Bureaucratic Theory and Comparative Administration

One approach to the comparative study of administration proposes to focus on public bureaucracies. This assumes the existence of a body of bureaucratic theory providing a basis for analysis. In a recent article, "Bureaucracy East and West," Morroe Berger maintained that theories of bureaucracy developed in the West have serious shortcomings for the analysis of bureaucratic behavior in both western and nonwestern settings. These alleged shortcomings seem due in large part to inconsistencies in Berger's model of western bureaucratic behavior and to his assumption that a, model for bureaucracy should include a specific pattern of behavior. Bureaucratic theory instead should stress essential structural features, thus permitting research into various patterns of bureaucratic behavior in both western and nonwestern societies. Ferrel Heady is professor of political science and associate director of the institute. of public administration in the University of Michigan.