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Chapter 8: Groups and Organizations |
Chapter eight takes a detailed look at social groups and formal
organizations. The nature of social groups is defined by group
characteristics, group dynamics, and group type. The level of
interaction, strength of ties of affection, and depth of the
relationship are factors that define social groups as primary,
secondary, or reference groups. Sociologist Rosabeth Moss Kanter
found that six important processes were integrated into the
structure of groups that endured for long periods of time—sacrifice,
investment, renunciation, communion, mortification, and transcendence.
Formal organizations—bureaucracies—are very common
in modern social life. Effective organizations use techniques
such as standardization, integration, and co-optation to achieve
competitive advantages. German sociologist Max Weber constructed
a definition of the "ideal type" of bureaucracy, calling attention
to general features commonly found in bureaucracies: specialization,
hierarchy of offices, rules, impersonality, and rewards based
on merit. In the real world, however, bureaucracies often
fall prey to various failures. Real-world bureaucracies are
much too varied to fit into a single mold—they differ
in size, complexity, goals, and vary significantly from country
to country.
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