Q.6. What are the main important topics covered in the study of industrial sociology.
Ans. Employer-Employee Relationships: -
Healthy industrial atmosphere depend upon harmonious relationships between the employers and the employees. This requires suitable attention to several factors such as rates of wages, working conditions, behaviour of brureaucracy, security of jobs, provision of housing and scientific method of recruitment etc. All these fall within the scope of industrial sociology.
Industrial Management: -
Success in industry depends upon industrial bureaucracy. Efficiency of industrial bureaucracy depends upon scientific industrial management.
Rationalization: -
With the progress of education among capitalists and employers and the interference by the government, efforts are now being made for more and more rationalization in industries.
General Problems In The Industry: -
By getting the study of industrial sociology we can solve easily the problem occurred in industry such as strikes and lockouts, problems of recruitment, problems of accidents and problems of housing, health, sanitation, education, recreation and social security, etc.
Trained Staff: -
Knowledge of Industrial Sociology can create trained staff to conduct research and training for collecting information about the impact of the various community Development Programmes, Panchayati Raj etc.
Sound Economic Planning: -
The Indian Government has launched five year plans to bring about planned development of industries and so solve many problems like illiteracy, over population, low level of wages, low productivity of agriculture, absence of trained personnel, pressure of taxes, inflation, black money, corruption etc. All these problems are studied by the industrial sociologists. Their suggestions may be valuable in the solution of these problems.
Q.7. Describe the characteristics of a bureaucratic organization.
Ans. A bureaucratic organization displays the following characteristics:
(I) Division of Work: -
There is a high degree of division of work at both the operative and administrative levels. This leads to specialization of work. By this the work has completed in time.
(ii) Hierarchy of Positions: -
There is a hierarchy of authority in the organization. Each lower position is under the control of a higher one. Thus, there is unity of command. The bureaucratic structure is hierarchical in nature. It is like a pyramid in which quantity of authority increases as one moves up the ladder in the organization.
(iii) Rules and Regulations: -
The rules, regulations and procedures are laid down by the top administration. Their benefits are as under:
(a) They standardize operations and decisions.
(b) They serve as receptacles of past learning.
(c) They ensure equality of treatment to everybody.
(iv) Impersonal Conduct: -
There is impersonality of relationships among the organisational members. The decisions are entirely guided by rules and regulations and are totally impersonal. There is no room for emotions and sentiments in this type of structure. The essence of bureaucracy is total depersonalisation. It is very necessary to go up.
(v) Staffing: -
The personnel are employed by a contractual relationship between the employee and employer. The tenure of service is governed by the rules and regulations of the organisation. The employees get a salary every month which is based on the job they handle and also the length of service. Some times they get promotions for his good performance.
(vi) Technical Competence: -
The bureaucrats are neither elected nor inherited but they are appointed through selection and the basis of selection is their technical competence. Promotions in bureaucracies are also based on technical qualifications and performance.
(vii) Official Records: -
The administration of a bureaucratic organisation is supported by an efficient system of record-keeping. The decisions and activities of the organisation are formally recorded and preserved safely for future reference. This is made possible by extensive filing system. Written documentation and formal filing root out the possibility of loopholes in the oral communication among the organisational members. The official records are considered as the encyclopaedia of various activities performed by the organisation. The filing system makes the organisation independent of individuals. The official records serve as the memory of the organisation.
