8 Groups and Social Organizations

7/28/2019 8 Groups and Social Organizations

1/14

GROUPS &

SOCIALORGANIZATIONS
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5qfPJGNEc4oAWhmJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjb3ZrYjNkBHBvcwM0BHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=1fdlir8lc/EXP=1147434575/**http%3a//images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view%3fback=http%253A%252F%252Fimages.search.yahoo.com%252Fsearch%252Fimages%253Fp%253Dgroups%2526fr%253DFP-tab-img-t-t342%2526toggle%253D1%2526cop%253D%2526ei%253DUTF-8%26w=216%26h=288%26imgurl=www.go-green.netfirms.com%252Fpics%252Fdirectory-groups.jpg%26rurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.go-green.netfirms.com%252Fhtml%252Fgroups.html%26size=5.0kB%26name=directory-groups.jpg%26p=groups%26type=jpeg%26no=4%26tt=1,970,487%26ei=UTF-8


2/14

A social group is defined as two ormore people who identify and

interact with one another.

Categories, aggregatesand crowds A category is a temporary collection

of people who may or may notinteract.

An aggregate consists of people whoare in the same place at the sametime but who interact little if at all andhave no sense of belonging together.

A crowd consists of a large numberof people in proximity to one anotherwho interact to a greater or lesserextent.


3/14

Primary and secondary groups. A primary group, according to Charles

Horton Cooley, is a small social group inwhich relationships are both personal andenduring.

People in primary groups share manyactivities, spend a great deal of timetogether, and feel they know one anotherwell.

Families are primary groups in that theyare the first groups we experience in lifeand because they are of centralimportance in the socialization process.

Members think of the group as an end initself rather than as a means to other

ends. They engage each other as unique

individuals


4/14

Secondary groups are large and impersonalsocial groups devoted to some specific interestor activity.

They are, in most regards, the opposite ofprimary groups.

They are commonly short-term.

They are goal oriented.

They are typically impersonal.

Primary groups dominate social life in preindustrial societies; secondary

groups are more common in modern industrial society. They are, in

most regards, the opposite of primary groups.


5/14

Group leadership

Instrumental leadership emphasizesthe completion of tasks; expressive

leadershipemphasizes collective well-being.

There are three styles of decision making in groups:

Authoritarian leadersfocus oninstrumental concerns, make decisions on theirown and demand strict compliance fromsubordinates.

Democratic leaders are moreexpressive and try to include everyone in thedecision-making process.

Laissez-faire leaders downplay theirposition and power, allowing the group tofunction more or less on its own.


6/14

Group Conformity

Aschs research into group conformity.

Milgrams research into obedienceJanis research into groupthink, the

tendency of group members to conform by

adopting a narrow view of some issue

A reference group is a social group that servesas a point of reference for people making evaluations or

decisions.

Stouffers research into reference group dynamics.

An ingroup is a social group commanding amembers esteem and loyalty; an outgroup is a social

group toward which one feels competition or

opposition.


7/14

Group size A dyadis Georg Simmels term for a social

group with two members.

Dyads are typically less stable than largergroups.

Social interaction in a dyad is typically intense.

A triad is a social group with three members. Any two members can form a majority

coalition.

Triads are more stable than dyads.


8/14

Social diversity.According to Peter Blau: The larger a group, the more likely members will maintain

relationships only with other group members. The more internally heterogeneous a group is, the more likely

that its members will interact with outsiders.

The greater the overall social parity within a setting, the morelikely it is that people from diverse backgrounds will mingle and

form ties. Physical space affects the chances of contacts among groups.

A networkis a web of social ties that links people who mayhave little common identity and interaction.

Cyberspace: A Global Network.

The Internet: Welcome to Cyberspace!


9/14

Formal organizationsare large,secondary groups that are

organized to achieve goalsefficiently.

Etzioni identifies three types of formalorganizations:

Normativeorganizations orvoluntary associations, in which people pursuegoals they consider morally worthwhile.

Coercive organizations,distinguished by involuntary membership.

Utilitarian organizations, whichpeople join in pursuit of material rewards.

Bureaucracy is an organizational modelrationally designed to perform complex tasksefficiently. It became common during the Industrial

Revolution.


10/14

Max Weber identified six key characteristics ofbureaucracy: Specialization; an elaborate division of labor.

Hierarchy of offices. Rules and regulations.

Technical competence as the key criterion for hiring andpromotion.

Impersonality.

Formal, written communication.

Organizational size

The informal side of bureaucracy.

Problems in bureaucracies. Bureaucratic alienation.

Robert Mertons concept of bureaucratic ritualism signifies apreoccupation with organizational rules and regulations to thepoint of thwarting an organizations goals.

Bureaucratic inertia is the tendency of bureaucratic organizationsto perpetuate themselves.


11/14

Robert Michels developed the idea that bureaucracy fostersoligarchy, the rule of the many by the few.

Parkinsons Law states that work expands to fill the timeavailable for its completion.

The Peter Principle holds that bureaucrats will be promoted totheir level of incompetence.

Gender and race in organizations.

Humanizing bureaucracyrefers to fostering anorganizational atmosphere that recognizes and encourages thecontributions of everyone. This may involve:

Social inclusiveness. Sharing of responsibilities.

Expanding opportunities for advancement.

Critical evaluation. These changes are controversial but may offersignificant returns.


12/14

Self-managed work teamsare small groups whosemembers have the skills necessary to carry out tasks withminimal supervision.

Bureaucratic functioningalso depends on the

organizational environment, a range of factors external to anorganization that affect its operation. Among these factors are:

Technology.

Political and economic trends.

Population patterns.

Other organizations.


13/14

The McDonaldization of society. Four principles of McDonaldization:

Efficiency. Calculability.

Uniformity and predictability.

Control through automation.

Rationality, although efficient, may be highly dehumanizing.

Formal organizations in Japan. Japanese organizations are unique in their:

Hiring and advancement policies.

Lifetime security.

Holistic involvement. Broad-based training.

Collective decision making.

The Japanese Model: Will It Work in the Philippines?


14/14

Groups andorganizations inglobal perspective

The extent of global diversity andchange demands that we be cautious

about asserting any absolute truths

about formal organizations and, just as

important, that we remain open to newpossibilities for reorganizing our future.

8 Groups and Social Organizations

Documents

Transcript of 8 Groups and Social Organizations