Chapter 6- Groups and Organizations

Types of Groups  Group: any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who interact regularly  Primary Group : small group with intimate, face-to face associations and cooperation  Secondary Group : formal, impersonal groups with little social intimacy or mutual understanding

Types of Groups I n-groups : any group or categories to which people feel they belong Out-groups : any group or categories to which people feel that they do not belong Conflict between in-groups and out-groups can turn violent on a personal as well as political level.

Types of Groups  Reference Group : any group that an individual uses as a standard for evaluating their own behavior.  Reference groups set and enforce standards of conduct and belief  Often two or more reference groups can influence us at the same time

Looking at Small Groups  Small groups: groups small enough for all members to interact simultaneously  Dyad-a two member group  Triad- a three-member group

Looking at Small Groups  Groupthink: Collective pressure to conform to a predominant line of thought  Asch Experiment:

Formal Organizations and Bureaucracies  Formal Organizations : group designed for a special purpose and structured for maximum efficiency  Cookie Cutter Approach: calculability predictability efficiency control McDonaldization of Society

Characteristics of Bureaucracy  Bureaucracy : components of formal organizations that uses rules and hierarchical rankings to achieve efficiency.  Max Weber emphasized basic similarity of structure and process found in dissimilar enterprises

Characteristics of a Bureacracy  Division of Labor  Fragmentation of work  Specialized experts Alienation: Condition of estrangement or disassociation George Tooker: Trained Incapacity: workers develop blind spots

Characteristics of Bureaucracy  Hierarchy of Authority  Written Rules and Regulations  Goal Displacement: overzealous conformity to official regulations

Characteristics of a Bureaucracy  Impersonality: Bureaucratic norms dictate that officials perform duties without personal consideration of individuals  Employment based on Technical Qualifications

Bureaucratization of Modern Society  Bureaucratization: process by which groups, organizations, or social movements become increasingly bureaucratic  Iron Law of Oligarchy: even democratic organizations eventually develop into bureaucracies rules by few  Telecommuters  Electronic Communication