Social organisations
• Describe the classification of organisation
• Discuss the general characteristics of a social organisation as applied to the hospital as an organisation of a healthcare institution
Division of labour
Authority
Communication
Formality and rigidity
2. Learning Outcomes
• Define the following concepts
• Social institutions
• Social organizations
• Describe the classification of organization
• Discuss the general characteristics of a social
organization as applied to the hospital as an organization
of a healthcare institution
• Division of labour
• Authority
• Communication
• Formality and rigidity
3. Social Institutions
Page 189
• Humans have basic social needs –
belonging, support for the young etc.
• These different fields of needs have been
classified by Sociologists hence the
concept: social institutions
• Defined: Social Institutions are the major
spheres of social life, organized in such a
way that they fulfill human needs
4. The Five basic Social
Institutions
• 1) The family
• 2) Education
• 3) Religion
• 4) Economics
• 5) Politics
5. Social Institutions: The Family
• The family is the most basic of all
institutions
• It serves the person’s need to belong and to receive and
give love.
• Satisfies the need for care and socialization
• Cornerstone for individuals to function in society
• More than 90% of all people prefer to live within a family
unit
6. Social Institutions:
Economic Institutions
• Enables a society to survive economically.
• Through the provision of services such as
banks.
• Fosters business potential in communities.
• Without the economy, societies would not
be able to trade, import and export goods
etc.
7. Social Institutions:
Social group
• A number
of specific
identifiable
people
Institution
• A system of
organised,
standarised
patterns of
social
behaviour
8. Organization: The Hospital
• Individuals spend their whole lives in
organizations
• School, formal education
• Organizations are structured- roles, positions,
functions, rules and regulations
• Formal organizations- certain activities are
performed by certain people. They get paid to do
so. In accordance to rules and regulations.
• To achieve the organizational
goal/philosophy/mission/vision
9. A classification of organizations
(4 types). See page 190.
Pattern maintenance
• Responsible for the
functions of cultural
transfer and socialization
• Expressive function eg
arts, schools
Adaptive organization
• Orientated towards
economic production
• Eg small and large
business organisations
10. A classification of organizations
Goal Attainment
Organizations
• Concerned with the
attainment of political
goals
• Eg the government of a
country
Integrative
Organizations
• Function is to maintain
social control
• ITC management control
in South Africa
11. General characteristics of
organization
• Division of labor- prescribed tasks/job
descriptions
• Authority
– Traditional: how it is done. Obedience is reinforced
– Rational-legal: lawful. Invoking an existing law.
– Charismatic: obedience to a person rather
than impersonal legal system
– Line: vertical ranking of staff members
– Staff: specialized knowledge to support line
function.
14. General characteristics of
organization. Continued…
• Formality and rigidity- activities, meetings
• Activities must take place according to
certain rules.
• Bureaucratic structure of a hospital
requires every rule to the letter being
followed.
• Not always possible.
• Sometimes necessary to bend rules to
benefit the patient.
15. Characteristics of
Social Institutions
The comb like
structure of
the
Hospital
as
organization
Nursing Department
Medical Department
Deputy Director:
Nursing Services
Chief Medical Officer
Hospital Manager
Chief Executive OfficerChief Executive Officer
16. References
• Du Toit, D.A. & Van Staden S.J. (2009).
Nursing Sociology. 4th Edition. Pretoria:
Van Schaik