Social Organization - Wikipedia

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Social
organization
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In sociology, a social
organization is a pattern of
relationships between and
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among individuals and social

groups.[1][2]
Characteristics of social
organization can include
qualities such as sexual
composition, spatiotemporal
cohesion, leadership, structure,
division of labor,
communication systems, and so
on.[3][4]
And because of these
characteristics of social
organization, people can
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monitor their everyday work

and involvement in other
activities that are controlled
forms of human interaction.
These interactions include:
affiliation, collective resources,
substitutability of individuals
and recorded control. These
interactions come together to
constitute common features in
basic social units such as
family, enterprises, clubs,
states, etc. These are social
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organizations.[5]
Common examples of modern
social organizations are
government agencies,[6][7]
NGO's and corporations.[8][9]
Elements[edit]
Social organizations happen in

everyday life. Many people
belong to various social
structures—institutional and
informal. These include clubs,
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professional organizations, and

religious institutions.[10] To
have a sense of identity with the
social organization, being closer
to one another helps build a
sense of community.[11] While
organizations link many like-
minded people, it can also
cause a separation with others
not in their organization due to
the differences in thought.
Social organizations are
structured to where there is a
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hierarchical system.[12] A
hierarchical structure in social
groups influences the way a
group is structured and how
likely it is that the group
remains together.
Four other interactions can also
determine if the group stays
together. A group must have a
strong affiliation within itself.
To be affiliated with an
organization means having a
connection and acceptance in
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that group. Affiliation means an

obligation to come back to that
organization. To be affiliated
with an organization, it must
know and recognize that you
are a member. The organization
gains power through the
collective resources of these
affiliations. Often affiliates have
something invested in these
resources that motivate them to
continue to make the
organization better. On the
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other hand, the organization

must keep in mind the
substitutability of these
individuals. While the
organization needs the affiliates
and the resources to survive, it
also must be able to replace
leaving individuals to keep the
organization going. Because of
all these characteristics, it can
often be difficult to be
organized within the
organization. This is where
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recorded control comes in, as

writing things down makes
them more clear and
organized.[5]
Within society[edit]
Social organizations within

society are constantly
changing.[13] Smaller scale
social organizations in society
include groups forming from
common interests and
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conversations. Social
organizations are created
constantly and with time
change.[citation needed]
Smaller scaled social
organizations include many
everyday groups that people
would not even think have
these characteristics. These
small social organizations can
include things such as bands,
clubs, or even sports teams.
Within all of these small scaled
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groups, they contain the same

characteristics as a large scale
organization would. While
these small social organizations
do not have nearly as many
people as large scale ones, they
still interact and function in
similar ways.
Looking at a common small
organization, a school sports
team, it is easy to see how it can
be a social organization. The
members of the team all have
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the same goals, which is to win,

and they all work together to
accomplish that common goal.
It is also clear to see the
structure in the team. While
everyone has the same goal in
mind[citation needed], they have
different roles, or positions,
that play a part to get there. To
achieve their goal they must be
united.
In large-scale organizations,
there is always some extent of
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bureaucracy. Having
bureaucracy includes: a set of
rules, specializations, and a
hierarchical system. This allows
for these larger sized
organizations to try maximize
efficiency. Large-scaled
organizations also come with
making sure managerial control
is right. Typically, the
impersonal authority approach
is used. This is when the
position of power is detached
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and impersonal with the other

members of the organization.
This is done to make sure that
things run smoothly and the
social organization stays the
best it can be.[14]
A big social organization that
most people are somewhat
familiar with is a hospital.
Within the hospital are small
social organization—for
example, the nursing staff and
the surgery team. These smaller
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organizations work closer

together to accomplish more for
their area, which in turn makes
the hospital more successful
and long lasting. As a whole,
the hospital contains all the
characteristics of being a social
organization. In a hospital,
there are various relationships
between all of the members of
the staff and also with the
patients. This is a main reason
that a hospital is a social
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organization. There is also

division of labor, structure,
cohesiveness, and
communication systems. To
operate to the utmost
effectiveness, a hospital needs
to contain all of the
characteristics of a social
organization because that is
what makes it strong. Without
one of these things, it would be
difficult for this organization to
run.[citation needed]
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Although the assumption that

many organizations run better
with bureaucracy and a
hierarchical system with
management, there are other
factors that can prove that
wrong. These factors are
whether or not the organization
is parallel or interdependent.
To be parallel in an
organization means that each
department or section does not
depend on the other in order to
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do its job. To be
Interdependent means that you
do depend on others to get the
job done. If an organization is
parallel, the hierarchical
structure would not be
necessary and would not be as
effect as it would in an
interdependent organization.
Because of all the different sub-
structures in parallel
organizations (the different
departments), it would be hard
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for hierarchical management to

be in charge due to the different
jobs. On the other hand, an
interdependent organization
would be easier to manage that
way due to the cohesiveness
throughout each department in
the organization.[14]
Collectivism and
individualism[edit]
Societies can also be organized

through collectivist or
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individualistic means, which

can have implications for
economic growth, legal and
political institutions and
effectiveness, and social
relations. This is based on the
premise that the organization of
society is a reflection of its
cultural, historical, social,
political and economic
processes which therefore
govern interaction.
Collectivist social organization
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refers to developing countries

that bypasses formal
institutions and rather rely on
informal institutions to uphold
contractual obligations. This
organization relies on a
horizontal social structure,
stressing relationships within
communities rather than a
social hierarchy between them.
This kind of system has been
largely attributed to cultures
with strong religious, ethnic, or
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familial group ties and has been

used in reference to developing
countries. Therefore, they have
suffered from colonialist efforts
to establish individualistic
social organizations that
contradict indigenous cultural
values. This has negative
implications for interactions
between groups rather than
within them.[citation needed]
In contrast, individualistic
social organization implies
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interaction between individuals

of different social groups.
Enforcement stems from formal
institutions such as courts of
law. The economy and society
are completely integrated,
enabling transactions across
groups and individuals, who
may similarly switch from
group to group, and allowing
individuals to be less dependent
on one group. These
organizations have been
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deemed more efficient than

collectivist societies, given the
division of labor, formal
enforcement institutions, and
importance of innovation over
social norms. This kind of social
organization is traditionally
associated with Western
societies.[15]
Online[edit]
Social organizations may be

seen online in terms of
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communities. The online

communities show patterns of
how people would react in
social networking situations.[16]
The technology allows people to
use the constructed social
organizations as a way to
engage with one another
without having to physically be
in the same place.
Looking at social organization
online is a different way to
think about it and a little
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challenging to connect the

characteristics. While the
characteristics of social
organization are not completely
the same for online
organizations, they can be
connected and talked about in a
different context to make the
cohesiveness between the two
apparent. Online, there are
various forms of
communication and ways that
people connect. Again, this
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allows them to talk and share

the common interests (which is
what makes them a social
organization) and be a part of
the organization without having
to physically be with the other
members. Although these
online social organization do
not take place in person, they
still function as social
organization because of the
relationships within the group
and the goal to keep the
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communities going.
See also[edit]
• Institution
• Organization
• Government Agency
• Corporation
• Social structure
• Social group
• Social networks
References[edit]
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1. ^ Janice L. Dreachslin; M.
Jean Gilbert; Beverly Malone
(5 November 2012). Diversity
and Cultural Competence in
Health Care: A Systems
Approach. John Wiley & Sons.
pp. 244–.
ISBN 978-1-118-28428-5.
Retrieved 30 December 2012.
2. ^ Janice Humphreys, PhD, RN,
CS, NP; Jacquelyn C.
Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN (28
July 2010). Family Violence
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and Nursing Practice, Second

Edition. Springer Publishing
Company. pp. 21–.
ISBN 978-0-8261-1828-8.
Retrieved 30 December
2012.{{cite book}}: CS1
maint: multiple names: authors
list (link)
3. ^ Susan A. Wheelan (1 June
2005). The Handbook of Group
Research and Practice. SAGE.
pp. 122–.
ISBN 978-0-7619-2958-1.
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4. ^ Bernard Chapais; Carol M.
Berman (4 March 2004).
Kinship and Behavior in
Primates. Oxford University
Press. pp. 478–.
ISBN 978-0-19-514889-3.
5. ^ Jump up to: a b Ahrne,

Goran (1994). Social
Organizations: Interaction
Inside, Outside, and Between
Organizations. London, GB:
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SAGE Publications Ltd.

6. ^ Sage Journals Agency and
Institutions in Organization
Studies
7. ^ Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy Social Institutions
8. ^ HeinOnline The Evolution of
the Corporation as a Social
Institution
9. ^ Oxford Academic Corporate
Social Responsibility and
institutional theory: new
perspectives on private
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governance
10. ^ Lim, Chaeyoon; Putnam,
Garry D Moyo (December
2010). "Religion, Social
Networks, and Life
Satisfaction". American
Sociological Review. 75 (6):
914–933.
doi:10.1177/0003122410386686.
S2CID 14709450.
11. ^ Boessen, Adam; Hipp, John
R; Smith, Emily J; Butts,
Carter T; Nagle, Nicholas N;
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Almquist, Zack (June 2014).

"Networks, Space, and
Residents' Perception of
Cohesion". American Journal
of Community Psychology.
Black Science Ltd. 53 (3–4):
747–461.
doi:10.1007/s10464-014-9639-1.
ISSN 0091-0562.
PMID 24496720.
S2CID 23670679.
12. ^ Moody, James; White,
Douglas R (February 2003).
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"Structural Cohesion and

Embeddedness: A Hierarchical
Concept of Social Groups".
American Sociological Review.
American Sociological
Association. 68 (1): 103–127.
doi:10.2307/3088904.
ISSN 0003-1224.
JSTOR 3088904.
13. ^ Sutton, John R (December
2003). "Research in the
Sociology of Organizations,
vol. 19: Social Structure and
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Organizations Revisited".
Administrative Science
Quarterly. Sage Publications,
Inc. 48 (4): 715–717.
doi:10.2307/3556649.
ISSN 0001-8392.
JSTOR 3556649.
S2CID 220635905.
14. ^ Jump up to: a b Simpson,

Richard L; Simpson, Ida
Harper (1964). Social
Organization and Behavior.
New York: Wiley. p. 300.
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15. ^ Greif, Avner (February

1994). "Cultural Beliefs and the
Organization of Society: A
Historical and Theoretical
Reflection on Collectivist and
Individualist Societies".
Journal of Political Economy.
102 (5): 912–950.
doi:10.1086/261959.
S2CID 153431326.
16. ^ Zhang, Wei; Watts,
Stephanie (2008). "Online
communities as communities of
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practice: A case study".

Journal of Knowledge
Management. 12 (4): 55–71.
doi:10.1108/13673270810884255.
ISSN 1367-3270.
Further reading[edit]
• Scott, John (2015).

"collectivism". A Dictionary of
Sociology. Oxford University
Press.
ISBN 978-0-19-968358-1.
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Social organization - Wikipedia about:reader?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSoc...

From Wikipedia, the free

among individuals and social

monitor their everyday work

Social organizations happen in

professional organizations, and

that group. Affiliation means an

other hand, the organization

recorded control comes in, as

Social organizations within

groups, they contain the same

the same goals, which is to win,

and impersonal with the other

organizations work closer

organization. There is also

Although the assumption that

for hierarchical management to

Societies can also be organized

individualistic means, which

refers to developing countries

familial group ties and has been

interaction between individuals

deemed more efficient than

Social organizations may be

communities. The online

challenging to connect the

allows them to talk and share

and Nursing Practice, Second

Retrieved 30 December 2012.

5. ^ Jump up to: a b Ahrne,

SAGE Publications Ltd.

Almquist, Zack (June 2014).

"Structural Cohesion and

14. ^ Jump up to: a b Simpson,

15. ^ Greif, Avner (February

practice: A case study".

• Scott, John (2015).

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