Chapter 5: Networks, Groups, and Organizations

network - direct and indirect connections that link individual/group with others

• can gain opportunities through weak links in network

• opportunities from network affected by socioeconomic status

social group - collection of people who regularly interact on basis of shared expectations concerning behavior and share common identity

• identify with each other

• expect conform to certain ways of thinking and acting

• recognize boundaries

• ex. frats, sports teams, musical groups, book clubs

social aggregate - collection of people who happen to be together in particular place

• conscious of each other but not significantly interact or identify with each other

• ex. waiting together at bus stop

social category - people share common characteristic without interacting or identify with each other

• ex. gender, occupation, religion, ethnicity

in-group - groups feel loyalty and respect we belong to

• strengthened by group hate for out-group

• bolster group strength

• group mentality leads to “us vs them” scenario

  • ex. sports, politics, social movements, racist groups

out-group - groups feel antagonism and contempt

• highlight their weaknesses

primary group - small groups characterized by intense emotional ties, face-to-face interaction, intimacy, commitment

• experience unity

• exert long-lasting influence on development of social selves

• ex. family, peers, friends

secondary group - large, impersonal, fleeting relationships

• playing role

• can become primary group for some members if get closer

• ex. business, organizations, schools, work groups

reference group - group provides standard for judging own attitudes or behaviors

• don’t have to belong to group

• ex. family, peers, classmates, coworkers

• (Robert K. Merton)

dyad - two people

• need full attention and cooperation of both parties

• if one person withdraws, dyad vanishes

triad - three-person group

• more stable

• third person relieves pressure on other two to always get along

• one person can withdraw without threatening it

• if two have conflict, third acts as mediator

• alliances may form between two members, destabling group

large group - as size of group increases, intensity decreases, stability and exclusivity increase

• less interactions

• larger number of smaller-group relationships exist as outlet

• withdrawl of members doesn’t threaten group survival

leader - person able to influence behavior of other members

• ability to influence based on power

power - capacity to get what you want

• even against will of others

• linked with conflict

  • people competing for same things or agree to cooperate while contesting terms of cooperation

• capacity to limit others agency

legitimate domination - commands and authority seen as valid

• legal-rational authority - authority lies with office, not individual

  • found in modern societies

  • legal enacted rules for interested of the people

  • right to issue commands

  • ex. Judicial court

• traditional authority - authority comes from line of heredity, rites of passage, tradition

  • found in traditional societies

  • ex. Kings

• charismatic authority - authority through personality

  • no real limits on power

  • force for social change

  • heroism, extraordinary feats, prophecies

  • ordinary people

  • routinization of charisma turns into other type of authority

    • ex. cult leaders

  • ex. MLK, Nelson Mandela

transformational leaders - instill sense of mission or higher purpose, change nature of group

• ex. Nelson Mandela

transactional leaders - leaders who get job done

• accomplish group tasks, getting members do jobs, ensure group achieves goals

groupthink - members of group ignore ideas, suggestions, plans that go against group consensus

• reach quick consensus, may be ill chosen

• ex. Bay of Pigs

organization - group with identifiable membership, collective action to achieve common purpose

formal organization - designed to achieve objectives

• explicit rules, regulations, procedures

• ex. accredited universities

bureaucracy - physical manifestation of rationalization, form of social organization

• ensures task fulfillment for large numbers of people

• use of legal authority to stabilize power structures and institutions

• defines rules, monitors/enforce compliance

  • lead to loss of freedom

• hierarchy

  • clear chain of command, specialized division of labor

    • people can be replaced, tasks transferred

  • creates new group of elites

• reduced incompetency

  • roles chosen on merit rather than nepotism/tradition

• democratic applications

  • however creates unofficial oligarchy

• ex. gov officials and large organizations

• (Weber)

ideal type - abstract description constructed by accentuating certain features of real cases to pinpoint most essential characteristics

formal relations - relations between people stated in rules of organization

informal relations - relations in groups/orgs developed on basis of personal connections

• ways of doing things depart from formally recognized modes of procedure

• develop at all levels of organizations

iron law of oligarchy - large orgs tend toward centralization of power

• make democracy difficult

• (Robert Michels)

oligarchy - rule by few

human resource management - management that regards company’s workforce vital to economic competitiveness

• works need to feel have investment in workplace

corporate culture -management works with employees to build organizational culture

• rituals, events, traditions unique to company

• strengthen group solidarity

• promote loyalty to company and pride in work

information technology - computers and electronic communication media

• impacted organizational structures because no need for physical proximity

social capital - social knowledge and connections that enable people to accomplish goals and extend influence

• contacts to get jobs, internships, romantic connections

• increased with internet connections

  • free of emotional/physical constraints of face-to-face interactions

  • can align by interest rather than social cues

  • access still differentiated by region

cultural capital - knowledge, behaviors, skills can demonstrate cultural competence and social status

• ex. behavior in interviews that give them advantage

economic capital - money, property, assets individual has access to