The Social System

Parsons developed again his social theory in the book Toward A General Theory of
Action about the role of each actor in a larger system of individual self, that is aware of
the subjective orientations are different from each other. Parsons divided it into two
subjective orientation, the orientation of values (refer to the normative standards that
control the individual choices and priorities in relation to the different needs and goals)
and motivational orientation (refer to the individual's desire to increase satisfaction and
reduce disappointment).[3]
Both orientations are respectively classified in 3 dimensions. On motivation
orientation, there is Cognitive Dimension (how the actor knows the situation), Cathectic
(affective reactions/emotional of actor), evaluative (judgments actor to choose between
the cognitive or cathectic). On the dimension of value orientation, there is Cognitive
(providing standards the validity/received at least one interpretation of the situation),
appreciative (providing standards of validity/received at least one interpretation of
affective involvement), moral (providing the abstract standards of one's actions and
their implications to the system).[4] Through these orientations of each individual to
socialize with other individuals and establish a social system.[5]
In social systems, Parsons describes the main features of relations in the process of
interaction with the form of five pairs, each consisting of two conflicting alternatives.
The five couples are 1) affectivity-affectivity neutrality, the system that determines
when and where people in situations are allowed to follow their spontaneous feelings
and if needs that feeling is pressed, 2) self-orientation-collectivity orientation, the actor
have to choose between a private or public interests, but this is different from
selfishness; 3) Universalism-particularism, concerns about whether a person should act
on the basis of general principles or of relations specifically to suit the expectations of
many and standards that they become the view of many people; 4) ascription-
achievement, the assessment of a person by who they are or what they do. And maybe,
Is he respected because of their status, position, or because of his talent; 5) diffuseness-
specificity, the situation of interaction where people who interact to direct themselves to
the specific nature of the relationship and there is also a direct interaction with no limits
direction of their relationship. Through the principal characteristics of this relation can
be concluded that the social system determines what some one to do in his role within
the social framework.
After forming the system theory of action in such a way, Parsons constructing
three analytical systems, namely: the social system - the framework of the interactive
relationships between actors are largely determined by social roles, Personality System -
someone who aims to gain traction through a built-in biological, Cultural System -
aspects actions that organize characteristic of a variety of symbols and form a pattern of
meaning as a form of basic systems, beliefs and ideas. Through the social system,
Parsons maked the pattern variable to give an explanation about the operation of social
systems. In Cuffs models, Variable A - Gemeinschaft is Agrarian Society, namely:
affectivity, collectivity orientation, particularism, ascription, and diffuseness, and
Variable B Gesellschaft is Industrial Society, namely: affectivity neutrality, self-
orientation, universalism, and achievement.

Parson's Social System (Structural Functionalists)

Talcott Parsons attempted to develop and perfect a general analytic model suitable
for analyzing all types of collectivities. Unlike the Marxists, who focused on the
occurance of radical change, Parsons explored why societies are stable and
functioning. His model is AGIL, which represents the four basic functions that all
social systems must perform if they are to persist. It was one of the first open
systems theories of organizations.

Adaptation: the problem of acquiring sufficient resources.

Goal Attainment: the problemof settling and implementing goals

Integration: the problem of maintain solidarity or coordination among the subunits
of the system.

Latency: the problem of creating, perserving, and transmitting the system's
distinctive culture and values

He applied this model at the social psychological, structural, and ecological levels. In
terms of the larger society the organizational type that served each function (plus
some examples):

Adapation -- Organizations oriented to economic production -- Business firms

Goal Attanment -- Org's oriented to political goals -- Government agencies, banks

Integration -- Integrative Organizations -- Courts, political parties, social-control
agencies

Latency -- Pattern -maintainence organization -- museums, educational org's,
religious org's.

What is a goal for a specific organization is a function for the larger society. An
organization may expect to get resources and approval based on the importance of
it's function in society. This goal/function system can also be reproduced at the
formal organization level through examination of subunits. While he doesn't insist
that specific subunits will be created, he does imply they will form based on these
four divisions, because the various functional needs are somewhat in conflict.

For example, in informal groups inherent tensions may create the need for a "task
leader" to lead toward to the goal and a "socio-emotional leader" to handle tensions
and motivate people.

Parsons further distinguishes his AGIL typology. For example, in Goal Attainment, he
describes four kinds of decisions:

Policy Decisions -- deciding what goals to pursue and how they will be attained (Gg
subsector)

Allocative Decisions -- allocation of resources and responsibilities among personnel
(Ga subsector)

Coordinative Decisions -- how personnel will be motivated and contributions
coordinated (Gi subsector)

Supporting Values -- values that serve to legitimate and authorize decision-making
rights in system (Gl subsector). (All above from Scott p. 70-71)

Each of the other sectors in AGIL are likewise differentiated.

Parsons specifies that organizations are differentiated from other social systems by
its orientation toward the attainment of a specified goal.

More importantly for later researchers, Parsons distinguishes three major levels of
organizational structure: At the bottom is the technical system, where the actual
product is manufactured (workers, teachers in classrooms, scientists in labs, etc.).
Above this is the managerial system, who mediate between the organization and the
task environment and administer the internal affairs. At the top is the institutional
system, whose function is to relate the organization to the larger society.

While Parson's system is comprehensive, explicit, and applicable at many levels, it
has many problems. It's difficult to operationalize his AGIL variables and subsectors.
It is actually more of a conceptual framework than a utilizable theory with testable
propositions.

Katz and Kahn: Organizational Subsystems

Katz and Kahn (1978) elaborate Parson's system and describe organizations as having
five subsystems:
1. Production : (throughput, transfromation of materials)
2. Supportive: (garner input resources, deal with output, gain legitimacy)
3. Maintenance: (recruitement, socialization, training, preserving the system,
rewards)
4. Adaptive: (sense environmental changes and determine meaning for org, strategy
-- product research, market research, long-range planning, etc.)
5. Managerial: (control, coordinate and direct subsystems, develop policies, -- use
both regulatory mechanisms (feedback) and authority structures decision making
and implementation).

They also see three main functions of the supportive subsystems -- procurement of
materials and resources, disposal and marketing of the product, and
an institutional subsystem (ala Parsons) the garners legitimacy and support from the
environment.

The first who formulated a systematic theory of social systems was Talcott Parsons where it was a part of his AGIL paradigm yet the
social system is only a segment (or a "subsystem") of what Parsons calls action theory;
[1]
however, Vilfredo Pareto had used the
term "social system" earlier but only as a sketch and not as an overall analytical scheme in the sense of Parsons.

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