GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPS 1 DEFINITION

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 Groups GROUP TYPE DEFINITION Primary SMALL, FACE-TO-FACE, EMOTION-BASED, EXTENDED TIME PERIOD Secondary LARGER, SPECIALIZED, IMPERSONAL, GOAL ORIENTED, LIMITED TIME Ingroup 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 Outgroup 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 B B B A A C C D Group Size: 2 Only 1 Interaction Possible Group Size: 3 3 Interactions Possible Group Size: 4 6 Interactions Possible B B B C A E D Group Size: 5 10 Interactions Possible A C F D E Group Size: 6 15 Interactions Possible C A D G F E Group Size: 7 21 Interactions Possible

FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS 1. DEFINITION: HIGHLY STRUCTURED; SECONDARY GROUP; SPECIFIC GOALS; LONG TERM 2. BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES INFORMAL STRUCTURES: NETWORKS OF PEOPLE IN FORMAL ORGANIZATION THAT IGNORE OR BYPASS FORMAL PROCEDURES

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

deal Characteristics of Bureaucracy Division of Labor Hierarchy of Authority Rules and Regulations Employment Based on Technical Qualifications Impersonality

Shortcomings of Bureaucracies Inefficiency and Rigidity Major Problems of Bureaucracies Resistance to Change Perpetuation of Race Class 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 LARGESCALE TASKS EVIL--STIFLES CREATIVITY; PUTS POWER IN HANDS OF NON-ELECTED; BECOME “IRON CAGES”

ROBERT MICHELS “IRON LAW OF OLIGARCHY”: BUREAUCRACIES ARE RULED BY A FEW