Max Weber

Max Weber, a German sociologist was born April 21, 1864 in Erfurt, Thuringia and died in 1920. He served as a full professor at Freiburg University. As a result of his visit to the United States of America he began to focus on the role of bureaucracy in a democracy.

Significant Contributions to the Field: Max Weber's conceptions of sociology were as a comprehensive science of social action. His research focused on the subjective meanings that humans attach to their actions in their mutual orientations within specific social-historical contexts. Weber identified four major types of social action: 1. Zweckrational (purposeful or goal-oriented rational action); 2. Wertraditional (value-oriented rationality); 3. Affective Action and; 4. Traditional Action. He also created the concept of the "ideal type". He developed an ideal type bureaucracy that consisted of hierarchy, impersonality, written rules of conduct, promotion based on achievement, specialized division of labor, and efficiency. He also named three different types of authority, traditional, rational-legal, and charismatic.

Translated Works on Max Weber:

Gerth, H.H. & Mills, C.W. (ed.) From Max Weber: Essays in sociology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1946.

Weber, M. Basic concepts in sociology. Greenwood Press, 1962.

Weber, M. Max Weber on charisma and institution building. Illinois: University of Chicago, 1968.