Abstract
The paper discusses "In the Shadow of Organization" in the context of the era in which it was written (1981), its general character, major themes, and significance to the field of public administration. The book presents a highly critical view of organizational culture.

From the Paper
"Bureaucracy is one of the most powerful tools human beings have ever developed, capable of harnessing the efforts and sometimes even the creativity and aspirations of thousands of people in pursuit of a focused goal. Bureaucracies sent men to the moon and built the interstate highway system. Yet bureaucracy has a poor reputation. To call a public administrator or any civil servant a bureaucrat is never an expression of praise. It is true that bureaucracies are also..."

Tags:public administration, organizations, bureaucracy, psychology

Abstract
This paper acknowledges how Robert B. Denhardt, professor of public administration at Arizona State University, has authored numerous works on the topic of human behavior as it relates to public organization. In particular, it examines how he draws heavily on the ideas of Weber, Marx and Freud to illustrate just how the governing theories and scholarly assumptions concerning organizational theory have developed into the modern version of the theory.

From the Paper
"Of course, one of the most influential thinkers on organizational theory was Max Weber. According to Weber, the "organization" or the "bureaucratic administration" is a symbol of the exertion of control based on knowledge. What was interesting about his work, however was his distinction between the idea of "power" and "authority"-where actual authority is distinguished by a belief in the "legitimacy" of the exercise of power (as apposed to despotism, for example). Further, another hallmark of his work was his classification of organizational power based on the type of legitimacy granted by those governed by that power."

Tags:robert, denhardt, knowledge, bureaucratic, personality, traits