INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY

UNIT I
INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY
Industrial sociology is concerned with three main areas; a systematic study of
social relationships, interaction between social structures and an
understanding and explanation of behaviour of individuals and groups.
• Definition “Industrial sociology is concerned with industry (or any form of
work organization) as a social system, including those factors (technical,
economic, political), which affect the structure, the functions and the
changes in that system.’’ J. H. Smith
• ‘‘Industrial sociologists centre their interests upon the social organization of
the work place, including the pattern of interaction between people who are
responding to each other in terms of their roles in work organizations or
whose behaviour is being affected by those roles.’’
Charles B. Spaulding
• The field of industrial sociology is, ‘‘concerned broadly with the study of
industrial society (and) also with the analysis of the social organization of
work.’’
Miller and Form
Industrial Sociology & other social
science General
sociology

Industrial
history
psychology

Industrial
sociology

Political
anthropology
science

Economics
IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL
SOCIOLOGY
• Knowledge of labour class
• Labour Welfare
• Problems of Urbanization
• Solution of the problem of Industrialization
• Division of labour
• Help in family re-organization
• Economic progress
• Social Welfare
• Development of labour organization
• Help in rationalization
• Aid to Industrial Policy
• Aid to industrial management
• Solution to the problem of automation
• Betterment of employer-employee relationship
• Use in labour legislation
The Age of Revolution
• The Enlightenment or The Scientific revolution.
• The French Revolution
• The Industrial Revolution
Social Relations

Industrial Social
Relation

Internal External
Relations Relations

Formal Informal Mixed

Bureaucracy
• Max Weber (1864-1920), is the 'father of the
bureaucratic management theory.'

“Bureaucracy is an organisational structure that

is characterised by many rules, standardised
processes, procedures and requirements,
number of desks, meticulous division of labour
and responsibility, clear hierarchies and
professional, almost impersonal interactions
between employees”.
 • Weber identified 3 types of legitimate
authorities:
1. Traditional Authority
2. Charismatic Authority
3. Rational- Legal Authority
Features of Bureaucracy
1. Division of work & specialisation
2. Hierarchy of positions
3. Rules and regulations
4. Impersonal conduct
5. Staffing
6. Technical competence
7. Official Records
Scientific Management
• Frederick Winslow Taylor is called
the” father of Scientific Management. ”
“Scientific management means knowing exactly
what you want men to do and seeing that they do
it in the best and the cheapest way”. —F.W.
Taylor
Scientific management implies the art of
knowing exactly what is to be done and how it is
to be done.
 Techniques
Techniques

Standardization Scientific
Scientific Setting Selection & Functional
Planning of Wage of Tools &
Task Work Study the task Training of foremanship
Setting Rate Equipments
Workers

Method Motion Time Fatigue

Study Study Study Study
Functional Foremanship
Principles of Scientific Management

Scientific
Replacement of Cooperation
Selection &
Old Rule of between Labour
Training of
Thumb Method & Management
Workers

Equal Division Maximum

of Responsibility Output
Human Relations
• Elton Mayo is widely recognized as the “father of
human relations theory. ”
Hawthorne Experiment
• The Hawthorne studies were conducted
on workers at the Hawthorne plant of the
Western Electric Company by Elton Mayo and
Fritz Roethlisberger in the 1920s.
• Western Electric manufactured telephones,
cables, and switching and transmission
equipment.
Illumination Experiment
Relay Assembly Test Room Experiment
Mass Interview Programme
Bank Wiring Observation Room Study
Findings
• The conclusions derived from the Hawthorne Studies were as follows :-
• The social and psychological factors are responsible for workers' productivity and job
satisfaction. Only good physical working conditions are not enough to increase
productivity.
• The informal relations among workers influence the workers' behaviour and performance
more than the formal relations in the organisation.
• Employees will perform better if they are allowed to participate in decision-making
affecting their interests.
• Employees will also work more efficiently, when they believe that the management is
interested in their welfare.
• When employees are treated with respect and dignity, their performance will improve.
• Financial incentives alone cannot increase the performance. Social and Psychological needs
must also be satisfied in order to increase productivity.
• Good communication between the superiors and subordinates can improve the relations
and the productivity of the subordinates.
• Special attention and freedom to express their views will improve the performance of the
workers