in the context of a microanalysis of organisation, since it was not constructed by Weber for use in this way. Weber was an historical sociologist, concerned with the distinctive features of society, who utilised the comparative method as an aid to explanation and who developed the ideal type to assist in achieving that end. It is, therefore, irrational for organisation theorists to use his means to their ends.