Sociological perspective Essay Example for Free

Sociological perspective Essay Marxism, Functionalism and Feminism are sociological theories alongside several others, they are fundamental to the whole discipline of sociology. Functionalism is a structural theory they argue that society is made up of interrelated and interdependent institutions such as education, work, religion, law, the family etc. The main function of these institutions is to maintain social equilibrium. They see society similar to a human body with all the internal parts working together to bring out equilibrium. Functionalists see individual action as the product of social institutions such as the family and education socializing the young into cultural values and norms, this means people believe in much the same thing and consequently their actions and patterns are predictable. Durkheim believed the very core of society is it values which are passed on and reinforced by family, school religion etc. Individuals behave similarly in the same social context because they have been socialized into the same cultural rules and goals. However Functionalist see institutions such as education and work organizations allocating people to roles in which they would make an effective contribution to the day to day running of society, they believe there is a class system and people gain their job, money etc through their own merit. Therefore functionalists believe human action is shaped and controlled by social forces such as value consensus and the need to maintain social order, beyond the individuals control , they results on this conformity is social stability and the reproduction of society generation by generation. However it is argued that functionalists over emphasis consensus and order, and play down conflict. They tend to focus on functions or benefits of social institutions and consequently neglect the dysfunctions or harm that institutions can cause. Marxism is a macro approach based on a conflict between capital and wage labour. Society splits into an infrastructure (economic base) and  superstructure (social institutions). Ideology (distorted beliefs) is transmitted through the superstructure to justify inequalities. Marx focused on the inequalities of capitalism. In capitalist society, the bourgeoisie own the means of production (own large amounts of capital and therefore have power), whereas the proletariat sell their labour power for a wage. This is where the conflict rests. The system dictates that the ruling class generates more profit (achieved by decreasing wages). Overtime, the worsening of conditions, exploitation and lowering of wages results in a situation where the working class become aware of their class position and unite in a state of revolutionary consciousness. Revolution is, therefore, inevitable. Gramsci argues that middle class maintain dominance by using the government to persuade people, and also by propagating ideologies ( continuously feeding ideas so dey grow strength through things like media, churches, schools and family in order to win peoples consent. For the middle class to be ideologically dominant these ideologies need to be tied in to the popular culture of working class. The extent to which such hegemony is achieved varies over time but its unlikely 2 ever be complete. There are two reasons for dis. firstly middle class are often divided and secondly the proletariat as a dual consciousness. One part which reflects the ideas of the middle class and the other which reflects their everyday experiences. He believes the proletariat to make alliances with other groups for Marxists to win the hearts and minds of subordinate classes by connecting Marxist ideas to popular culture. Hes optimistic that the struggle for hegemony. People will eventually be persuaded of the need for a revolution. For Frankfurt school theirs two main characteristics which distinguish humans from animals- the ability to transform the environment and the ability to make a rational decision about our lives. Capitalists societies dont allow humans to exercise their creativity and reason and thus warrant criticisms 4 being unfair n unreasonable. He agrees with Gramisci that attention needs to  be paid to ideologies which are integrating people into capitalists system. Two developments are highlighted as crucial here- the growth on instrumental reasons whichs seen as the dominant way of thinking in a capitalist society and the development of mass culture. Peoples acceptance of instrumental reasons is explained by Frankfurt school in terms of developments of mass culture. It reached the mass of population through media The Frankfurt school comes to a negative conclusion- people are dominated not only at work but also in their leisure. The over riding picture is of society as a mass of isolated individuals who are manipulated by big business. Their seems to be no way out. It has been argued that Marxists put too much emphasis on conflict. Capitalism has improved the standard of living working class. It may be that the working class are aware of inequality and exploitation but they feel that their standard of living compensates for this. So they may therefore actively choose to go to work despite this knowledge. They have also been criticized for economic reductionism i.e. reducing behaviour to class relationships. They may neglect the fact that social behaviour can also be influenced by religious, patriarchal, nationalism and ethnic structures. Interactionalists focus upon the way in which individuals (or social actors as Interactionists like to call them) consciously act rather than simply react to social stimulation. The way in which different social actors interpret the behaviour of others is significant as a means of understanding the way in which the world is socially constructed. This social construction of the world is focused upon the meanings people give to behaviour and the way in which they interpret the meaning of behaviour. Mead argued that whilst we are each conscious, thinking, individuals, the way in which we choose to behave is conditioned by the social context of that behaviour. In this, he said that our behaviour as individuals is conditioned by two aspects of our self-awareness (that is, the ability to see ourselves as others see us). A) The I aspect which largely consists of spontaneous actions and B) The Me aspect which consists of an awareness  of how other people expect us to behave at any given moment. The I and the Me are parallel parts of what Mead called The Self and it is the ability of human beings to develop a self-concept that makes us different to most animals. In animals, for example, the I is dominant (to the almost total exclusion of the Me in most animals). This means, in effect, that most animal behaviour is instinct-based rather than socially-constructed. In humans, on the other hand, the reverse is true. The Me is dominant to the almost total exclusion of the I. This means, in effect, that most human behaviour is socially-constructed rather than instinct-based.

Leaving Corporate America to Buy a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Web Sites

Leaving Corporate America to Buy a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com As a Group Manager of VotanWeb, I receive a lot of email. One frequently asked question relates to making the transition from the corporate world to the entrepreneurial world of the internet. Many people have always dreamed of owning a web site and finally they decide to move toward that dream. They wonder how much money they need to invest as well as how they can obtain financing to purchase an existing website. Often, they have plenty of experience and determination, but very little money. I must make it very clear that it is rare for anyone to purchase a website without putting some of their own cash into it. Few website acquisitions are 100% financed. There is no free lunch. Any potential lender or investor will want to see that you are putting your own money into the website. There are many sources of money to finance the purchase of a website. Many online entrepreneurs start with a second mortgage on a home, tapping into their existing equity. Others are successful starting with funds from friends or family members. This could be either a loan or an investment in return for a piece of the business. Either way, make certain that it's spelled out in writing and all parties understand what they're getting into. The Small Business Administration is another possibility. Remember, the SBA does NOT lend money for people to buy websites. The SBA guarantees loans made by lenders, up to a certain amount, for small website acquisitions. There are both good and bad points to an SBA loan. The good news is that there is money available; up to $1,300,000. The terms for repayment are favorable. When a website passes the SBA qualifications, you can be fairly confident that it is a solid website. If you do not have at least 25% equity in your home, you may not have to fully collateralize the loan. Typically, they will finance 70-80% of the deal. It might be possible to secure seller financing if you've demonstrated some knowledge of the market and you can convince the website owner that you have a high probability of success. If you have risen up through the corporate ranks, then you have already demonstrated leadership skills. Investors look upon track records of leadership with approval.

Adv & Disadvantages of Leadership Development Methods Essay

Professional qualifications that require refreshing will be supported if they are an essential criteria for the post| * Trust induction * Trust Essential Update training * Manual Handling * Professional re-registration training * PRINCE2, MSP, LEAN| * Provides an understanding of how the Trust works * Provides health and safety training * Sends out a clear message that professional registration is recognised, important and is supported| * Trust induction training tends to be very generic and does not necessarily relate to the job role * Training for re-registration is not always timely * Is dependent on funding * Cost implications of ensuring that the training budget can cover training| Elective Learning| Courses that are not part of the essential criteria for the post will be deemed to be elective and will be subject to the trust policy on supported learning| * Courses identified as part of the personal development plan * Influencing skills * Negotiating skills * MS Project/Other IT Skills * Meets specific needs for the individual * Can be delivered by others in the team or by a generic course * Ensures that leaders are given requisite skills| * Some generic courses do not cover specific requirements * Is dependent on funding being available| Work Assignments| Work assignments will be seen as an opportunity to help leaders develop specific competencies or practice key behaviours. * Specific goals will be set as part of personal development plans * Feedback on progress will be done either via formal appraisal or by 1:1 feedback with line managers| * Reiterates the message that lessons can always be learned * Gives leaders the growth opportunities to put theories and models into practice * Learning by doing| * Unless well managed there is a tendency to concentrate on ‘getting the job done’ * Opportunities are not always recognised or used to the full advantage| Special Assignments/Initiatives| Involvement in short-term assignments or initiatives either generated from within the team or as part of a project team| * Attendance at programme or project board meetings * Involvement in assignments/initiatives

The Great Philosophies From The 19th Century - 1386 Words

Brandon Letts Mr. Mykytyn HZT 4U1 - 02 17 Friday 2016 One of the greatest philosophies from the 19th century was Karl Marx. The German native born May 5 1818 was known for his works as not only a philosopher but an economist, journalist revolutionary socialist and sociologist. Marx’s different varieties of work influenced his understanding of society and and the economy during his time period. Once Marx got older, he moved to London England where he progressed his ideas and even collaborate with Friedrich Engels with whom he published numerous works. Marx’s most well known piece of work is The Communist Manifesto, which discusses his theories about society, economics and politics , together known as Marxism. Through this pamphlet, it highlights the problem of oppression the working class faces. Has a large effect on the revolution following its publication. Became a foundation for organizations, influenced other radicals and subsequently influx and Communist literature. This specific piece of work no t only shocked the society during this time but educated people on the system they were living in. To begin with, Marx within The Communist Manifesto highlights the oppression of the proletariat class so this specific group of people could be conscious of their status and come together to unite as one. This is done through the way Marx discusses the history of classes and their struggle with one another. Marx states in the first section of his bookShow MoreRelatedHistory of Modern Psychology836 Words   |  4 PagesBefore psychology officially became a science, many great intellectuals of previous centuries had contributed to the philosophy behind psychology. This philosophy can be trace back to the times of the Greeks, middle ages, and the renaissance period. However, the link between philosophy and modern psychology became possible in the late 18th and early 19th century. 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