Max Weber is considered the founder of modern sociology and was one of the first to analyze bureaucracy. He believed bureaucracy could be rational and efficient but warned it could also become dysfunctional and dehumanizing if it over-emphasized rigid procedures and measurements. While bureaucracy aims to be efficient, some argue it can become irrational if it loses sight of social values and ethics. Others assert bureaucracy is not inherently irrational or rational - its impact depends on the organizational culture. Bureaucracy remains a dominant organizational structure but its effects continue to be debated.