Sociology as a Social Science Uses Critical Analysis

Sociology, as a social science, employs critical analysis and empirical investigation methods in its approach to probing questions arising from social concerns. An organization is a social unit explicitly structured to carry out and pursue specific tasks. Therefore as an organizational leader, a sociological perspective has helped me to better understand social relationships, behavior, activities, and changes in an interconnected world (Perspective, 2020). Moreover, it has enabled me to observe and better comprehend both familiar and unfamiliar social occurrences. In this study, we focus on the sociological viewpoint on human behavior, how theoretical paradigms of sociology can inform leadership, and their importance for understanding the global, diverse, and interconnected world we operate in today.

Human behavior is shaped by individuals living within society. Interactions within these groups are vital to understanding who we are as individuals and why we behave as we do. This suggests that our behaviors are predominantly self-initiated and that we can change the prevailing social patterns of behavior if we choose to do so. It also helps us to appreciate perspectives different from our own and the origins of these viewpoints.

The sociological imagination also enables us to think and perceive beyond our limited experiences, from mere considerations concerning our families, friends, and colleagues, to connecting ourselves to broader patterns of social thought.

Theoretical paradigms of sociology provide a conceptual framework within which society is guided into sociological imagination and research (‘SOCIOLOGY: Theoretical Paradigms’, 2020). They also inform leadership about how to approach social concerns and issues in dimensions that acknowledge a society as a stable, changing, conflicted, and interacting system.

The evolutionary theory outlines the stages and phases of a society’s developmental cycle, from simplicity to complexity as a result of patterns of change. This understanding helps comprehend societal development and growth and the adaptive strategies required to sustain it.

A structural-functional paradigm views society as a complex system made up of integrated parts. These parts function in unison to promote the stability and cohesion of an organization. Groups in society need to work harmoniously and orderly to promote social ethics. This outlook illustrates how societies are formed and directed by social structures.

The social-conflict paradigm envisions society as a realm of conflict, generated from inequality and the struggle for power and wealth. This perspective informs leadership that conflicts are inevitable in an organization. It underscores the importance of understanding conflict as a historical continuity and therefore, the need for readiness to deal with conflicts as they arise.

Research findings indicate various global social issues significantly affecting us today. These include pollution, violence, lack of education, unemployment, government corruption, terrorism, and climatic changes that affect food security, among others (Project, 2020).

The issues mentioned above are critical for understanding the global, diverse, and interconnected world we inhabit today. Such understanding aids us in living in a diverse world and making sense of different social factors that affect our everyday experiences. It is also significant in understanding the functionality of the real world and identifying its flaws. The sociological imagination is, therefore, of great essence concerning the interconnected world and the development of an organizational leader.

References

1. Perspective, S. (2020). Sociological Perspective | SUNY Geneseo. Retrieved 15 February 2020, from https://www.geneseo.edu/sociology/about
2. The project, B. (2020). Top 10 Most Important Current Global Issues – The Borgen Project. Retrieved 15 February 2020, from https://borgenproject.org/top-10-current-global-issues/
3. Sociology. (2020). Retrieved 15 February 2020, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology
4. SOCIOLOGY: Theoretical Paradigms. (2020). Retrieved 15 February 2020, from https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/Czaricapusoo4/sociology-theoretical-paradigms

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