Final answer:
Bureaucratic organizations are formal structures characterized by hierarchy, division of labor, and explicit rules, designed to efficiently manage large-scale operations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bureaucratic organizations are formal organizations which are highly bureaucratized. These organizations are structured ideally to manage the complexities of large-scale operations and are common in both public and private sectors. They rely on characteristics such as hierarchy of authority, clear division of labor, explicit rules, and impersonality. Sociologist Max Weber's characterization of bureaucracy identifies these features as key to the efficient management of tasks and services that these organizations provide, notwithstanding the common public perception of them as sluggish and rule-bound.