SOC208H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Anomie, Profit Maximization, Predatory Pricing
Document Summary
Position in a structure affects understandings, choices, actions, outcomes. Causal effect of institutional environments and organizational forms on behaviour. Emphasis on cultural goals but lack of available institutional means to achieve goals. Structural and cultural contradictions in capitalism promote crime. Profit maximization and drive for success at any cost. Anomic environment provides strong, constant pressure to deviate. Achieve goals of earnings per share each quarter. Key adaptation is innovation: accept goals but reject means. Emphasis on economic institution other institutions like family, polity, education. Achievement, universalism of money success, individualism, materialism. Larger organizations, organizations growing quickly, organizations with complex ownership structures. Link societal factors, organizational processes, and individual motivation. Institutions are enduring customs, conventions, patterns, that are important and reproduced. Organizational fields are communities of organizations who interact more frequently. Institutional change can change the nature and structure of work in an industry. Changing institutions and logics can create new opportunities for crime by incubating risk in day-to-day activities.
