BUREAUCRATIC DEFICIENCY AND ORGANISATION’S GOAL-ATTAINMENT IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN: BARNARDS COOPERATIVE SYSTEM AS A PANACEA

The paper unraveled the inherent flaws of bureaucracy as a clog in the progress wheel of
accomplishment in the University of Benin and outlining Chester Barnard’s organisation’s theory as a
panacea for goal-attainment. The quest for efficient and effective organisational performance for goal-
attainment, consumers satisfaction and service provision has occupied the nucleus of organisational
discourse all over the world. While Max Weber’s bureaucratic postulation was hitherto perceived as a
unique blend of principles and efficiency to achieve this, the time past has proven that its concomitant
nuances have rendered its potency archaic thereby accentuating the need for a new approach in
organisational goal-attainment. The paper utilised the qualitative research design involving indepth
interview of staff conveniently selected from the ICT and Security departments as well as few students
in final year and the result was analysed on a thematic basics with five (5) different themes. Findings
revealed that bureaucratic over reliance in the university has brought about institutional distrust,
administrative bottleneck, communication breakdown, weak informal network and the need for
cooperative leadership. Thus, the paper concludes that Weberian bureaucracy, while foundational, is
insufficient in addressing contemporary organisational challenges as the interview revealed in the
University of Benin. The paper recommends that management should strengthen interdepartmental
communication by ensuring a simple and accessible channel of communication without undue
interference. Also, the university management should imbibe the culture of incentives (monetary and
non-monetary) for its workers outside the little stipends already provided by the government.