Unit 4: Social Processes

4.1 Meaning and definition of Socialization.

4.2 Meaning and definition of Adaptation.
4.3 Meaning and definition of Cooperation.
4.4 Meaning and definition of Competition.
4.5 Meaning and definition of Conflict.
4.6 Meaning and definition of Globalization.
• Implications of social processes in management and business
administration
Introduction of Social Process

• Social process is an observable and repetitive pattern of social interaction

over a period of time.
• Social interaction and social processes are interrelated and can't be
understood without referring the other.
• It is a fundamental way of socialization in which individual interact and
establish relationship in the society.
• For example, when husband and wife are led to help to each other out of
sympathy and love and this mutual help assumes the form of cooperation,
it becomes a social process.
Definitions

• Ginsburg: Social process means the various modes of interaction between

individuals or group including co-operation and conflict, social
differentiation and integration, development ,arrest and decay.

• MacIver: Social process is the manner in which the relations of the group
once brought together acquire a distinctive character.

• A.W. Green: The social processes are merely the characteristics ways in
which interaction occurs.
4.1 Meaning and definition of socialization ( Learning Process)

• Socialization is a process through which people learn the attitudes, values

and actions appropriate to individual as a member of a particular culture.
• The process of socialization may vary from society to society because
society has its own ways of the process of civilization that shaped by
existing culture.
• In other words, socialization is the process by which individuals learn the
culture of their society.
• Socialization is predominately an unconscious process by which a new
born child learns the values, beliefs, rules and regulations of society or
internalizes the culture in which s/he is born.
• It equips an individual in such a way that he can perform his /her duties in
the society.
Definitions

• Ross: “socialization is the development of ‘we’ feeling in the ways and

manners individuals behaves in the society.”

• Bogardus: “socialization is the process whereby persons learn to behave

dependably together on behalf of human welfare and by so doing people
experience social self control, social responsibility and balanced
personality.”
Nature / Feature/ Characteristics of Socialization

I. It is learning process.
II. It is lifelong process.
III. Process of socialization is related with time and space.
IV. Process of culture assimilation.
V. The process of becoming functioning members of society.
VI. From this process man becomes social being from biological beings.
Types of Socialization
• Socialization is a life process which exists throughout the life.
• It is generally divided into two parts: primary socialization and secondary
socialization.
• Primary socialization takes place early in life, as a child and adolescent.
• Secondary socialization refers to the socialization that takes place
throughout one’s life, both as a child and as one encounters new group
that requires new socialization.
Other Types of Socialization
• Anticipatory socialization: it refers to that type of learning of others
culture to which individuals do not belong, but they are going to live in that
culture.
• Developmental socialization: it is based on the achievement of primary
socialization. When individual becomes adult, s/he has to face new
situation such as marriage, expected roles and obligations etc.
• Re-socialization: it is related to the changing of the membership of group
or radically changed society where the social role of individual is radically
changed. As a result, s/he has to learn many more to adjust in the new
environment
Agents of socialization
• The Family : One of the primary functions of the family is to care and rear of
children. This is closely associated with the process of socialization. In family,
parents introduce the culture to their children. In the early years, the family was
the most important agent of socialization. The effects of socialization in the
family are often lifelong. The family’s religion usually becomes the child’s and
the child’s political attitudes, world view and life style are influenced by those of
the family.
• The school: School is an institution with the profound effect not only on the
children’s knowledge, but also on their self image, their understanding of the
reality, their mode of reasoning. Teaches students values and the beliefs of the
society. Specialized technical and scientific knowledge have been expanded.
• Religion: It specifies what is right and what is wrong. It teaches moral values
and practices. People don’t commit crimes being afraid of the invisible power of
God. Thus, it’s the most important agent of socialization.
• Peers: As the child grows older s/he associates with others who are nearly
same age and often enjoy social status, Share same beliefs, Imitate each other,
May sometimes carry anti-social activities due to the family’s carelessness.
• The mass media: The radio, motion pictures, television, recorded music,
journals; newspapers always bring certain changes in person's life. So mass
media plays vital role as an agent of socialization.
4.2 Meaning and definition of Adaptation
• Adaptation refers to the process of changing something to suit a new
situation.
• It is a process where a person adopts himself in different situation.
• Everyone tries to adopt himself in new environment.
• When a person adopts new environment that can be called as adoption
process.
• It is a process through which human being adjusts to its physical and
social environment.
• The modernization process is the example. This is the process of social &
cultural change. In Nepal, this process is started from 1950s.
• In the preliminary stage, the modernity could not be adopted by old
generation. But later, it is adopted by all generation. Likewise we can put
here an example of widow marriage.
• Before 1990s the widow marriage was not adopted easily. Now widow
marriage is adoptative in practice.
Definitions

• MacIver & Page- “Adaptation is a process of acquiring fitness to live in a

given environment.“

• Fairchild- “Adaptation is a process of social change in which a person try to

accommodate himself in accordance of situation or environment.“

Types/forms of Adaptation:
1. Environmental
2. Socio-cultural
3. Political
4. Economic
Nature / Feature/ Characteristics of Adaptation:

• Provision of borrowing the culture of others.

• It is universal and dynamic in nature.
• Social needs and social influence can lead towards social adaptation.
• It is mediated through climatic condition, topographical reasons, and
other socio-cultural forces.
• Adaptation and resistance go hand in hand.
• Modernization, migration, acculturation, education, and survival
mechanism are the determinant factors of adaptation.
4.3 Meaning and definition of Cooperation
• The word cooperation is derived from two Latin words, ‘co’ meaning
together and ‘operari ’ meaning to work.
• The etymological meaning of co-operation is joint work or working
together for common goals.
• It is thus joint activity in pursuit of common goals or shared rewards.
• It is goal oriented and conscious form of social interaction.
• It involves two elements i) common end & ii) organized effort.
• Co-operation refers to a form of social interaction where in two or more
persons work together to gain a common end.
• Cooperation normally brings about positive results. It rarely causes losses
to the individuals involved in it.
• Cooperation brings people satisfaction and contentment. In other words,
cooperation means working together in the pursuit of like or common
interest.
• It is an integrating activity and is believed to be the opposite of
competition.
Definitions
• Fairchild- " Co-operation is the process by which the individuals or groups
combine their effort in a more or less organized way for the attainment to
common objects.“

• Merrill and Aldridge: “Co-operation is a form of social interaction where

in two or more persons work together to gain a common end.”

• A.W. Green: “Co-operation is the continuous and common endeavors of

two or more persons to perform a task or to reach a goal that is commonly
cherished”.

 Thus, Co-operation is the conscious and goal oriented social interaction of

more than two persons and through it they become able to accomplish
their life related activities. If there is no cooperation in any part of social
life, human effort remains unfulfilled.
Nature / Feature/ Characteristics of Cooperation
I. It is universal and continuous process.
II. It is joint activity in pursuit of common goals. e.g. employee and
employer co-operation to each other.
III. It is often consider to be un selfish.
IV. People may co-operate for self centered gain or self protection or
to do good for others.
V. It requires sympathy.
VI. It is possible only between like minded individuals, similarity of
purpose, mutual awareness, mutual understanding mutual helpful
ness and selfless attitude.
VII. Co-operation is not an inborn tendency it is a product of some
kind of education.
VIII. It helps society to progress, progress can better be achieved
through united action.
IX. It is urgent need of the present day world. It is needed not only
among the individuals associations, communities and business
organization but also among the nations.
Types of cooperation

1. Direct- face to face cooperation like students and teacher , sports club
etc.
2. Indirect – work under specialised function like to build house carpenter,
plumber, wall maker work together.
3. Primary – cooperation found in family members, relatives etc.
4. Secondary – found in secondary group like government, industry, trade
union etc.
5. Tertiary – found in big and small group in order to meet a particularly
situations. Like joint work of two opposite party.
4.4 Meaning and definition of Competition

• Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for

territory, a niche, or a location or resources.
• It arises whenever two or more parties strive for a goal which cannot be
shared.
• Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in
the same environment For example; animals compete over water supplies,
food, and mates, etc.
• Business is often associated with competition as most companies are in
competition with at least one other firm over the same group of
customers.
• Competition can have both beneficial and detrimental effects. Many
evolutionary biologists view inter­species and intra-species competition as
the driving force of adaptation, and ultimately of evolution.
• However, some biologists, most famously Richard Dawkins, prefer to think
of evolution in terms of competition between single genes, which have
the welfare of the organism 'in mind' only in so far as that welfare furthers
their own selfish drives for replication.
Definitions

• Park & Burgess- "Competition is an interaction without social contact.”

• Horton & Hunt- " Competition is the struggle for possession of rewards
which are limited in supply, goods, status, power, love-anything.“

• Biesanz- " Competition is the striving of two or more persons for the same
goal which are in limited so that all cannot share."
 Nature / Feature/ Characteristics of Competition

I. Competition is Universal
II. Competition is Dynamic
III. Competition is Continuous
IV. Competition - a cause of social change
V. Competition is always governed by Norms
VI. Competition may be personal or impersonal
VII. Scarcity as a condition of Competition
VIII. Competition may be constructive or destructive
IX. Competition may be Unconscious also.
 Forms or Types of Competition
Bernard mentions three broad types of competition; Social, Economic &
Political competition.
I. Social Competition
II. Economic Competition
III. Political Competition
IV. Cultural Competition.
4.5 Meaning and definition of Conflict
• Social conflict is a struggle among different individuals & committees for
their personal benefit protection , development & to take profit.
• Especially, conflict creates while different individuals & groups want to take
ownership of them over the limited resources.
• Although, socio-cultural, political & economic dispute is the main cause of
conflict. Conflict doesn't bring always the negative impact.
• The situation of conflict arises in the society for the balance of social system
& to establish new system by replacing old. Conflict plays the vital position
role for the process of change.
• In sociological analysis, conflict approach has been put on theoretical
structure by keeping inner conflict as created by unequal distribution of
resources & rewards.
• The leading personality of conflict approach is Karl Marx.
• Likewise, C. Wright Mills, Ralf Dahrendorf, Irvin Louis Horowitz, Lewis Coser,
Herbert Marcus, Randal Collins & A. G. Frank can be taken as an important
personalities for the use of conflict approach.
• Karl Marx has taken the existence issue of different classes of the society as
the source of durable conflict. Likewise, there emerges conflict among old &
Definitions

• A. W. Green- "Conflict is the deliberate attempt to oppose resist or coerce

the will of another or other.“

• Gillian & Gillian- "Conflict is the social process in which individuals or

groups seek their ends directly challenging the antagonist by violence or
threat of violence.“

• Horton and Hunt: "Conflict may be defined as a process of seeking to

monopolize reward by eliminating or weakening the competitions.
 Nature / Feature/ Characteristics of Conflict
I. Conflict is universal phenomena of the social system.
II. Conflict is a continuous process in the context of social development.
III. Society is not a System of Equilibrium.
IV. Conflict is Essential Law for Social Development.
V. Conflict May not be Always Violent & Manifest.
VI. Social Conflict is meaningful but complex.
VII. Social Conflict is realizes the universal rule of social balance & change.
 Causes of Conflict
I. Unequal economic relationship or importance of property.
II. Unequal socio-cultural relationship or social discrimination.
III. Unequal political relationship or power distribution.
IV. Unequal psychological relationship.
V. Class consciousness or emergence of the two classes in society.
Difference between Co-operation and Conflict
• Co-operation refers to joint activity in persuit of common goals or shared
rewards. Where as Conflict is a process of seeking to possess a reward by
weakening or destroying the other competitors.
• Co-operation may be conscious or unconscious. It may not be deliberate
act always. But Conflict may not be deliberate act always. It is mostly
conscious in nature. It is mostly a deliberate act.
• Co-operation requires sympathy & identification kindness & consideration.
But conflict always associated with the deepest emotions & strongest
sentiments. In it, there is no regard for others.
• Co-operation is universal and continuous in nature. Conflict is also
universal but it is not continuous.
• Co-operation brings mostly positive result. It leads to progress. Where as
Conflict brings mostly negative result. It retards progress.
• Co-operation is basic to group life. There can be no society without co-
operation. Where as Conflict is not fundamental to the group life of man.
Society can exist without it.
Difference between Competition and Conflict

• Competition is a process of seeking to monopolize a reward by over taking

all rivals. Where as Conflict is a process of seeking to possess a reward by
weakening or eliminating all rivals.
• Competition may be conscious or unconscious. But Conflict is always a
conscious activity.
• In Competition the attention of an individual is concentrated on the object
or the goal. It is mostly impersonal in nature. But in conflict the
concentration is on the person rather than the object. Hence, it is mostly
personal in nature.
• Competition may lead to positive as well as negative result. Healthy
competition often contributes to progress. Where as Conflict mostly brings
negative results. Its negative results may out weight its positive result.
4.6 Meaning and definition of Globalization.
• Globalization refers to the increasing unification of the world's economic order
through reduction of such barriers to international trade as tariffs, export fees,
and import quotas.
• The goal is to increase material wealth, goods, and services through an
international division of labor by efficiencies catalyzed by international relations,
specialization and competition.
• It describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have
become integrated through communication, transportation, and trade.
• The term is most closely associated with the term economic globalization: the
integration of national economies into the international economy through trade,
foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, the spread of technology, and
military presence.
• However, globalization is usually recognized as being driven by a combination of
economic, technological, socio-cultural, political, and biological factors.
• The term can also refer to the transnational circulation of ideas, languages, or
popular culture through acculturation.
• An aspect of the world which has gone through the process can be said to be
globalized.
Definitions

• Samir Amin (l996)-"Globalization generally means monopoly of

organization of capital, technology, knowledge, information, goods, labor
and people in the borderless world manifested in terms of the market
economy with liberal democracy, high technology & media revolution.“

• Tom G. Palmer – “Globalization as the diminution or elimination of state-

enforced restrictions on exchanges across borders and the increasingly
integrated and complex global system of production and exchange that
has emerged as a result."
 Nature / Feature/ Characteristics of Globalization
I. Expansion Democracy.
II. Integration in Global Economy.
III. Transformation of Production System and Labor Market.
IV. The speed of Technological Change.
V. Media Revolution and Consumerism.
VI. Expansion of Education, Society, Cultural etc.

 Types of Globalization
I. Cultural globalization
II. Globalization of communication
III. Economic globalization.
IV. Political globalization.
Implications of social processes in management and business
administration
• Socialization - Socialization is a process of internalizing the existing norms
and values of the group and society. The nature of socialization of
individuals shapes the behavior and relationship in their life and within
working organization in particular. If the individual are being
indoctrinated with ‘work is happiness’ than he/she loves to work.

• Adaptation - Organization as a part of society cannot remain static and

has to change itself in accordance with time and demand of the people. As
it changed than the individuals associated to it have to readjust
themselves with change to make organization functional. If they fail to
adjust themselves to the changing conditions, the result is disorganization
leading to organizational problems.

• Cooperation - Cooperation refers to working together in the pursuit of

common interest. By the nature of organization, as it is a collective action
for pursuing common goals, it can not be functioning without certain level
of cooperation between or among the persons involved.
Continue: Implications of social processes in management and
business administration
• Competition - Competition refers to a situation in which people or
organizations compete with each other for some things that are not everyone
can have. The present day world is a competitive world thus competition is
prevailed in all sectors of human life. It is fact that every organization has its
own competitors as well as persons involved within the organization are also
in competition with the other for achieving more incentives or maximizing
owns position.
• Conflict - In conflict, individuals or groups seeks their ends by directly
challenging antagonist by violence or threat of violence. According to Marxist
perspective, organizations in capitalism are embedded with the conflict
between employer and employees.
• Globalization - Globalization as the process through which different cultures
and economic systems around the world are becoming connected and similar
to each other because of the influence of large multinational companies and
improved communication. As the consequences of globalization, the
competition among the organizations is not limited to only local area but the
globally. In another way organization can not be remained isolated from the
global economy. For example, we Nepalese people are facing the
consequences of economic recession of the developed world now.