Sociology

Max Weber's Model of Bureaucracies

1. Division of labor - specialists 2. supervisor @ a higher level 3. Employment based on formal qualifications - tests, education, previous experience 4. Rules and regulations 5. Specific lines of promotion & advancement - security

Advantages of bureaucracies

1. Get things done with speed and efficiency 2. Coordinate lg. # of people to achieve lg. scale goals 3. Production volumes at their best 4. Create order by clearly defining job tasks & rewards 5. Provide stability

Disadvantages of bureaucracies

1. Lose sight of original goals; self-continuation 2. Job becomes a ritual and creativity is lost 3. Peter Principle - employees are promoted beyond their level of competence 4. Red tape - filling out forms, shuffling from 1 dept. to another before goals are met 5. Iron Law of Oligarchy - organizations become dominated by sm. groups of people 6. Parkinson's Law - law of 2 subordinates (Ex. overworked civil servant)

Triad

3 person group, 2 against 1 alliances

Arbitration

A third party makes a decision that is binding on both parties

Truce

Brings a halt to the conflict until the compromise can be reached

Agricultural

Crops, very large populations, used money as form of exchange rather than barter/develop system of writing

Conflict

Deliberate attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone, or to harm another person. George Simmel and 4 sources (wars, disagreements with in groups, legal disputes, clash over ideology (religion and politics)). Leads to social change by bringing problems to the forefront and forcing opposing sides to seek solutions. Reinforces group boundaries and Strengthens group loyalty

Pastoral

Domesticated herd animals, support larger population, nomadic and move from pastor to pastor, power to wealthy people

Horticulture

Fruits and veggies, stay in one place for long periods of time, specialized roles, "slash and burn" method

Hawthorne Plant of the Western Electric Company

Goal - each worker would complete as many units as possible in order to make more $$$ Results - an informal structure developed & workers created own norms for production because they were being experimented Effect - more interested in social structure , this was more important than $$

Mediation

Involves calling a third party who acts as an advisor and counselor to help the 2 parties reach an agreement

Primary

Long term interaction and very personal

Postindustrial

Most complex. Production of food. Democracy, emphasizes roles of science and education in society, very large population

Exchange Theory

People will do anything for reward. People are motivated by self-interest in their interractions with other people

Industrial

Production of food and manufactured goods, urbanization, production process is divided into specific tasks

Hunting and gathering

Simplest, wild plants and animals, equal power, no perminant housing

Division of labor

Specialization by individual or groups in the performance of specific economic activities

Accommodation

State of balance b/w conflict and cooperation. Give a little, you take a little. four types include compromise, truce, mediation, and arbitration

Secondary

Temporary and impersonal

Reciprocity

The idea that if you do something for someone, that person owes you something in return

Competition

Two or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one can attain. Can be positive (motivation, advancement in businesses, school or sports) or negative (Psychological stress, conflict, lack of cooperation in relationships)

Cooperation

Two or more people or groups work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person. Social process that gets things done, often used along with other forms of interaction

Compromise

When 2 parties both give up something to come to a mutual agreement

Exchange

Whenever people interact in an effort to receive a reward in return for their actions. Reward may be nonmaterial

Achieved status

acquire through their own direct efforts & have control over Special skills, knowledge, or abilities Ex: athlete, actor, occupation, wife, graduate

Role Performance

actual behavior Doesn't always match expectation of society Ex: doctors who don't give best care Role behaviors considered appropriate by a certain part of society are seen as inappropriate by society as a whole

Ascribed status

assigned according to qualities beyond a person's control Did nothing to earn this status, nor can you change it Ex: teenager, sex, family heritage, race

Social category

classifying people according to similarity not a group Ex. left handed people

Reciprocal Roles

corresponding roles that define the patterns of interaction b/w related statuses Ex: husband-wife, leader-follower, Student - teacher

Role Set

different roles attached to a single status

Rationality

every feature in society becomes subject to calculation, measurement, & control Organize groups to complete a set of goals, Any organization that has many departments

Small group

few enough members that everyone can interact face-to-face 15 largest # to work well together

Organic solidarity

impersonal social relationships that arise w/ increased job specialization, in which individual can't provide for all of own needs & becomes dependent on others As a division of labor becomes more complex

E-communities

interact regularly on the Internet Ex. chat groups

Formal

lg., complex secondary group that has been established to achieve specific goals Ex. student government, schools, businesses

social structure

network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction Gives society its characteristics & makes patterns of human interaction predictable 2major components are statuses and roles

Informal

no official structure or established rules of conduct Ex. circle of friends

Master status

plays the greatest role in shaping a person's life & determining his or her social identity Can be achieved or ascribed Changes over course of one's life Ex: occupation, wealth, marital status, parenthood

Bureaucracies

ranked authority structure that operates according to specific rules & procedures

Group

set of people who interact on the basis of shared expectations & who possess some degree of common identity four main features are: 2 or more people, Interaction - actions of one person cause another to act, shared expectations, and common identity

Dyad

smallest group possible, 2 members

Status

socially definned position in a group or in a society (has attached roles) such as a farmer, wife, or student. everyone occupies several statuses

Role Expectations

socially determined behaviors expected Ex: doctors expected to treat patients

Roles

the behavior (rightss and obligations) expected of someone occupying a particular status Ex: son, daughter, student (associated w/ the status)

Voluntary Association

usually a nonprofit org. formed to pursue some common interest, unpaid volunteers *non-profits get huge tax breaks through IRS Code 501 (c) status

Role Strain

when a person has difficulty meeting the role expectations of a single status Ex: boss maintain good morale but asks for overtime

Role Conflict

when fulfilling the role expectations of 1 status, makes it difficult to fulfill the role expectations of another status Ex: good employee vs. good parent (sick kid)

Aggregate

when people meet but there is no organization. Not a group Ex. waiting in line

Mechanical solidarity

when people share same values & perform same tasks, become united in a common whole

Social institutions

when statuses & roles are organized to satisfy 1 or more of the basic needs of society Provides physical and emotional support for its members Transmits knowledge Produces goods and services Maintains social control