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Introduction
Arguments that exist within Sociology are largely based on the values that sociologists use to help them in their work. These values are usually clearly stated so that the people know exactly what a particular sociologist thinks about the basic nature of social life.
Discussion
For example, Karl Marx’s perspective on society emphasized relations of power and conflict. Those in a position of power—those who own the means of production in a capitalistic society—are locked in conflict with those they dominate, the workers who sell their labor in the marketplace. The interest of the owners lies in maintaining their authority and control over economic decisions, whereas the interest of the workers lies in overthrowing that class in order to be able to reap the profits of their own labor. In an organizational set-up, when adapting to a first corporate job, people almost never fully anticipate what they will encounter. However, one has to come to terms with the reality of a bureaucratic organization. New employees soon discover that others in the organization are often a roadblock to what they want to get done. Co-workers may not seem as bright, competent or productive as they should be. The new employee must learn to accept the human organization with all its weaknesses. “selling,” “compromising,” and “politicking” become essential skills. Employees also learn how to get ahead in the organization. They must discover how to relate to their bosses, establishing a balance between overdependence and rebellion. Power in an organization is not distributed equally or randomly. It has hierarchical social structure. By the very nature of power, some people have more than others although some systems distribute power more equitably than others do. Applying Marxist theories to the organizational set-up, managers are able to exercise their official power only when they served the interest of capitalist elites. When American workers started to form unions, it was no accident that the government took the side of the big business against the workers. The government served the interests of the dominant class. Because the bourgeoisie controls the means of production in a capitalist society, it directs not only economic activity but also institutions that shape the moral and intellectual life of the country in general (Sociological Perspectives).
Power has been the most studied concept in the studies pertaining to organizational behavior. Various authors have identified various sources of power and how these are being used in running and effecting changes in an organization. In said studies, however, power has been seen as a one-dimensional concept which, in effect, neglects its real essence. As Somech and Drach-Zahavy (2002) say, power should be discussed not as an absolute concept but rather a relative one.
In determining the effectiveness of each of the sources of power, as identified above, these sources must be studied in relation to the inherent characteristics of the person or group holding the power as well as in reference to the organization to which he belongs. This analysis should cover the power of the agent as well as that of the target persons and their relationship (Somech & Drach-Zahavy, 2002).
Power should be discussed not in isolation but in relation with other factors, such as the structure and behavior of an organization (Brass & Burkhardt, 1993), which would give researches the full dynamics of which source of power is most effective in an organization.
In a way, the Conflict Theory is similar to the Marx theory. This group of sociologists sees society as made-up of large social classes who have different experiences and interests. These three classes are the upper or ruling class with wealth, the middle class which consists of those who do not own the businesses they work for yet achieve their position through their education qualifications and the working or the manual workers in society. Through the socialization process, people begin to be competitive. “Although there are shared values, conflict theorists state that the ruling class sometimes imposes their values on their organizations through media, religion and institutions” (Sociological Perspectives).
Meanwhile, the Interactionism sociological perspective tends to focus on the individual, rather than organization. It is the way we create the social world through our behavior, rather than looking at how society creates the individual. From this perspective, society is not a living thing, but a fiction we create to try to make our lives orderly and predictable. Society, therefore, cannot force us to do anything, since it is only real for as long as we care to pretend that it is real (Sociological Perspectives).
It seems that higher residential segregation by race is strongly associated with a lower incidence of interracial friendships in metro areas across the nation. The absence of such bridges holds urgent implications for economic success, inter-group understanding, and democracy in America. These issues will continue to persist if the problem is not addressed to directly. An understanding of power in organizations and the different occupational salaried people using these perspectives can be broadened by looking at how society can, given the persistence of organizational segregation, for example, and the power of other mechanisms can be utilized. There should be more concrete steps at remedies aimed at incorporating a clear understanding of these sociological perspectives in the workplaces and civic institutions that deserve renewed attention (Sociological Perspectives).
Meanwhile, Max Weber’s theory argues that no single factor could explain all the major social change. The many different ideas and beliefs of a culture—not just its material means of production—play an important role in bringing about social change. Applying this in the organizational set-up, sometimes power is seen as they are typically concentrated in the lower echelons of the occupational strata, and access to many high paid career opportunities remain closed to them because of their culture. In other countries, only about 2-7% of the managers and administrators in Bangladesh, India and Indonesia were women. Women constituted a higher proportion but no more than 40% in most instances of the professional and technical workforce. The average wage earned by women workers is lower than that earned by male workers in most countries of the world. This is partly because women’s participation in the workforce is predominantly in lower paid occupational categories and sectors and as unpaid workers. “Women have attributed these economic discriminations to unequal customs laws and prejudices. Business managers often defend smaller payments to women on the grounds that men, unlike women, must be paid enough to support a family” (Bagby, 1981).
Unemployment is usually defined to include those not currently engaged in paid work but actively seeking work. Because women may not actively seek work if they believe none is available at a given time, or lack the access to formal channels such as employment agencies, or do not report themselves to be “available for work” in labor force surveys, they tend to be under-enumerated as unemployed. The definition of unemployment tends to vary across countries and hence intercountry comparisons on levels of unemployment are not feasible with the data currently available (Women’s Health in Southeast Asia).
Women encountered other economic difficulties, official and unofficial, not usually met by men. In some states a wife’s earnings were under the control of her husband. In others, she was not allowed to open a new business without her husband’s approval. The law usually held men responsible for the family’s debts, and women had more difficulty in getting home mortgages or business loans from banks. In some respects, the law seemed to regard women as minors or mental defectives who needed special protection on their jobs and in the handling of their money (Bagby, 1981).
Conclusion
Indeed, these sociological perspectives provide a framework for analyzing one’s experiences in the light of what is going on in the social world around us. We come to see that we are more than just actors involved in our own personal dramas. We are caught up in larger social patterns acted out on a broader social stage.
References
Bagby, Wesley (1981). Contemporary American Social Problems. Nelson-Hall, Inc. Publishers Chicago, Illinois.
Brass, D.J. & Burkhardt, M.E. (1993). Potential Power and Power Use: An Investigation of Structure and Behavior. Academy of Management Journal. 36(3): 441-470.
Somech, A. & Drach-Zahavy, A. (2002). Relative Power and Influence Strategy: The Effects of Agent-Target Organizational Power on Superiors’ Choices of Influence Strategies. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 33(2). 2008. Web.
Sociological Perspectives. 2008. Web.
Women’s Health in Southeast Asia. 2008. Web.
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