GROUPS & GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONSORGANIZATIONS

Macionis, Sociology Chapter Seven

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Overall Goals for Chapter 7Overall Goals for Chapter 7

Look at groups Look at groups and their behaviorand their behavior

Learn about Learn about organizations and organizations and their role in their role in societysociety

Review leadership Review leadership stylesstyles

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SOCIAL GROUPSOCIAL GROUP

A social group is defined A social group is defined as two or more people as two or more people who identify and who identify and interact with one interact with one another another

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NOT QUITE A SOCIAL GROUPNOT QUITE A SOCIAL GROUP CategoryCategory

– People with common statusPeople with common status

CrowdCrowd– Temporary cluster of peopleTemporary cluster of people– A group can have temporal statusA group can have temporal status

There are times when a crowd can There are times when a crowd can become a group and then a crowd become a group and then a crowd once moreonce more

A large gathering of people at a football gameA large gathering of people at a football game A crowd that begins to riot may be considered a A crowd that begins to riot may be considered a

groupgroup

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PRIMARY GROUPSPRIMARY GROUPS

TraitsTraits– SmallSmall– Personal orientationPersonal orientation– EnduringEnduring

Primary relationshipsPrimary relationships– First group experienced in lifeFirst group experienced in life– IrreplaceableIrreplaceable– SecuritySecurity

Assistance of all kindsAssistance of all kinds– Emotional to financialEmotional to financial

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SECONDARY GROUPSSECONDARY GROUPS TraitsTraits

– Large membershipLarge membership– Goal or activity orientationGoal or activity orientation– Formal and politeFormal and polite

Secondary relationshipsSecondary relationships– Weak emotional ties between personsWeak emotional ties between persons– Short termShort term

ExamplesExamples– Co-workersCo-workers– Political organizationsPolitical organizations

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Categories of Groups Categories of Groups – InstrumentalInstrumental

Task orientedTask oriented– PTOPTO– Spinning Spinning – ARLARL

– ExpressiveExpressive People orientedPeople oriented

– Book clubBook club– Bike teamBike team– ARLARL

Decision Making StylesDecision Making Styles

– AuthoritarianAuthoritarian Leader makes decisionsLeader makes decisions

– Compliance from membersCompliance from members

– DemocraticDemocratic Member involvementMember involvement

– Everyone is equalEveryone is equal

– Laissez-faireLaissez-faire Group functions on its ownGroup functions on its own

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REFERENCE GROUPSREFERENCE GROUPS Groups act as point of reference in Groups act as point of reference in

making evaluative and decisionsmaking evaluative and decisions Stouffer’s researchStouffer’s research

– We compare ourselves in relation to specific We compare ourselves in relation to specific reference groupsreference groups

INGROUPS and OUTGROUPSINGROUPS and OUTGROUPS– Loyalty to INGROUPLoyalty to INGROUP– Opposition to OUTGROUPSOpposition to OUTGROUPS

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GROUP SIZE MATTERSGROUP SIZE MATTERS The dyadThe dyad

– A two member groupA two member group– Intimate, but unstable given its sizeIntimate, but unstable given its size

The triadThe triad– A three member groupA three member group– More stable than a dyad and more More stable than a dyad and more

types of interaction is possibletypes of interaction is possible

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SOCIAL DIVERSITYSOCIAL DIVERSITY Large groups turn inwardLarge groups turn inward

– Members have relationships between themselvesMembers have relationships between themselves

Heterogeneous groups turn outwardHeterogeneous groups turn outward– Diverse membership promotes interaction with outsidersDiverse membership promotes interaction with outsiders

Social equality promotes contactSocial equality promotes contact– If members are equal in standing, then members of all If members are equal in standing, then members of all

backgrounds are more likely to associate backgrounds are more likely to associate

Physical boundaries create social boundariesPhysical boundaries create social boundaries– If group is segregated then chances for contact are limitedIf group is segregated then chances for contact are limited

NetworksNetworks– Web of weak social ties, people we know of & who know of Web of weak social ties, people we know of & who know of

usus

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BUREAUCRACYBUREAUCRACY Rational model designed to perform Rational model designed to perform

complex tasks efficientlycomplex tasks efficiently Max Weber’s six elements to promote Max Weber’s six elements to promote

organizational efficiencyorganizational efficiency– Specialization of dutiesSpecialization of duties– Hierarchy of officesHierarchy of offices– Rules and regulationsRules and regulations– Technical competenceTechnical competence– ImpersonalityImpersonality– Formal, written communicationsFormal, written communications

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Organizational Organizational EnvironmentEnvironment

Factors outside an organization Factors outside an organization that affects its operation:that affects its operation:

Economic and political trendsEconomic and political trendsCurrent eventsCurrent eventsPopulations patternsPopulations patternsOther organizationsOther organizations

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BUREAUCRACY PROBLEMSBUREAUCRACY PROBLEMS

Bureaucratic alienationBureaucratic alienation– Potential to dehumanize individualsPotential to dehumanize individuals

Bureaucratic inefficiency and ritualismBureaucratic inefficiency and ritualism– Preoccupation with rules, interferes with Preoccupation with rules, interferes with

meeting goalsmeeting goals

Bureaucratic inertiaBureaucratic inertia– Perpetuation of the organizationPerpetuation of the organization

OligarchyOligarchy– Rule of the many by the fewRule of the many by the few

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SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENTSCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

Application of scientific principles to the Application of scientific principles to the operation of a business or large organizationoperation of a business or large organization

1.1. Identify tasks and time needed for tasksIdentify tasks and time needed for tasks

2.2. Analyze to perform tasks more efficientlyAnalyze to perform tasks more efficiently

3.3. Provide incentives for workers efficiencyProvide incentives for workers efficiency

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McDONALDIZATION McDONALDIZATION EfficiencyEfficiency

-Do it quickly-Do it quickly Uniformity Uniformity

-Leave nothing to chance-Leave nothing to chance ControlControl

-Humans are most unreliable factor-Humans are most unreliable factor

Future Opposing Trends Movement toward more creative freedom for Movement toward more creative freedom for

highly skilled information workers.highly skilled information workers.

Movement toward increased supervision and Movement toward increased supervision and discipline for less skilled service workers.discipline for less skilled service workers.

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““Fear colludes with our most Fear colludes with our most conservative self and allows us to conservative self and allows us to stop before we try, dismiss before we stop before we try, dismiss before we think, mock before we imagine.” - think, mock before we imagine.” - Carol LloydCarol Lloyd