Machine bureaucracy emphasizes the authority of the hierarchical nature /structure which can be called reliance on the power of office while professional bureaucracy emphasizes the authority of a profession or the power of expertise. (Mintzberg, 1992).

Professional bureaucracy has the operating core as its key part, uses standardization of skills as its prime coordinating mechanism, and employs vertical and horizontal decentralization. The organization is relatively formalized but decentralized to provide autonomy to professionals.

A bureaucratic organization is a form of management that has a pyramidal command structure. The bureaucratic organization is very organized with a high degree of formality in the way it operates. Organizational charts generally exist for every department, and decisions are made through an organized process.

Divisional Structure of an Organization Divisional structure typically is used in larger companies that operate in a wide geographic area or that have separate smaller organizations within the umbrella group to cover different types of products or market areas.

A bureaucracy typically refers to an organization that is complex with multilayered systems and processes. These systems and procedures are designed to maintain uniformity and control within an organization. A bureaucracy describes the established methods in large organizations or governments.

A notable feature of bureaucracy is that relationships among individuals are governed through the system of official authority and rules. Official positions are free from personal involvement, emotions and sentiments. Thus, decisions are governed by rational factors rather than personal factors.

The definition of hierarchy is a group of people or things arranged in order of rank or the people that rank at the top of such a system. An example of hierarchy is the corporate ladder. An example of hierarchy is the various levels of priests in the Catholic church.