Definition of Social Instiutions

“Social institutions are organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered on basic social needs, such as replacing personnel and preserving order” (Schaffer, 2009, p.113). Since the primary focus of sociology is the study of social behavior and human groups analyzing social institutions provides sociologists further insight into the structure of a particular society.

Three Theoretical Perspectives

The three basic theoretical perspectives in sociology has it’s own ideal on the development and purpose of social institutions. For the most part social institutions serve as social structures in a society, which is ultimately a product of human construction (Newman, 2008). As our conscious awareness continues to expand we can see how everything once held separately is slowly coming together to form a unified whole, meaning that everything is interconnected and related either subtly or directly therefore addressing the roles of institutions will allow us to enhance our understanding of their impact in business development.

From the fundamentalist perspective social institutions must strive to fulfill certain functions in order to progress and become sustainable these include replacing personnel, teaching new recruits, producing and distributing goods and services, preserving order and providing and maintaining a sense of purpose. This perspective supports the basis on which formal organizations such as business corporations must operate in order to become successful.