Life Cycle of Organizations

Anthony Downs on the life cycle of bureaus: comparison of old and new organizations and state of organizations at present

In the book, "Inside Bureaucracy," author and political theorist Anthony Downs introduced, analyzed, and discussed the concept known as the "life cycle of bureaus." This concept was conceptualized to illustrate the nature and dynamics of government agencies and institutions, which displayed an altogether different culture compared to private or non-government organizations. From his study of government bureaus, Down presented the argument that,

As a bureau grows older, the number and proportion of administrative officials therein tends to rise. If a bureau experiences a period of relative stability in total size following a period of rapid growth, the average age of its members tends to rise as the bureau grows older. This tends to increase the influence of conservers in the bureau, for many officials of other...
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