Chapter 7 Flashcards
Bureaucracy
hierarchical administrative system with formal rules and procedures used to manage organizations
what is the McDonaldization of society?
George Ritzer
form of rational action that is increasingly organizing our everyday lives, including school, work, travel, and leisure
Dimensions of McDonaldization (4)
Efficiency: seeking best possible method for completing tasks, following a series of highly specified, predesigned steps
Calculability: emphasizing the quantitative aspects of products and services, characterized by the notion that “more is better”
Predictability: striving to make products and services the same, regardless of place/time. Process of standardization can be comforting to customers, but produce jobs that offer little room for creative thought
Control: exercising control over employees and customers by enforcing rigid rules, limiting options, and using new technologies that monitor and regulate behavior
Group size and Social relationships
Dyad: 2 people = 1 relationship
Triad: 3 people = 3 relationships
4 people = 6 relationships
what are the social institutions? (5)
Family Economics Religion Education State
What are the different types of social groups? (3)
Primary
Secondary
Reference
Characteristics of Bureaucracy (4)
Division of labor: people are responsible for narrowly defined tasks
Hierarchy of authority and accountability: Pyramidal structure of power. Concentrated power on top
Impersonality: power is located within an office, not the person who holds the position
Written rules and records: tasks and duties to be carried out consistently
How does group size influence social interaction?
Small groups tend to be more intense but unstable
Larger groups tend to more stable but less intense
what is a formal organization?
secondary groups that have a degree of formal structure and are formed to accomplish particular tasks
Reference Social Group
the groups against which we choose to measure ourselves
influence the choices we make.
the social group that we take into account as we plan and assess our actions
impressive management
we try to control the image others have of us through our performance
Primary Social Group
made up of people who have regular contact, enduring relationship, and a significant emotional attachment to each other.
Secondary Social Group
made up of people who interact in a relatively impersonal way, usually carry out some specific task
The importance of group conformity
People conform to group pressure because they are dependent on the group for satisfying two important desires:
- –the desire to have an accurate perception of reality
- –the desire to be accepted by other people.
People want to hold accurate beliefs about the world because such beliefs usually lead to rewarding outcomes.
What is a social group?
are collections of people who interact regularly with one another and who are aware of their status as a group
