The necessity of bureaucracy and the fixation of legitimacy

Purpose Legitimacy isn’t a negative notion even though there are significant flaws at the macro level, however, Public Administration must prioritize the notion of bureaucracy for legitimacy to be considered at the micro-level. Unlike the uncertainty of the notion of legitimacy in Public Administration, bureaucracy serves multiple roles for both government and citizens. Citizens rely on bureaucracy to counter-balance capitalism and market hegemony. Bureaucracy still functions after being misconceived and portrayed negatively by politicians, special interests, and the media. Design/methodology/approach This study combines several public and private sector fields in its approach including Public Administration, Public Policy, Organization Theory, Epistemology, Business Ethics and Social Corporate Responsibility. Findings Bureaucracy supports and protects democratic values through citizen engagement, political and public policy disputes. Bureaucracy has survived outsourcing and privatization reforms for centuries. The notion of bureaucracy is essential for the field of Public Administration to continue to grow. Originality/value This study combines several disciplines in both Public Administration and Business Management to further its claim that bureaucracy is essential for the field of Public Administration to continue to grow. This approach also advances the literature on bureaucracy and legitimacy in the public and private sectors.