Sociology: Social Groups, Bureaucracy, and Organizational Theories

Chapter 6: Social Groups & Organizations ===

Social group

Two or more people who identify and interact with one another.

Primary group

Small, personal, and enduring (e.g., family, close friends).

Secondary group

Large, impersonal, goal-oriented (e.g., coworkers, class).

Conformity (Asch)

People conform to group pressure, even when the group is wrong.

Obedience (Milgram)

People obey authority figures even when it causes harm.

Groupthink (Janis)

Tendency for group members to conform and suppress dissent, leading to poor decisions.

Reference group

A group used to evaluate oneself or guide decisions.

In-group

Group commanding loyalty and belonging.

Out-group

Group viewed as competition or opposition.

Dyad vs Triad

Dyad = 2-person, unstable; Triad = 3-person, more stable.

Max Weber

Developed model of bureaucracy; studied rationalization of society.

Weber's Six Traits

Specialization, hierarchy, rules, technical competence, impersonality, written communication.

Bureaucratic alienation

Workers become disconnected from their product or purpose.

McDonaldization (Ritzer)

Process where efficiency, calculability, predictability, and automation dominate society.

Oligarchy (Michels)

Rule by a small, self-serving elite in large organizations.

Outsourcing

Contracting work to external companies to reduce costs.

Quality Circles (Japan)

Meetings between workers and executives for innovation and feedback.