{"id":57015,"date":"2019-06-15T03:38:44","date_gmt":"2019-06-15T03:38:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepubliceconomist.com\/?p=57015"},"modified":"2019-06-15T03:39:25","modified_gmt":"2019-06-15T03:39:25","slug":"do-we-need-hierarchiesin-government-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thepubliceconomist.com\/?p=57015","title":{"rendered":"Do we need hierarchies:\tIn government and beyond?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\n\nCharles\tDarwin,\t in\t 1832,\twhile\t traveling\t in\t South\t America,\tencountered\t some\t indigenous\t\ntribes\tand\ttermed\tthem\tas\t\u2018miserable\u2019.\tThe\tsentiment\twas\ttriggered\tby\twhat\the\texperienced\t\nin\tthe\tContinent,\timpoverishment\tto\tname\tit.\tInterestingly,\tthe\treason\the\tmentioned\tfor\tthe\t\nappalling\t situation\twas\t their\t\u2018egalitarian\t society\u2019.\tWhen\t responsibilities\tand\tduties\tare\tnot\t\ndivided,\tone\texpects\teach\tindividual\tliving\tin\tthe\tterritory\tto\tbe\ttheir\t\u2018best\tself\u2019\tand take\tcare\t\nof\t each\t other,\t without\t being\t reprimanded\t if\t one\t fails\t to\t do\t so.\t Darwin\u2019s\t conviction\t that\t\nhierarchies\tare\tnecessary\tfor\tgroups\tto\tfunction\tand\tthrive\topened\tan\tarea\tof\tresearch,\twhich\t\nmany\tlater\tdwelled\tdeep\tinto.\t\nOver\t time,\tmuch\temphasis\thas\tbeen\tlaid\ton\t the\t\u2018Equality\u2019.\tWe\thave\t read\tabout\thow\tclass\t\nculture\twas\tchallenged\tin\tthe\tWest.\tThe\trevolutions\tand\tprotests\twere\taimed\tat\tdismantling\t\nthe\thegemony\tof\t the\tnobility.\tRightly\tso,\t the\tidea\tof\tstriving\t for\tan\tegalitarian\tsociety\twas\t\ntagged\tas\t\u2018utopian\u2019.\tIn\tthe\tpresent\tday,\tsociety\tis\tstratified\taccording\tto\tthe\taccess\tto\twealth,\t\nresources,\tpower\tand\tstatus.\tWhat\twould\tbe\tthe\treasons\tthat\tmake\tit\tso\ttough\tto\tshift\tfrom\t\na\thierarchical\tsociety\tto\tan\tegalitarian\tsociety?\tThe\tanswer,\tin\tmy\tview,\tis\tpeople\tthemselves.\t\nNobody\t ultimately\twants\t to\teliminate\t hierarchies,\tliterally.\tWe\tall\t benefit\t from\tit\t since\tits\t\nexistence\tis\t\u2018relative\u2019\tin\tnature.\tSo,\tno\tmatter\twho\tyou\tare,\tyou\twould\tfall\tsomewhere\twithin\t\nthe\tladder.\tYet,\tit\tis\tdifficult\tto\taccept\tit,\tforget praising\tit.\tMoving\ton\tfrom\tsocieties,\tlet\u2019s\tlook\t\nat\t the\t systems\tand\t structures\t that\tgovern\t societies.\tBoth\t private\tand\t public\t organizations\t\nhave\tintact\thierarchies,\tbased\ton\twhich\tthe\testablishment\tfunctions.\t\nMany\t researchers,\t in\t the\t past,\t have\t investigated\t the\t underlining\t relationship\t between\t\nhierarchies\tand\tproductivity\tin\torganizations.\tI\tam\tparticularly\tinterested\tin\thow\thierarchies\t\nplay\t their\t part\t in\t Government\t set-ups\t and\t if\t at\t all\t it\t enhances\t or\t negatively\t affects\t\nproductivity.\tThe\tubiquitous\tnature\tof\thierarchies\tin\tpublic\tadministration\t(the\taction\tarm\tof\t\nDemocratic\t Government\t in\t the\t country)\t gives\t an\t impression,\t that\t the\t answer\t is\t \u2018yes\u2019.\t If\t\nhierarchies\texist,\tso\tclearly,\tacross\tthe\tvarious\torgans\tof\tthe\tgovernment,\tare\twe\tconvinced\t\nthat\tthis\tis the\tmost\teffective\tway\tof\tgetting\tdeliverables\ton\ttime?\tIs\tthere\tany\tother\tway?\t\nHave\twe\treally\texplored\tthe\toptions?\nThe\tsubstitute\tof\ta\thierarchical\tconstruct\twould\tbe\ta\tflat\tstructure.\tHenri\tFayol,\ttouted\tas\tthe\t\nfounder\t of\t modern\t management\t methodology promulgated\t Scalar\t Chain\t and\t Unity\t of\t\nCommand,\t out\t of\t the\t 14\t Principles\t of\t Management.\t It\t emphasized\t the\t importance\t of\t\nsuperior-subordinate\t relation\t in\tan\t organization\tand\t receiving\t orders\t from\t one\t boss\t only.\t\nSoon\tafter,\tMarx\tcriticized\tMax\tWeber\u2019s\texplanation\tof\tthe\timportance\tof\thierarchies\tin\tthe\t\nbureaucratic\t setup.\t Marx\t elaborated\t \u2018the\t hierarchy\t of\t bureaucracy\t is\t the\t hierarchy\t of\t\nknowledge.\tThe\tsuperior\tknows\tthe\tspecifics\tand\tthe\tstaff\tknows\tthe\tgeneric\tpart.\tThere\tare\t\nrarely\t times\twhen\t there\tis\tan\t overlapping\t of\t the\t two\u2019.\tWeber\tand\tMarx,\t both\t had\t starkly\t\ndifferent\topinions\tbut\there\tI\twould\tlike\tto\tshare\twhat\tmy\texperience\thas\tbeen,\tafter\tworking\t\nso\tclosely\tin\tthe\tlast\tthree\tyears.\t\nBureaucratic\thierarchies\tare\ta\tsubset\tof\thow\thierarchies\texist,\t flourish\tand\treplicate\tin\tthe\t\nsociety,\tin\tgeneral.\tThe\tones\tin\t the\tposition\tof\tpower,\tat\t the\t top\tof\t the\tladder,\t talk\tabout\t\nideas\tlike\trule\tof\tlaw,\tequal\ttreatment,\tfairness,\tdecentralization,\tcollaborative\tparticipation,\t\ninclusiveness,\t shared\t norms.\t But\t what\t they\t ensure\t in\t their\t routine\t working\t is\t efficiency,\t\naccountability,\ttransparency\tand\ttimely\tdeliverables.\tEven\tif\tthey\tare\tnot\tgreat\tat\tensuring\t\nthe\t success\t of\t the\t latter,\t the\t bureaucrats\t don\u2019t\t blame\t hierarchy\t as\t a\t reason\t for\t it.\t One,\t\nbecause\tthey\tare\tits\tprime\tbeneficiaries\tand\tsecondly\tit\tsuits\tthe\tnarrative\tof\t\u2018hierarchy\tbeing\t\na\tmeans\tto\tkeep\tthings\tor\tpeople\tin\t\u2018order\u2019.\tThis\treminds\tme\tof\tthe\tconcept\tof\t\u2018Legal-Rational\t\nAuthority\u2019\tgiven\tby\tWeber,\twhere\the\ttalks\tabout\thow\tpower,\tauthority,\tand\thierarchy\tonce\t\nembedded\tlegally\tin\tthe\torganizational\tstructure,\tcan\tmitigate\tdissent.\t\nThe\tgovernment\tdoes\tnot\tjust\tdelegate\t responsibilities\tand\tduties,\twhich\tgo\thand\tin\thand\t\nwith\t the\t existing\t hierarchal\t structures,\t but\t it\t also\t gives\t it\t \u2018pervasive\u2019\t powers\t rather\t than\u2019\t\ndomain-specific\t ones\u2019.\t Hierarchies\t become\t problematic\t when\t they\t are\t generalized,\t and\t\ndomination\t becomes\t universalized\tin\t nature.\t Like,\t say,\t how\t political\t power\t cuts\tacross\tall\t\nsections\tof\tsocieties\tand\tclasses\tand\tcreates\tits\thegemony.\tIt\twouldn\u2019t\tbe\ta\thyperbole\tthat\t\nbureaucratic\t hierarchies\t have\t also\t evolved\t in\t the\t same\t manner.\t I\t have\t had\t numerous\t\nexperiences\tin\tthe\tlast\tfew\tyears,\twhere\tI\twas\tconvinced\tthat\tthe\tstaff\tperson\t(say\tthe\tfield\t\nofficer)\thad\ta\tbetter\tunderstanding\tof\ta\tsubject\tlike\tOpen\tDefecation\tthan\tthe\tadministrator.\t\nHierarchies\tand\tseniorities\tcome\tin\tthe\tway\tof\ttaking\tthe\tdecision\tby\tthese\tdomain\texperts.\t\nIt\tis\tbizarre\tthat\tthe\tDirector\tof\tthe\tWomen\t&amp;\tChild\tDevelopment\twho\thas\tbeen\tposted\tto\tthe\t\nDept.\tcouple\tof\tmonths\tback\tis\texpected\tto guide\tpeople\twho\thave\tbeen\tserving\tin\tthe\tvery\t\nsame\tdomain\tpast\t25\tyears.\tHaving\tsaid\tthat,\tin\tthe\tgovernment\tstructure,\thierarchy\toften\t\ncomes\talong\twith\tthe\tdelay\tin\tdecision\tmaking\tand\tcentralization\tof\tpower.\tAnd\tplaying\tthe\t\ndevil\u2019s\tadvocate,\tthe\tgovernment\temployees\talso\tlack\timitativeness\tand\twait\tfor\torders\tfrom\t\ntheir\tsuperiors\tas\ttheir\trisk\ttaking\tability\tis\tquite\tlow.\tHierarchy,\tin\tthe\tgovernments,\tfulfills\t\nthe\t deep\t need\t of\t order\tand\t security,\t other\t than\t bestowing\t the\t power\t to\texpedite\t timely\t\ndeliverables.\t\nIn\t the\t long\t run,\t hierarchies\t add\t structure\t and\t regularity\t to\t the\t mammoth\t government\t\ninstitutions.\tIt\tassigns\troles,\tduties,\tand\tresponsibilities\tand\tinherently\thas\tthe\ttendency\tto\t\nincentivize.\t\tAlso,\tpractically\tspeaking,\tit\talso\tprevents\tthe\taccumulation\tof\tpower.\tIn\tterms\t\nof\tgrowth,\tit\tprovides\ta\tclear\tindicator\tof\thow\tfar\twe\thave\tcome\tfrom\tthe\tbaseline\tand\thow\t\nfast\twe\tare\tclimbing\tthe\tladder.\tClerks\tknow\texactly\twhen\tthey\twould\tbe\tbecoming\tthe\tHead\t\nof\tAccounts\tstaff,\tand\thow\tmuch\tthey\tneed\tto\tput\tin\tto\tachieve\tthe\tfeat.\tThis\tclarity,\tis\toften,\t\ncriticized\tin\tthe\tGovernment.\tBecause\tif\tone\tknows\tthe\texact\t\u2018when\u2019\tand\t\u2018how\u2019\tof\tclimbing\t\nthe\tladder,\tthere\tare\tno\tsurprises.\tIt\tis\tdifficult\tto\tpush\tthe\temployee\tbeyond\ta\tpoint,\timbibe\t\nrisk\ttaking\tabilities\tand\tseek\tperformance-based\thikes\twhen\teveryone\tknows\tthe\thierarchies\t\nare\testablished,\tand\tdue\tpromotions\tare\tentrenched\tin\tthe\tsystem.\t\nSo,\tmaybe\tDarwin\twas\tright.\tEgalitarian\tsocieties\tand\tstructures\tcan\tbe\taspired\tfor,\twithin\tthe\t\nhierarchical\tstructures.\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many\t researchers,\t in\t the\t past,\t have\t investigated\t the\t underlining\t relationship\t between<br \/>\nhierarchies\tand\tproductivity\tin\torganizations.\tI\tam\tparticularly\tinterested\tin\thow\thierarchies<br \/>\nplay\t their\t part\t in\t Government\t set-ups\t and\t if\t at\t all\t it\t enhances\t or\t negatively\t affects<br \/>\nproductivity.\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":57017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[122,92,26],"tags":[168,167],"class_list":["post-57015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-governance","category-social","category-socio-cultural","tag-egalitarian-society","tag-hierarchy"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Do we need hierarchies: In 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