What effect does "impersonal record keeping" have on bureaucracy?

Impersonal record keeping plays a crucial role in bureaucracy by helping to maintain objectivity and consistency. This method emphasizes standardized procedures and documentation, which fosters a fair and impartial environment in organizational decision-making. By relying on recorded data and established protocols rather than personal opinions or biases, bureaucracies can ensure that all decisions and actions are based on documented facts and rules, rather than subjective feelings.

Such consistency is essential in bureaucratic systems, as it allows for uniformity in how cases are handled and ensures that similar situations are treated similarly, promoting fairness across the organization. This impersonal nature of record keeping can also lead to increased accountability, as decisions can be traced back to specific documents and processes, further reinforcing the objective standards that bureaucracies strive to uphold.

In contrast, the other options suggest outcomes that diverge from the objective principles of bureaucracies, such as personal bonding or emotional decision-making, which are generally discouraged in such structured environments. Therefore, the emphasis on impersonal record keeping effectively supports the bureaucratic ideal of being systematic, neutral, and fair.