Meaning Nature and Scope of Industrial Sociology

INTRODUCTION
Industrial Sociology, also known as 'the study of work organisations a term which came into use in the middle of twentieth century owing to the
famous experiments conducted by George Elton Mayo and his associates during late twenties and early thirties at Hawthorne Works in
Chicago. It is the application of sociological approach to the reality and problems of industry. The importance attached to the subject can be
gauged to the fact that India as an example has committed to the industrial development as a necessary means to solve its economic and social
problems. This paper attempts to examine what Sociology of industry is, its evolution, nature and scope, its current trends as well as its
relevance to our contemporary society. But for proper understanding of the paper and for us to dig into the foundation of the subject matter, it is
expedient to understand the key terms: industry and sociology.

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?
The social science dealing with the origin, evolution and development of human society and its organization, institution and dynamics,
is known as Sociology. Coming together to live in a group is the compulsion of human, not her/his choice but s/he cannot live in isolation. The
long journey of evolution of human beings made them develop the group living ways and this was how society formation took
place. Thus, the study dealing with requirements of people living in group led to development of Sociology. That is why human being is popularly
known as social animal. Behaviour of a person ought to be different when living in group as individual behaviour should not disturb others.
Then need of norms, rules and laws would then be felt.
WHAT IS INDUSTRY?
Simply put, Industry" is the branch of economic activity concerned with manufacturing goods - whether finished products or 'semi-products'
(products that go into other products) - from raw materials with the help of labour and technology. Having considered what sociology and industry
are, we can now examine what sociology of industry mean as postulated by different scholars.
HOW DIFFERENT SOCIOLOGISTS DEFINED INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY?
Industrial Sociology is concerned with industry as a social system, including those factors (technical, economic, political) which affect the structure,
the functions and the changes in that system. Industrial Sociology is a substantive area of general sociology which might more accurately be termed
the sociology of work organisations or sociology of economy. The adjective industrial implies the application of Sociological theories
and methods in one segment of society, i.e., the one concerned with the economic function of producing and distributing the goods and services
which society requires. Industrial Sociologists center their interests upon the social organisations of the workplace, including the pattern of
interaction among people who are responding to one another in terms of their roles in work organisations or whose behaviour is being affected by
those roles. Industrial Sociology is concerned with how the economic subsystem is related to other sub-systems, how the sub-system is structured in
terms of particular work organisation and roles and how persons fit into these roles.

EVOLUTION OF SOCIOLOGY OF INDUSTRY

Investigations of topics that would eventually be labeled industrial sociology began in the early part of the twentieth century. In-depth studies of
occupations such as Teachers, salespeople, physicians, waitresses, and ministers were conducted in the1920s at the University of
Chicago. However, the sub discipline of industrial sociology is generally considered to have begun with the famous Western Electric research
program conducted at the Hawthorne Works in Chicago. These studies, conducted during much of the Great Depression, were designed to
understand the factors involved in worker productivity. When the studies ended, the researchers claimed to have determined that the social
environment, the work group of the worker and the way workers were treated by management had a powerful effect on worker performance.
Although disagreement now exists about whether their results actually support their claims, there is little doubt that their conclusions captured the
imagination of social scientists interested in worker productivity and culminated in substantial research projects dealing with work, workers,
and the workplace. That research activity eventually became known as industrial sociology and represented, for a time, one of the most vibrant
sociology sub disciplines. For examples of the research being conducted during this time, Guest provides an example of the importance of this
research when he describes the results of one of his projects. In 1948, he and his team launched a two-phase project on a community whose
U.S. Steel plant was to be shut down. The first phase was to be a study of the plant and the community before the shutdown and the second
was to be a study of the community after the shutdown. After the first phase was completed, the results were published in the book
Steeltown. A year later, he contacted the head of public relations for U.S. Steel and asked why the mill had not yet closed. The director was
surprised that Guest had not heard what had happened. Apparently, the head of engineering for U.S. Steel had read the report,
realized the importance of the skill in the mills workforce, and convinced top management to upgrade the mill to keep it in
operation. The director concluded by saying, You wont have a ghost town to study, but Im sure that if you went back for a visit the
Chamber of Commerce would parade you down Main Street as heroes.

NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY OF INDUSTRY

It is an economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories. Industry also means hard work.
That is why it is usually said that To shine your personality enter into industry. The need of industrial sociology, its development and put it on
solid foundation is felt by man on the path of progress of mankind. After India got freedom, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of
independent India, gave name to industries, Temples of Modern India. From the dawn of civilization man has been making rules of behavior so that human activities
may be bound into the formation of society. Manmade laws differ from those which are natural and universal, for instance, the rule that human being smust grow and
mature.

Industrial Sociology deals more with soft skills of man. It plays vital role in building nation as it helps in increasing the production and thus helps in
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rising. More so with quality as competition can be faced. Today, there is noticeable increase of interest in quality,
on the part of both industry and society. There are several reasons for the greater interest in quality higher demands for quality from
customers, greater competition, demands for better profitability and legislation on product liability. Good results cannot be achieved through work
on a single department in the enterprise. It is necessary for all those functions which come into contact with the product during its development,
manufacture and use, to cooperate in this work. This means that quality must be considered and controlled by all these functions: market research,
product development, manufacturing engineering, purchasing, production, inspection, marketing and after-sales service. It is also necessary to
coordinate the work of these functions on quality that the enterprise should have a wide approach to quality. Our lives are dependent in many ways
on industrial products; shelter, nutrition, communications, healthcare, work, recreation and national security. One basic aspect of products of this
type, goods or services, is that they must be fit to use. Failure in use may lead to injury, discomfort, death or economic loss. Since all these functions
are created by men in manufacture of any product, those involved form a group and thus society is formed. The periphery of this society is also
affected or for that matter they may come from general public and thus role of corporate comes into play. This is popularly known as Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR).

SCOPE OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY

Industrial sociology is an applied discipline. It is concerned with the study of human relations as they grow and operate in the field of industries. It
deals with the sociological concepts that have relevance to industry. It concentrates upon the social organisations of the work place or industry. It
studies the patterns of interaction between people in terms of their roles in industrial organisations. Industrial organisations are also studied by other
disciplines such as- industrial management, industrial engineering, industrial psychology and economics. But they study the phenomena of industry
in different ways. Their studies sometimes may overlap. Industrial engineering deals with the design of products and equipments. Industrial
management is more an art than a science. Industrial psychology studiesthe selection of personnel, job satisfaction, motivation and incentive to
work, team spirit, accident proneness and such other personal matters and behavioural problems. Economics concentrates on such matters as-prices,
wages, profits, full employment, finance, monopoly, marketing, taxation, etc. But none of these sciences focuses its attention on the social or human
aspects of industrial organisations. This task is done only by industrial sociology. Industrial sociology studies industrial organisation not as a
technological or economic organisation, but more than that, as a social or human organisation. It stresses upon the social or interactional factors in
industrial relations, formal and informal organisation, team work, communication etc. When interaction among two or more persons is affected by
the fact that one of them is a doctor, a teacher, a plumber, a factory worker, a stenographer, a boss, an employee, a union leader, or an unemployed
person, we have before us the raw material of industrial sociology.
The industrial sociology deals with the total organisation of the workplace. It also deals with three different organisations which may be
conceived of as distinguishable but interrelated: namely, (a) management organisation, (b) informal organisation of workers, and (c) union
organisation.(a) Management organisation refers to the relations between management and the workers. It also includes policies, programmesstructure and the functioning of the management. Its main emphasis is on the formal relations developed by the workers with the
management.(b) Informal organisation of workers consists of informal relations developed voluntarily by the workers themselves. Such
relations are established by the individuals and small groups within the factory or industry. Such organisations assume the forms of cliques,
gangs, friendship groups, bands etc. These organisations develop their own informal norms to control the activities of the members.(c) Union
organisation refers to the role of trade unions and the participation or involvement of workers in union activities. Trade unions are playing a vital
role in creating industrial unrest and maintaining industrial peace. They also control the formal and informal relations of the workers. These
three organisations of the industry are affected by the physical conditions of the work place, fashions in management thinking,
governmental and other social control, the personalities of employees and their experiences in playing roles in other organisations.

SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Symbolic Interactionism
The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic interactionism, directs sociologists to consider the symbols and
details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other. Although symbolic interactionism traces its origins to
Max Weber's assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George
H. Mead (18631931) introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s.According to the symbolic interactionist perspective,
people attach meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations, in
which spoken words serve as the pre dominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation especially evident. The words have a certain
meaning for the sender, and, during effective communication, they hopefully have the same meaning for the receiver. In other
terms, words are not static things; they require intention and interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who
constantly interpret the world around them. Of course, anything can serve as a symbol as long as it refers to something beyond itself. Written music
serves as an example. The black dots and lines become more than mere marks on the page; they refer to notes organized in such a way as to make
musical sense. Thus, symbolic interactionists give serious thought to how people act, and then seek to determine what meanings individuals
assign to their own actions and symbols, as well as to those of others. Much faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of
the same events and symbols. Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social interpretation the big picture. In other
words, symbolic interactionist may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the trees rather than the forest. The perspective
also receives criticism for slighting the influence of social forces and institutions on individual interactions.

The Functionalist perspective

According to the functionalist perspective, also called functionalism, each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to society's
functioning as a whole. The government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state
depends to keep itself running. That is, the family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and
support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. If all goes well, the
parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If all does not go well, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order. For
example, during a financial recession with its high rates of unemployment and inflation, social programs are trimmed or cut. Schools offer fewer
programs. Families tighten their budgets. Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus, or cohesion, in which members of
the society agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a whole. Emile Durkheim suggested that social consensus takes one
of two forms:
Mechanical solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when people in a society maintain similar values and beliefs and engages in similar
types of work. Mechanical solidarity most commonly occurs in traditional, simple societies such as those in which everyone herds cattle or farms.
Amish society exemplifies mechanical solidarity.
In contrast, organic solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when the people in a society are interdependent, but hold to varying values
and beliefs and engage in varying types of work. Organic solidarity most commonly occurs in industrialized, complex societies.
A sociological approach in functionalism is the consideration of the relationship between the functions of smaller parts and the functions of the
whole.
Critics claim that the perspective justifies the status quo, inequality and complacency on the part of society's members. Functionalism does not
encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them.

The conflict perspective

The conflict perspective, which originated primarily out of Karl Marx's writings on class struggles, presents society in a different light
than do the functionalist and symbolic interactionist perspectives. While these latter perspectives focus on the positive aspects of society that
contribute to its stability, the conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists
who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo,
encourage social change (even when this means social revolution), and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the
weak. Conflict theorists, for example, may interpret an elite board of regents raising tuition to pay for esoteric new programs that raise the
prestige of a local college as self-serving rather than as beneficial for students. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any
groups in which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal
groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups
forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society.

FUNCTIONS OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY:

1. It selects and study industrial social element.
2. It explains and analyze the nature of organizational behavior.
3. Invention theory relating to formal and informal behavior of personnel.
4. It explains the impact of industry on society and society on industry.
5. It helps in making organizational policy.
6. It links the different system of society

IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY

Industrial Sociology has acquired significance in progressive society where industrial revolution played great role which was necessitated to cater
the growing demands of ever increasing population. Following benefits increase the significance of Industrial Sociology:
1. Its use of Scientific Methods. Industrial Sociology acquires great significance in view of scientific methods adopted to study. To understand it
by establishing cause-effect relationship, scientific knowledge helps. All round progress of mankind depends upon moving up the ladder of
hierarchy of needs as proposed by Maslow. Industrial development in any nation became a key factor in deciding the progress of that nation. As
science helped in industrial development, the systematic knowledge acquired using scientific methods human behaviour became very handy.
Thus industrial sociology as a subject of study gained currency. Various institutions dealing with industrial society, its social control, social
dynamics, social change, problems and their remedies came up and thereby widened the scope of industrial sociology. It would not be exaggeration
to say that without knowledge of industrial sociology industrial progress could not have been achieved.
2. It helps in understanding the Social Aspect of Industry. The orderly movement of things based on certain rules takes any work to
logical conclusion. That is the importance of science and that is why it is called specialised knowledge. To gauge the development of any nation,
the position of its industries plays a great role. The contribution of industries to the well-being of citizens of its country and humanity at large has

become now predominant in the index of development of any nation. That is why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a buzzword
in developing country like India. Industrial Sociology has added new dimension to the knowledge of humanity. The workmen, who do work
execute the design that is taken from drawing board to floor, are vital link between theory and practice. So called labour class, workmen are to be
trained, taught and toughened so that they become finest craftsmen. The social strata, importance of roles and problems of workmen are to be
addressed in such a way that there ever remain cordial industrial relations and industrial peace should bring development in industries.
3. It brings solutions from Industrial Society to the Problems of Industry Based on knowledge and experience people are employed in industries
leading to formation of various layers taking care of different job roles and responsibilities. Industrial Revolution gave birth to industries which were
organised to achieve its objectives. Job roles decided expertise, division of labour and degree of responsibility and thus created vertical and
horizontal set up in the organisation. Occupation hazards are associated with industries which require matching counter balance in the form of
money, perks, glamour and other welfare measures. As workmen, supervisors, executives, policymakers are associated with any industry, a stratum
is formed which gives feeling of differentiation, status-consciousness, inferiority-superiority complex etc.
4. It helps Industrial Relations. Industrial relations play vital role in development of industries in any country. The management policies, its
objective, long-term and short-term goals decide its working environment. In-short, we can say the mission and vision of any company in theory
and practice speak about the company. The relationship between workman and management has to be harmonious for industrial rest and once
that is there, industrial progress is bound to happen. Production has to multiply. The production coupled with quality is the need for growth of any
industry. Industrial Sociology helps in achievement of this objective. Important factors playing great roles in good industrial relation are rates of
wages, working conditions, welfare measures, recruitment policy, job-security etc. Welfare measures are widely covered under the heading of
food, cloth and house. Industrial Sociology is gaining importance due to its role played in taking care of all these discussed matters. Mutual trust,
sense of belonging, feeling of ownership, team spirit are knitting social industrial fabric which ultimately result into higher quality production and
give sustenance and thus growth is achieved. Initial steps of ladder of hierarchy of needs of Maslow viz. food, safety and security are very
important to be given top-most priority to make workmen take their duty seriously.
5. Division of Labour. Every one cannot do everything. In India, caste system worked well earlier. In fact, people were easily adopting family
profession. However, with good progress in education people started coming out of family. The sharpening of mind, learning skills of others
profession and zeal and zest make people go for the occupation which make them happy. Like the wise saying, Doing what you like is freedom,
liking what you do is happiness. Thus caste system, which earlier caused impediment in economic progress, is losing its effect. Not by design
but by default, industrial progress caused mingling particularly in industrial society. Thus caste-system is being eliminated and division of labour
is made based on certain other factors viz. innate ability, training, choice etc. Now, scientific division of labour in industry demands good
knowledge as per profession. Here, role of industrial sociology comes to play.
6. Economic Planning. For example in India after they had gained freedom, the progress of nation was to be carried out on solid foundations
and thus it adopted Five-Year Plan growth approach. Industrial growth was aimed in five-year plan to solve many problems arisen mainly out of
poverty. Illiteracy, low level of wages, corruption, lack of trained people and professional approach are some of the problems which require
intervention of industrial sociologists.
7. Industrial Automation. Industrial revolution came with onset of mechanisation. The increased requirements of people necessitated invention of
steam engine to mechanize processes such as cloth weaving in England. More automation means less manual work and in turn less
employment. It gave more profits to industrialists and so more automation was opposed by workmens unions. Here role of industrial
sociologist brings solution to the dispute.
8. Industrial Management. Industrial management requires scientific approach to take care of turnover, sustenance of activity, quality and
other variable factors. Human approach is given in industrial management where all elements of production are most efficiently employed
without any exploitation.
9. Integration of Family. The unit of any society is family which requires special attention. Any disturbance caused due to any
social evil such as alcoholism, insufficient housing, bad recreation, uncontrolled media, and print as well as electronic would disorganize
industrial society in particular. Disintegration of family is bound to happen. Industrial Sociology gives insight leading to solutions of many
problems arises out of progress in industries. Finally industrial sociology plays a vital role in contributing to planned industrial growth.

TRENDS IN SOCIOLOGY OF INDUSTRY

Essay on Industrial Sociology The Industrial Revolution that took place in England in the 18th century changed the course of human history. The
Revolution, though essentially took place in the economic field, its effects were never confined to the economic field alone. It brought down the cost
of production, improved quality and maximised output. More than that, it changed the pattern of human relations. It eased human life, and provided
more comforts and luxuries to man. At the same time, it altered human outlook and attitudes. It brought about radical changes in the very structure
of the society. Industrial revolution, in course of time resulted in the continuous process of industrialization is a phenomenon of world significance
today. Development in the field of science and technology further added to the volume and speed of the process. Agricultural economy turned
into industrial economy. Industrial area developed into towns and cities. The process of urbanisation began. People from rural areas started flocking
towards cities. Capitalist economy was born. Social classes with class-hatreds emerged. Social institutions and values underwent changes. New
problems and new fears and new anxieties were invariably the results of it. The very face of the society changed. These developments

necessitated the birth of a new branch of sociology called Industrial Sociology which essentially deals with the industrial society with all its
complexities. During the 1960s, industrial sociology began to splinter. As sociologists recognized the potential value of the information available
from a study of the workplace, they carved out specialty areas of study. Some began to study industrial organizations instead of the workers within
those organizations; others focused on nonindustrial organizations (e.g., government, education, and welfare organizations); still others focused on
the characteristics of the labor force (e.g., the unequal distribution of wages among various occupations). At the same time, others chose to leave
sociology and to affiliate with business schools. Miller (1984) argues that industrial sociology research began to spread outside of sociology when
business schools abandoned their trade school image in the late 1950s and created new sociology-based courses with labels such as Business and
Society, Personnel and Organizational Behavior, Management and Labor Relations, and Dynamics of the Labor Force. Through the appointment
of sociologists to academic positions in business schools, sociological expertise was transferred to other disciplines (Miller 1984). This splintering is
at least partially responsible for the current status of industrial sociology as a very important but underappreciated sub discipline within sociology.
Social scientists have investigated and described numerous exceptionally important industrial sociology topics. Among the more important are
those pertaining to changes in society due to industrialization and to changes in the design and operation of industrial organizations.

Societal Changes
Convergence versus Divergence
Perhaps the most important of the topics that industrial sociologists have investigated pertain to the consequences of the industrial process. What
happens to a society as it industrializes? Two opposing theories have been described. The divergence theory of industrialization suggests that
although the industrialization process changes the production system of a society, the culture of a society is so strong and durable that the
industrialization process has minimal, if any, effect on it. In contrast, the convergence theory of industrialization argues that the industrialization
process is so strong it substantially transforms any society that is industrializing. Substantial research supports the convergence theory. For a time,
it appeared that Japanese workers might be exceptional and provide support for the divergence theory. However, formal investigations support
the conclusion that Japan is not an exceptional case. In brief, organizational sociology studies the generic characteristics of organizations as well as
the differentiating features of various subtypes of organizations, classified according to their functional nature. Industrial sociology can be fruitfully
conceived of as the study of economic organizations, and thus fitted into the general theoretical model of the study of organizations. It seems
useful to codify the findings of organizational studies on four levels: the organization as a social unit; its relations to other social units; its relations
to personality and to culture; and (less extensively studied so far) the ecology of organizations. Whether this somewhat abstract classification of
organizations and of levels and dimensions of study will be of help to industrial sociology, or even, as would be preferable, to the sociology of
economic organizations, will be determined only by further research.