Notes: This monumental shift to remote work, also known as telecommuting or remote working, working from someplace other than the office on a full- or part-time basis, has been an overwhelming success for employers and employees alike.
From a sociological perspective, these associations are part of a person’s social capital, the network of links that develop between people, which may result in a personal, social, and professional advantage.
From a sociological perspective, these associations are part of a person’s social capital, the network of links that develop between people, which may result in a personal, social, and professional advantage.
Very likely, some of what we see has to do with nepotism, the practice of favoritism directed toward family members.
a transactional leader acts as a manager by keeping the group functioning smoothly.
A transformational leader causes individuals, groups, and social systems to change.
- Authoritarian: A leadership style that is based on orders and directives.
- Democratic: A leadership style based on increasing harmony and reducing conflict between group members.
- Laissez-faire: A leader who takes a hands-off approach to leadership.
The next type of leadership role is expressive leadership, leadership endeavors to establish more personal or primary connections with the group members as they work toward accomplishing the task.
Leadership roles impact all group members, from the family unit to employees at work. There are two common types of leadership roles. The first, instrumental leadership, is one in which the leadership is very task-oriented. This leader keeps the group moving in the direction of its goal.
leaders, individuals or groups who help facilitate, guide, and be the representative voice of its members.
In the early 1990s, George Ritzer, a contemporary sociologist, argued that society had been transformed by a version of rationalization known as McDonaldization, the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society and the of the rest of the world (HP) (Ritzer 1993).
When oligarchy occurs in a democratic government, it results in what German sociologist Robert Michels called the iron law of oligarchy, a system in which the concentration of power in a democracy rests in the hands of a few elite leaders. The iron law of oligarchy can be seen in the United States government, where a few wealthy individuals and groups hold power and make policy decisions that impact American citizens’ lives (Bartles 2014; Gilens and Page 2014).
Mike Brown was also a political appointee of former President George W. Bush and a prime example of the spoils system, the practice of politicians awarding jobs to friends and supporters based on liking and not skill
The above questions are not just hypothetical but, in fact, are known as the Peter Principle, the notion that workers in a bureaucratic organization will continue to be promoted until they reach their level of incompetence (HP).
- specialization
- hierarchy of authority
- rules and regulations
- technical competence
- impersonality
- formal written communication
Weber also developed the term ideal type, logical or consistent traits of a given social phenomenon, referring to common and consistent elements in an abstract concept such as bureaucracy (Weber 1968).
He described these new organizations as bureaucracies, a hierarchical authority structure that uses task specialization, operates on the merit principle, and behaves with impersonality (HP)
Erving Goffman termed these organizations total institutions, isolated groups with strict rules and regulations to control every aspect of members’ lives (C-19) (Goffman 1961).
Members in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and the military undergo resocialization, an identity transformation in which social norms and roles are altered or replaced.
The third type of organization is a coercive organization, groups of people whose membership is primarily forced and must abide by strict rules and regulations.
Greenwashing, the promotion of being a sustainable and green company, when, in fact, sustainable practices are not the norm for the organization, is a common practice to gain customers who want to do business with a sustainable company.
Utilitarian organizations, groups of people based on contractual obligations that seek tangible benefits such as monetary compensation, are comprised of individuals who join for a specific purpose, and most often to gain income.
Normative organizations, groups of people based on shared interests and the intangible rewards of membership, are comprised of individuals who join as volunteers to pursue goals they consider morally worthwhile.
An organization, a structured, purposeful, and goal-oriented collection of people, is a social unit with distinct functions that ranges in size from a handful of people to a large multinational organization with tens of thousands of members. Organizations are integral components of social structures, as they contribute to the distinctive and stable arrangements of social patterns in society. Schools, churches, and corporations are organizations that provide stability in society and reproduce patterns of norms, values, and beliefs. There are two basic types of organizations: informal and formal. Informal organizations, a system of the personal contacts and relationships of groupings of people, exist outside the organizational charts. These organizations are characterized by casual relationships and repeated contacts without intended purposes. Friendships, cliques, and alliances are examples that focus on a network of personal and social relationships. Informal organizations precede formal organizations, structured and bureaucratic systems regulated by clearly stated norms and rules, as the repetitive arrangement of relationships often morphs into formal organizations. Formal organizations have written rules, policies, and procedures, as well as a distinct division of labor and a system for replacing members.
Groupthink, the tendency of group members to yield the desire for consensus rather than expressing individual or alternative ideas (HP), occurs in groups, organizations, and the larger society.
Solomon Asch (1907–1996) conducted this experiment, and others, in the 1950s to learn more about group conformity, aligning attitudes and behaviors with group norms (HP), and compliance.
Primary groups are small-scale, intimate, face-to-face long-lasting associations (HP), and secondary groups are large-scale, impersonal, task-focused, and time-limited associations. The primary group is small and shares personal and lasting relationships, such as family and childhood friends. Members of primary groups characteristically have the following:
- many shared interests and activities
- emotionally close bonds
- members who spend a lot of time together
- concern for other members’ welfare
- a shared sense of “we”
The term group, people who identify and interact with one another (C-19), is another taken-for-granted concept that we use often.
Think about the number of social groups, two or more individuals connected by common bonds and shared social relations, of which you have been a member.
The smallest group is a dyad, a group of two people. At the other end of the spectrum, a large group could encompass all 300+ million Americans.
The growth of a group from a dyad to a triad, a group of three members, can change how the group functions. When a third member is added to a conversation, the dynamics can change from intense and meaningful conversation to casual, surface-level interaction.
| Stages | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| FORMING |
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| STORMING |
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| NORMING |
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| PERFORMING |
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| ADJOURNING |
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