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Max Weber1864-1920

Rationality and Organization

Backgroundhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBMNDJZHEeI&feature=fvst

Maximilian Karl Emil "Max" Weber

Born in Erfurt, Germany (1864)

Well-to-do family

Eldest of eight children

Sickly child Physical problems Mental problems

Background3

His mother (Helene Fallenstein):

Calvinist Concerned with social issues Very religious

His father (Max Weber): Politician Lawyer Self-centered and authoritarian

Mr. and Mrs. Max Weber4

Background

Parents had marriage problems

Different beliefs and values

Max Weber and his brother Alfred became sociologists and economists.

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Max Weber6

WeberPronounced:

“vay-bear”

Max, Alfred, and Karl -> (1879)

Max Weber’s Sociology7

Concerned with individuals, as well as social structure Macro Micro

Max Weber: Sociology8

Comprehensive science of

Social ActionSocial Action

Behavior versus Action Behavior versus Action BehaviorBehavior= move, react, = move, react, eat etc.eat etc.

ActionAction=Behavior + =Behavior + MeaningMeaning

Different from Other Theorists

Spencer: Evolution of society as analogous to an organism

Natural laws of society

Durkheim: Society as an organism

Maintaining cohesioncohesion of social structures

Social Solidarity

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Different from Other Theorists

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Marx: Society influenced by economy

Conflict between social classessocial classes

Mauss: Mauss: System of gift-exchange System of gift-exchange as basic to societyas basic to society

Max Weber: Social Action 11

Weber’s primary focus: Subjective meanings that humans attach to their actions and interactions

Within specific social contexts

Behavior without meaning, is not inthe purview of sociology

Max Weber: Social Action12

Four Major Types of Social Action

1. Traditional ActionGuided by custom or habit

Action is simply "always done"

Example: Celebrating holidays

Max Weber: Social Action13

2. Emotional or Affective ActionMotivated by emotional state Love, Anger, Happiness, Revenge

Examples: Hitting a person out of anger

Max Weber: Social Action14

3. Value-oriented Rational ActionWorking toward a goal, which may not be rational

But is pursued through rational meansValues: Ethical, Religious, Philosophical Not rationally "chosen“

Example: Going to college because you value learning and knowledge

Max Weber: Social Action

4. Instrumental Rational (Goal-oriented Rational Action)Goals & means are rationally chosen

Example: Earning a college degree in order to get a good paying job

How to get richhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz81sLCy--c

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Max Weber: Social Action16

Primarily concerned with modern Western society

Behavior increasingly dominated by goal-oriented rationality

In the past: Motivated by tradition, affect, or value-oriented rationality

Rationalization

Rational calculation, Efficiency, and Control (Bureaucracy)

Replace:Affective tiesSpiritualityTradition

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Max Weber: Ideal Types18

An ideal type not meant to refer to “best” or to a moral ideal

e.g., Ideal type brothel or Ideal type chapel

Analytical construct that provides a basic method for comparative study

Max Weber: Ideal Types

Identifies “logically consistent” features of social institution

Compare “ideal type” to reality

Used to develop research hypotheses

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Example of Ideal Type-Democracy20

1. A political system with the quality of being responsive to all or nearly all of the citizens.

2. Free to form & join organizations

3. Freedom of expression4. Right to vote

Example of Ideal Type-Democracy

5. Eligibility for public office

6. Right of political leaders to compete for support

7. Alternative sources of information

8. Free and fair elections

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Legitimation & Authority22

Legitimation-> Turns coercion into acceptable Authority

Authority = Legitimate Power

Three modes of authority 1. Legal-rational2. Traditional3. Charismatic

Max Weber: Authority

1. Legal-rational authority Based on impersonal rules Rules are legally enacted or

contractually established

Who has legal-rational authority? Presidents, judges

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Max Weber: Authority24

2. Traditional authorityBased on belief in traditionPassed down generation to

generation

Who has Traditional Authority? Aristocracy, Parents, Elders

Max Weber: Authority25

3. Charismatic authorityAllegiance to leader Leader’s characteristics Quality of individual's personalitySource of change

Who has had Charismatic authority? Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi

Max Weber: Bureaucracy26

Formal organization of large-scale enterprises for example:

GovernmentMilitaryEconomyReligionEducationhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBCAlZPF0D0

Max Weber: Ideal–type Bureaucracy

Clearly defined division of labor

Rationality Attention to implementing goals of organization

Impersonal application of rulesRoutinization of tasks

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1.Rigidity: •Rules and regulations often rigid and inflexible.

•Discourages initiative and creativity.

2. Goal Displacement: •Rules become ends to themselves.

3. Impersonality: •Stresses mechanical way of doing things. •Organizational rules and regulations given priority over individual’s needs and emotions.

4. Compartmentalization of Activities: •Jobs divided into categories, •Encourages preservation of jobs even when redundant

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5. Paperwork: •Involves excessive paperwork --every decision must be put into writing. •All documents have to be maintained in their draft and original forms. •Leads to great waste of time, stationery, and space.

6. Empire Building: •People to use their positions and resources to perpetuate self interests. •Every superior tries to increase the number of subordinates• As if this number is symbol of power and

prestige

7. Red Tape: Procedures involve inordinate delays and frustration in the performance of tasks

Bureaucracy: Advantage & Disadvantages

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TypEb0tbFho

George Tooker paintings illustrate rationality and modernity

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Method for Studying Social Stratification: Sources of Power

Social Class“…property…and lack of property…”Life chancesSocio-economic category

Lower class Middle class Upper class

Max Weber: Class, Status, and Party

Sources of Power: Class, Status, & Party

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StatusPrestigeHonor Evaluations people make of one

anotherRanking desired behavior & traits

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2009

Max Weber: Party

Association that attempts to influence social action ReligiousPoliticalAge-basedRace/EthnicityLobbyists

Working toward a goal in a planned manner (i.e., rationally)

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Weber’s Contribution to Sociology

◦Stratification theory (class, status, party)

◦Bureaucracy & large scale organizations

◦Power & Authority

◦Sociology of law

◦Sociology of religion

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Weber’s Contribution to SociologyTheory and Methodology

“Verstehen” helps in understanding why certain behaviors occur

Social Action: Subjective meanings

Values: Role in relationships

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Weber’s Contribution to Sociology

Multi-causality of Social Phenomena

Complete Objectivity is Impossible◦Values & Value relevance

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Weber’s Contribution to Sociology

The Protestant Ethic & The Spirit of Capitalism◦Cultural barriers can prevent an economy from growing to its full potentialEx: religion

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Weber’s Contribution to Sociology

Max Weber had more powerful positive impact on a wide range of sociological theories than any other sociological theorist

Created the German Association for Sociology (1909)

Starting Point for Careers: Karl Mannheim, Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton and C. Wright Mills

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