BY GOVINDAPP.R.BFAVASDILIP

SOCIAL CLASS

INTRODUCTION Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in

society. Social class is defined as the division of members of a society into

a hierarchy of distinct status classes Members of each class have relatively same status

Social class categorizes group of people within a society who possess the same socioeconomic status

Social class is measured in terms of social status Social status is measured in terms of wealth(economic

assets),power(the degree of personal choice or influence over others) and prestige(the degree of recognition received from others)

Dynamics of status consumptionIt’s a process by which consumers endeavor to

increase their social standing through conspicuous consumptions and possessions

The Measurement of Social ClassSubjective Measures

Reputational Measures

Objective Measures

Subjective Measures

In the subjective approach to measuring social class, individuals are asked to estimate their own social-class positions.

Reputational Measures

The reputational approach requires selected community informants to make initial judgments concerning the social-class membership of others within the community.

Objective Measures A method of measuring social class whereby individuals are asked

specific socioeconomic questions concerning themselves or their families On the basis of their answers, people are placed within specific social-class groupings.

Objective Measures Single-variable indexes

The use of a single socioeconomic variable (such as income) to estimate an individual’s relative social class.

Occupation Education Income Other Variables

Composite-variable indexes

An index that combines a number of socioeconomic variables (such as education, income, occupation) to form one overall measure of social class standing.

Index of Status Characteristics Socioeconomic Status Score

Social MobilityDefinition

Social mobility is the extent to which people move up or down in the class system.

Measure of social mobility:

Intergenerational social mobility is movement up or down the in the class system from one generation to the next.

Intra generational social mobility is movement up or down in the class system in a single generation

Social StratificationDefinition

Viewed as social inequality, which is a universal phenomenon. Inequality is viewed in terms of the distribution of scare goods.

Elements of Social Stratification

CLASS – as defined by Marx, it is the division of people in society by their relationship to the means of production: those who own a large portion of society’s wealth.

STATUS – For Weber, prestige rather than position itself is important. Individuals are ranked in society as high, middle, and low as determined by how the role attached to their status is valued.

POWER – refers to the ability of an individual to get other people to do “what he wants them to do with or without their consent.

demographics clustering

In demographics, clustering is the gathering of various population based on ethnicity, economics, or religion.

In countries that hold equality as important, clustering occurs between groups because of polarizing factors such as religion, wealth or ethnocentrism. Clustering is often considered an enriching part of free cultures in which one can visit a Chinatown or a French quarter for restaurant choices. Other sociologists assert that clustering of like minded individuals leads to political polarity and intolerance of contrary opinions, as the United States has allegedly been trending since the 1950s

Social class role Social class has a complex relationship with consumption behavior.

Various classes behave differently, even people within the same class have quite different consumption pattern depending on whether the wealth is acquired or earned.

some other roles and issues Cultural capital

Non-affluent consumer

Old money and nouveaux riche

Techno class

Status symbol

Factors responsible for social stratification Authority Example-Manager and foreman

Income level and consumption

The Upper Class

The Middle Class White collar

The Working Class Blue collar

Achievement and occupation

EducationExamples- MBA,MBBS,Mtech,Phd,

Application of social class in marketing

AdvertisingMarket segmentation DistributionProduct development