GROUPS AND

ORGANIZATIONS

CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPS

1. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL GROUP: TWO OR MORE PEOPLE WHO INTERACT FREQUENTLY AND SHARE A COMMON IDENTITY

2. AGGREGATE: PEOPLE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME

3. CATEGORY: PEOPLE WHO SHARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

TYPES OF SOCIAL GROUPS

1. PRIMARY GROUPS

2. SECONDARY GROUPS

3. IN-GROUPS/OUT-GROUPS

4. REFERENCE GROUPS

Types of GroupsGROUPTYPE DEFINITION

Primary

Secondary

Ingroup

Outgroup

SMALL, FACE-TO-FACE, EMOTION-BASED, EXTENDED TIME PERIOD

LARGER, SPECIALIZED, IMPERSONAL, GOAL ORIENTED, LIMITED TIME

A GROUP TO WHICH A PERSON BELONGS AND IDENTIFIES WITH

A GROUP TO WHICH A PERSON DOES NOT BELONG AND FEELS A SENSE OF COMPETITIVENESS OR HOSTILITY

Reference A GROUP THAT STRONGLY INFLUENCES OUR BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL ATTITUDES

THE PURPOSE OF SOCIAL GROUPS

FUNCTIONALIST VIEW: MEETS INSTRUMENTAL OR EXPRESSIVE NEEDS

CONFLICT VIEW: BASED ON POWER RELATIONSHIPS

GROUP DYNAMICS

1. GROUP SIZE: CHANGES INTERACTION

2. GROUP CONFORMITY -- ASCH’S RESEARCH -- MILGRAM’S RESEARCH

Group Size

A

BC

D

EF

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

B

C

DE

A BA

B

CA

B

C

DGroup Size: 2

Only 1 Interaction Possible

Group Size: 33 Interactions

Possible

Group Size: 46 Interactions

Possible

Group Size: 615 Interactions

Possible

Group Size: 510 Interactions

Possible

Group Size: 721 Interactions

Possible

FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS

1. DEFINITION: HIGHLY STRUCTURED; SECONDARY GROUP; SPECIFIC GOALS; LONG TERM

2. BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES

INFORMAL STRUCTURES: NETWORKSOF PEOPLE IN FORMAL ORGANIZATIONTHAT IGNORE OR BYPASS FORMALPROCEDURES

BUREAUCRACIES

1. DEFINITION: CHARACTERIZED BY:

• A HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY

• CLEAR DIVISION OF LABOR

• EXPLICIT RULES AND REGULATIONS

• IMPERSONALITY IN STAFFING

• SEEKS MOST “RATIONAL AND

EFFICIENT MEANS OF REACHING

GOALS

Ideal Characteristics of Bureaucracy

Impersonality

Employment Based onTechnical Qualifications

Rules and Regulations

Hierarchy of Authority

Divisionof

Labor

Shortcomings of Bureaucracies Inefficiency and

Rigidity

MajorProblems of

BureaucraciesResistance to

Change

Perpetuation of RaceClass and Gender

Inequalities

SHORTCOMINGS OF BUREAUCRACIES

1. GOAL DISPLACEMENT

2. BUREAUCRATIC PERSONALITY

3. INEQUALITIES: WHITE MALES PREDOMINATE

RATIONALITY (MAX WEBER)

• TRADITIONAL METHODS OF INFORMALITY AND SPONTANEITY

• ARE REPLACED BY EFFICIENCY AND FORMAL RULES AND PROCEDURES

OLIGARCHY AND BUREAUCRACIES

1. WEBER: BUREAUCRACIES ARE NECESSARY--NEEDED FOR LARGE- SCALE TASKS

EVIL--STIFLES CREATIVITY; PUTS POWER IN HANDS OF NON-ELECTED; BECOME “IRON CAGES”

ROBERT MICHELS

“IRON LAW OF OLIGARCHY”:BUREAUCRACIES ARE RULEDBY A FEW