To further ensure tonomy, the production system must be neither highly regulating, complex, nor automated. Surgeons use their scalpels and editors their pencils both must be sharp but are otherwise simple instru- ments that allow their users considerable freedom in performing their complex work. Standardization is the great strength as well as the great weakness of professional bureaucracy. That is what enables the professionals to perf ect their skills and so achieve great efficiency and ef fectiveness. But that same standardization raises problems of adaptability. This is not a structure to nnovate but one to perfect what is already known. Thus, so long as the environment is stable, the pro- does its job well. It identifies fessional bureaucracy the needs of its clients and offers a set of standard- ized programs to serve them. In other words ng is its great forte, change messes up the pigeon holes. New needs arise that fall between o across the slots, and the standard programs n long- er apply. Another configuration is required. Professional bureaucracy a product of the middle years highly fashionable struc-ture today for two reasons. First, it is very demo- cratic, at least for its professional workers.