Social organization

The term “organization” may be considered as a system, state and process. A social organization is set up by individuals so that they can obtain a certain goal.

There are two mechanisms to form organizations. More often they emerge when achieving common or shared goals is considered possible only through achieving individual goals; then labour organizations such as enterprises and establishments are set up. When achieving individual goals is possible through achieving shared goals, various public organizations, or associations emerge. In turn, achieving a shared goal entails a necessity in hierarchy and governing.

A social organization is characterized by a number of social qualities, or features:

- a purpose-driven nature of the organization: any organization is set up to achieve a certain purpose, to unite its members’ activities and regulate them in the name of the given purpose. In its turn, organization’s activities suggest its performing of definite functions;

- hierarchical structure of the organization: its members are ranked on the hierarchical ladder according to their social statuses and roles, for instance, as leaders and subordinates. It means that a person who interacts with other members of the organization can realize his needs or interests within the limits established by his social status and norms and values of this very organization;

- governance: activities of any organization must be governed. Governance is caused by division of labour. Organizations have a vertical and horizontal structure. In the vertical structure there are two subsystems: the one governs, the other is governed. The governing system coordinates functioning of the horizontal structures through the mechanisms of regulation and control of their activities. Vertical structuring of the organization ensures achieving of the shared goals, gives efficiency and stability to its functioning.

Any organization has its structure. Organizational structure is the way in which the interrelated groups of the organization are constructed. The main concerns are effective communication and coordination.

According to their purpose all social organizations can be classified as economic, political, educational, medical etc. Each of them prioritizes its own purpose, for example, economic organizations strive for maximum profits, cultural ones – for achieving aesthetic goals, whereas getting maximum profits is their secondary goal, educational ones – for a contemporary level of knowledge whereas striving for profits is a secondary goal for them, too.

The given principle is also used to classify organizations into for-profit and nonprofit ones.

Social organizations can also be differentiated on the basis of a branch of their activities, level of independence in making decisions and management science.

Another important classification with the focus on the character of interactions and relations existing in the organization identifies formal and informal organizations. Formal organizations are large secondary groups that are legally registered and rationally designed to achieve specific objectives. Informal organizations are secondary groups which for their minority or any other reason are not legally registered.

A social organization has its name, charter (a programme of activities), area of activities, work procedures, personnel. Examples of organization as legal entity are government, corporation, non-governmental organization, armed forces, partnership, charity, cooperative, university.

2. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following:

Целенаправленный характер; ради поставленной цели; осуществлять потребности; взаимосвязанные группы; вторичная цель; современный уровень знаний; стремиться к максимальной прибыли; по причине незначительности; юридическое лицо.

3. Do you think the following statements are true or false? Discuss your answers in pairs.

1) Associations are set up when common goals are possible to achieve through achieving individual goals. 2) The vertical structure regulates and controls the activities of the organization. 3) Organizational structure is the way in which different aspects of human behaviour are related to one another. 4) Cultural organizations usually strive for maximum profits.

4. Match the two halves of the sentences.

1) A social organization is set up by individuals so that …

2) Achieving a shared goal comprises …

3) An organization’s members are ranked …

4) Governance is caused by …

5) The governing system coordinates functioning of the horizontal structures …

6) All social organizations prioritize …

7) Social organizations are classified as formal and informal according to …

8) Formal organizations are …

a … the character of interactions and relations.

b … their own purposes.

c … through the mechanisms of regulation and control.

d … division of labour.

e … they can obtain a certain goal.

f… according to their social statuses and roles.

g … achieving individual goals.

h … legally registered and rationally designed.

5. Define the following key terms from the text.

Organizational structure, formal organization, informal organization

developing vocabulary

1. Match the words with the dictionary definitions that follow.

1) hierarchy	4) ladder	7) rank	10) strive	13) goal
2) authority	5) personnel	8) subordinate	11) emerge	14) ensure
3) charity	6) prioritize	9) accomplish	12) cause	15) prerequisite

a) kindness or sympathy that you show toward other people;

b) a system of organization in which people or things are divided into levels of importance;

c) a series of activities or jobs you have to do in order to gradually become more powerful or important;

d) the power you have because of your official position or because people respect your knowledge and experience;

e) the people who work in a company, organization;

f) to make something happen, especially something bad;

g) thing that is necessary before something else can happen or be done;

h) to succeed in doing something, especially after trying very hard;

i) to appear or come out from somewhere; to begin to be known or noticed;

j) to make certain that something will happen;

k) something that you hope to achieve in the future;

l) to deal with one job or problem before everything else, because it is the most important;

m) to have a particular position in a list of people or things that are put in order of quality or importance;

n) to make a great effort to achieve something;

o) someone who has a lower position and less authority than someone in an organization.

2. From the right-hand column find the words opposite to the words in the left-hand column.

1. to acquire 2. to accomplish 3. to cause 4. similar 5. necessary 6. accident 7. efficient 8. contribute 9. paradox 10. to attack 11. chaos 12. certain 13. shared 14. activity 15. realize 16. division 17.stability 18.profit 19. rational 20. specific 21. major

a. casual b. aggregate c. loss d. minor e. precision f. unity g. to fail h. to lose i. weak j. ridiculous k. fluctuation l. order m. to withdraw n. to result o. general p. inertia q. certainty r. vague s. diverse t. to miss u. to defend

2. Group the following words into eight groups of synonyms:

contemporary emerge control arise strive struggle group acquire appear ensure regulation achieve try purpose obtain goal rank range modern gain assure governance fight aim position guarantee class up-to-date objective attain

3. Replace the words in italics by those from your active vocabulary.

1. Heavy traffic brings about long delays. 2. Development of parkland is a major importance for the voters in this area. 3. The café’s décor is clean and up-to-date. 4. Marlena Fischer appeared as a top fundraiser for the charity. 5. The new law will guarantee their safety.

4. Complete the sentences with the appropriate words:

personnel acquire hierarchy ranks ladder seek

1) The caste system categorized Hindus into a social …. 2) Stevens worked his way to the top of the corporate … . 3) All … must attend the meeting. 4) Sandoz … as one of the ten largest drug companies in the world. 5) Do you think the President will … re-election? 6) Weisner is hoping to … funding for a follow-up study of the children.

discovering language

Word-building

1. a) Translate the following sentences from the text. What meaning do the prefixes in the italicized words have?

1) All societies must accomplish certain functional prerequisites. 2) The interrelated groups of the organization are constructed in the organizational structure. 3) Informal organizations for some reasons are not legally registered.

b) Can you find any other words with these prefixes in the text?

2. Study the meanings of the prefixes.

inter - between or among a group of things or people.

pre- 1) before a particular event or period of time;

2) done before something or in order to prepare for something.

in- 1) the opposite or the lack of something;

(il- before l; ir- before r; 2) in or into something; im- before b, m, p)

1. Identify the words with prefixes and translate them into Russian.

Intermediate, interact, interview, intervention, internal, interpret, interrupt, preamble, precede, precondition, precooked, precolonial, predictable, preserve, precious, important, illimitable, illiteracy, illustrate, illusion, imagine, immediate, immobile, immaterial, immigrant, income, incompetent, incorporate, incorrect, independent, indoor, industry, ironic, irritate, irresolute, irregular,

3. Derive suitable words from the words in brackets using the proper prefixes.

1) The driver met us at the (arranged) time. 2) There’s a lot of wonderful (play) between the writer and his characters. 3) The Earth and its various parts should be studied as one complete, (connected) system. 4) The have a nice collection of (owned) cars. 5) The TV turns itself off at a (set) time. 6) (Continental) trade between North and South America has increased. 7) Kim attended a training seminar on (cultural) communication. 8) Immigration is the (dominant) social issue of the day. 9)  His theory is (consistent) with the empiric evidence. 10) The proposed law is poorly written and (flexible). 11) There has long been a trade (balance) between the two countries. 12) She has received (numerable) get-well cards and flowers. 13) English has plenty of (logical) spelling rules. 14) Many fear that peace is now (possible). 15) It’s (legal) to make copies of computer programmes. 16) Computer breakdowns are annoying and (convenient). 17) All natural minerals contain (purities). 18) Every adult pays the same amount of tax, (respective) of income. 19) There was (refutable) evidence of his guilt.

4. Fill in the missing prepositions where it is necessary

1) Women have yet to achieve full equality … the workplace. 2) Mother Teresa gained worldwide attention … her selfless acts of charity. 3) My long-term goal is to make a million dollars … my 40^th birthday. 4) Government employees cannot legally go … strike. 5) The public wants to see the fight … crime prioritized. 6) We will continue to strive … a better standard of living for all. 7) Much of our social interaction and behaviour is influenced and conditioned by the social groups we belong … . 8) We should not forget that people depend on social institutions … stability and guarantees … chaos.

5. a) Study the difference in meaning:

Cause – anything that produces a result, often not a person: the causes of inflation

Reason – explains something, often after it has happened or been done: a reason for attack

Purpose – what you hope to achieve by something you do, and is intentional.

Reason is often followed by for, that or why: the reason that/why he left. It is also possible to leave out that: the reason he left. The nature of a reason is usually described in a that clause: The reason for the party was that it was Sue’s party (not because it was).

Purpose is often followed by of or in: the purpose of my coming/ my purpose in coming.

People usually say: For this reason/purpose (not from/because of this reason…, in/on this purpose…, or for this cause).

b) Insert cause, reason or purpose:

1) Give me one good … . 2) Five investigators believe the fire was set on … . 3) What was the … of the accident? 4) Their … is to attract attention to environmental issues. 5) There are several … why the plant won’t work. 6( The new tax will serve the … of raising money for our schools. 7) For the … of this survey, white did not include Hispanics. 8) Pollution is a major … of the global rise in temperature.

grammar review