Definition and features of social organization.

by - November 18, 2024

Definition and features of social organization.

What is social organization? Write the characteristics of social organization.




Concept / definition of social organization:-


All individuals in society depend on each other to fulfill their needs. These needs are diverse and multifaceted. Needs are mainly of three types - biological, psychological and social. To fulfill these needs, people create social organizations. Social organizations fulfill these needs of people. These social organizations are artificially created by people with specific objectives.

Charles Horton Cooley said that social organizations are born as a result of the interaction of human interdependence and social organizations fulfill human needs through mutual interaction.

Johnson said that there is interdependence between individuals in society and their needs are multifaceted. Social organizations are born as a result of social interaction to fulfill these multifaceted needs.

Auguste Comte said that people give birth to social organizations by "general social contract" in order to fulfill their specific objectives.

Emile Durkheim said that social organizations are established for specific purposes based on principles and values.

From the definition given by sociologists, it can be said that social organizations are artificially established in order to fulfill the needs of people. Social organizations are of various types such as political, social, economic, educational, religious - etc. The best examples of social organizations are - schools, banks, temples - mosques - etc.


Features / Characteristics of social organizations:-


1. Specific purpose-oriented:-
Every social organization is formed around a specific purpose. The main purpose of social organizations is to fulfill the specific needs of people. If social organizations cannot fulfill the needs of people, their existence becomes meaningless.

2. Interdependence and cooperation of members:-
Social organizations succeed in fulfilling their objectives only through the interdependence and cooperation of the members participating in social organizations. Without the cooperation of the members, the social organization becomes immobile.

3. Consensus:-
The consensus of the members of the social organization creates an environment of cooperation. On the basis of consensus, the members of the social organization play a cooperative role in the pursuit of specific objectives.

4. Means of social control:-
Social organizations act as a means of social control. Every social organization has certain customs and rules. All these customs and rules are applied to the individuals of the society. In this way, social organizations become a means of social control.


5. Specific methods of work:-
Every social organization is run by specific methods of work. All the members of the organization and the common people achieve their objectives through specific methods. It is considered illegal to adopt any method other than the traditional methods of work in the management of the work of social organizations.

6. Number:-
Not all societies have the same number of social organizations; the number of social organizations varies from place to place and time. For example, the number of schools in a populous country like India and the number of schools in small countries like Nauru, Ghana etc. can never be the same.

7. Difference in status:-
There are different types of social organizations in society. But the status of social organizations varies in terms of scope of work, culture, type of work, etc. For example, there is a huge difference in status between the social status of Ramakrishna Mission and the development society of a small area; although both have the same objective.

8. Division of labor:-
All social organizations in the society are not of the same type. Different types of social organizations are formed around different objectives. Due to this, the concept of division of labor among social organizations is clearly evident.

9. Nature:-
The type of work of each social organization determines its nature. For example, the main function of the Red Cross Society is to organize blood donation camps and meet the shortage of blood in the society; that is, the Red Cross Society is a public health and public welfare organization. Again, the main function of schools is to spread literacy, so schools are educational social organizations.

10. Types: -
Social organizations are of two types in nature; namely - formal and informal social organizations. Social organizations that are not created with a general purpose; are created artificially with a specific purpose - are called formal social organizations. For example, schools.
Again, informal social organizations are those with general purposes and are created naturally. For example - friendship, general human relations of one person with another - etc.

11. Universal: -
Social organizations are universal. The existence of social organizations can be observed in every society in the world. Through each social organization, people fulfill their own purposes. Therefore, the presence of social organizations is mandatory in every society.

12. Changing:-
Social organizations are changing in character, nature and functioning. For example, in the last few decades, the character of the marital organization has changed drastically. Also, the teaching and learning system in schools has changed a lot compared to the previous decades.

Finally, it can be said that without the presence of social organizations in the society, the society will become stagnant, the goals and needs of the people will not be fulfilled. Social organizations keep the society moving and play an important role in social evolution.

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