Social organization (BS2 CH5) Flashcards
primary group
Primary group usually refers to a small and select group, the members of which have close, personal, and enduring relationships.
Members of a primary group usually have shared social, cultural, and class interests as well as an emotional bond.
The most significant example of a primary group is the family. Other examples may include childhood friends and some social groups, such as clubs, fraternities, and sororities, that provide comfort and security.
Primary groups foster personal identity according to particular values, ideals, and traditions.
secondary group
Secondary group: less intimate than a primary group and generally made up of non-family members.
- Secondary groups usually center around specific functions related to work or leisure.
- Example: a class of students, a group of colleagues at a company.
- Secondary groups may not be as long-lasting as primary groups.
in-group
In-group: a social group with which an individual identifies as a member.
out-group
Out-group: a social group with which an individual does not identify.
Distinctions may be made on the basis of race, culture, gender, or religion, for example.
Individuals may believe the in-group is superior to the out-group.
Dyad
Dyad: a social group with two members.
• Social interaction in a dyad is typically more intense than in larger groups because neither member shares the other’s attention with anyone else.
Triad
Triad: a social group with three members.
• A triad is often more stable than a dyad because one member can act as a mediator should the relationship between the other two become strained.
Social network
Social network: a social structure made up of individuals or organizations and the dyadic ties between them.
The social network perspective analyzes the structure of social entities in order to explain the patterns observed within them.
These patterns may be local or global.
bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an administrative organization that is typically hierarchical in nature and divided into departments to facilitate the rational division of labor.
The term “bureaucracy” can apply to governmental or non-governmental organizations that are typically large and self-governing.
The term has acquired a negative connotation, but it was not originally intended to be pejorative.
bureaucracy 2
In fact, Max Weber (one of the most important figures in sociological theory) considered bureaucratic organization to be the ultimate rational and efficient organization of labor. He considered an ideal bureaucracy to have several attributes:
- A hierarchical structure of authority
- Codified systems of rules and regulations by which the organization operates
- A division of labor into various subunits with specific expertise in their given area of specialization
- An emphasis on technical competence and not personal qualities in the hiring, firing, and management of employees
- An impersonal approach to employees and customers such that all individuals are treated equally, regardless of any individual differences
Weber argued that the increasing prevalence of bureaucratic organization was part of the rationalization of society.
rationalization
Rationalization is the process of using objective reasoning, logic, and practicality in place of subjective thinking, traditional practices, emotional responses, and mystical formulas.
Rationalization of society is reflected in the rising influence of the scientific method and capitalism.
In the past two centuries, the introduction of governmental bureaucracy has coincided with the rationalization of labor in the form of manufacturing production.
Although Weber viewed bureaucracy as improving the organization of labor, today bureaucracies are often thought of as impersonal, inflexible, and inefficient because they adhere to narrowly defined rules that may be unpopular.
A number of criticisms of bureaucratic organizations have arisen, highlighting their tendency to concentrate power and to homogenize various cultural practices.
The iron law of oligarchy
The iron law of oligarchy refers to the idea promulgated by Robert Michels that all democratic organizations will inevitably come to be dominated by a small group of individuals (the oligarchy) who share power over the rest of the organization.
Michels, like Weber, saw bureaucracy as the inevitable product of the increasing rationality and efficiency of the organization of democratic institutions.
However, he argued that the techniques and technicalities of bureaucratic organization actually required the concentration of power in an elite group because there are many decisions that must be made that would be impossible to give to the entire group for consideration.
As decision making and organizational power are centralized, those individuals who control the institution will seek to maintain their position and influence.
McDonaldization
McDonaldization is a term coined by sociologist George Ritzer in his analysis of American fast-food restaurant culture (in The McDonaldization of Society, 1993).
Ritzer argues that Weber’s bureaucratic paradigm is not as relevant to the rationalization of contemporary society as it once was.
Ritzer replaces Weber’s rationalization with McDonaldization, arguing that organizations are increasingly structured in ways that mirror the principles of the fast food industry.
McDonaldization of an organization is brought about by the emphasis on four attributes:
- Efficient use of time
- Quantifiability of outcomes
- Standardization/uniformity of routines and services
- Control over human agents and replacement with mechanization where possible
Ritzer argues that, although these goals may seem rational for small-scale processes, when taken to an extreme and used as organizing principles for important social institutions, these goals produce irrational and harmful results.
McDonaldization highlights the dehumanizing aspects of rationalization and the increasing detachment of social institutions from the needs of the human beings who populate them.
4 attributes of McDonaldization
McDonaldization of an organization is brought about by the emphasis on four attributes:
- Efficient use of time
- Quantifiability of outcomes
- Standardization/uniformity of routines and services
- Control over human agents and replacement with mechanization where possible
organization
- An organization refers to an entity with an identifiable social role.
- Examples include government institutions, business associations, non-profits, social clubs, universities, armed forces, etc.
the covernment is NOT an organization, passage of laws which active elgitational not an organizational change!!! no change to gov a different passing of a law is not a change in legislatoon has nothing to do with organizational change that would have to be a change happening within the literal organization*** passing legislation is not changing the organization
organizational change would be defined as change within the organization
A formal organization
A formal organization refers to a social institution that has a hierarchical structure with stated rules and regulations that apply to members.
For all organizations, the rules of the organization apply both inside the organization during internal interactions and outside the organization in dealings with other organizations.
These rules are specific to the organization. Although they set expectations for participation in the organization, adherence to the rules may vary and the rules may not always be strictly enforced.
