Introduction about sociology
Society
A society is a population of humans characterized by patterns of
relationships between individuals that share a distinctive
culture and/or institutions.
More broadly, a society is an economic, social and industrial
infrastructure in which a varied multitude of people are a
part.
Edward Westermarck says that’
“ Society is the association of a group of people living through
mutual co-operation.”
Sociology
• Sociology is the study of social rules and processes that bind
and separate people not only as individuals, but as members
of voluntary associations, professional bodies, groups, and
institutions.
• In fact, sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and
human groups. It focuses primarily on the influence of social
relationships upon people’s attitude and behavior and on how
societies are established and changed.
Industry
• Industry is the process of producing something with
a view to earning profit. However, it is ordinarily
viewed as the work of creating “form utility”
• According to P. Gisbert,
“Industry may be defined as the application of
complex and sophisticated methods to the
production of economic goods and services.”
Industrial sociology
• The industrial revolution that took place in England in the 18th
century changed the course of human history. Agricultural
economy turned into industrial economy. Industrial area
developed into towns and cities. The process of urbanization
began. Capitalized economy was born. Social institutions and
values under went changes. The very face of the society
changed. These developments necessitated the birth of a new
branch called industrial sociology.
• Dilbert C. Miller and William H. Form says that,
“Industrial sociology is the study of the broad process of
industrialization and its impact on various segments of the
society by the application of general sociological principle.”
Nature/Characteristics of sociology
Branches of sociology
• 1. Historical sociology:
– The term historical sociology is usually applied to the study of social
facts which are more than 50 or so years old.
• 2. Sociology of law:
– It looks at law and legal systems as a part of sociology. It records law as
one means of social control.
• 3. Sociology of education:
– It concentrates on educational system or subsystem or individual
school or college.
• 4. Sociology of occupation:
– It deals with the problems of existing all the occupational structure
and particular occupation associate with other segments of society
like the family, the economy, educational system, political system etc.
• 5. Sociology of religion:
– As a particular branch of sociology, sociology of religion has now
emerged in order to analyze the religions behavior or man from a
sociological part of view.
• 6. Rural sociology:
– It is specialize the top sociologsy of village or rural society.
• 7. Urban sociology:
– The existing citizens of the world are growing today but also new cities
are emerging. Urban sociology is born to study cities and their growth.
• 8. Industrial sociology
Tasks/Functions of Industrial Sociology
1. Select and study of industrial social elements; even when
they are combined or interacting with other realities.
2. Interpret the relationship that exists between industry and
society.
3. Study and illustrate the nature of organizational behaviors at
work.
4. Develop theories to explain formal or informal behavior of
working people in industry.
5. Explain the impact and consequences of industry
on society and vice versa.
6. Build a body of principles, the application of
which transcends to particular organization.
7. Aid in the creation of more equitable legislation,
more efficient production for more effective
handling of industrial situations.
8. Level of theories that explain formal and informal
behavior of working people in industry.
Significance or Importance of Industrial
Sociology
• Industrial sociology is of great practical importance as described
below:
– Industrial sociology has been of great help in finding solutions too
many of the industrial disputes and instances of industrial unrest.
– It has reduced the gap between industrial management and industrial
workers. It has also helped both to develop friendly relations.
– Industrial sociology has stressed upon the important role of trade
unions in the settlement of industrial disputes.
– It has thrown light upon the problems of industrial workers. It has
suggested ways and means of improving the living conditions of
workers.
– Various industrial sociological studies has impressed upon the
management and the government, the need to undertake social
security measure for promoting labour welfare.
– Industrial sociology plays a vital role in contributing to plan industrial
growth.
Scope of industrial sociology
• Industrial sociology studies industrial organizations not as a
technological or economical organization but more than that,
as a social or human organization.
• It stresses upon the social or interactional factors in industrial
relations, formal and informal organization, team work,
communication etc.
• Thus IS deals with the total organization for the workplace.
• It also deals with three different organizations which are
distinguishable but interrelated:
1.
2.
3.
Management organization
Informal organization of workers and
Union organization
Existed social relations in industry
• Industry is thought to be a social organization devoted to the
production and marketing of goods and services.
• Therefore, sociology is especially concerned with the social
relations of industry and their bearing on industrial
phenomena as productivity, functional authority, job
satisfaction, motivation etc. This social relations may be
internal and external.
Existed social relations in industry
Social relations in industry
A. Internal
Formal
Organizational
Statutory
Informal
B. External
Mixed
Individual
Group
Socio functional
“Industrial Relations”
Other firms
Society
Educational
bodies
Customers
Community
Governments
etc.
• A. Internal relations:
– Internal relations are those relations existing within
industry itself whether they concerned management,
workers or both.
– i) Formal: Formal organizations relations are those
immediately arising from the performance of one’s
approved duties which may be managerial or operational.
Another kind of formal relations may be called statutory or
sanctioned by law or custom as those implied in collective
bargaining.
– Ii) Informal: Informal relations are those that
spontaneously arise everywhere in industry.
• Iii) Mixed: in industrial sociology this relationships are known
as
socio-functional
relationships.
Socio-functional
relationships mostly occurred in the performance of one’s
duties.
B. External Relations:
External relations are those that exist between industry or
firm and other external bodies as persons, institutions and
societies, as the public, customers, government, the
community in which the firm operates the banks, schools and
other organizations with which the firm has dealings.