StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Value of Collective Action in Working - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
This essay "The Value of Collective Action in Working" focuses on collective action which can be defined as actions that seek to improve the conditions of a group in terms of power, status, or others. The term collective action possesses theories in most areas of social sciences…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93.6% of users find it useful
The Value of Collective Action in Working
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Value of Collective Action in Working"

The Value of Collective Action in Working toward Social Change THE VALUE OF COLLECTIVE ACTION IN WORKING TOWARD SOCIAL CHANGE Collective action can be defined as actions that seek to improve the conditions of a group in terms of power, status, or others. The group's representative enacts these. The term collective action possesses theories and formulations in most areas of social sciences, which include; political science, economics, psychology, and sociology (Sandler, 2010). Collective action, in explaining social movements for change, has involved the examination of factors that lead to social integration and those that lead to conflict and deviance.

As a sociology student, collective action has involved the explanation of things that are dissimilar or similar to collective actions in different places and at different times. Collective action theories have been emphatic on how group behavior can be linked to institutions in some sense. Through learning about collective action and how it can be linked to social change, it has been possible to synthesize two questions from the class literature. First, what preconditions exist during the formation of an interest group?

Second, in the formation of an interest group, how can one ensure that the various members contribute to the promotion of social change and the well-being of the group? With regards to the first question, people form groups so as to achieve things that would, otherwise, not be possible by single individuals via their own interests. The pursuit of self-interest, in the classical situation of the prisoner’s dilemma, can lead to inferior outcomes for the players (Hardin, 2012). This logic is also applicable to a large group where a group could be set up to pursue collective action through cooperation to improve their payoff.

In addition, I have also learned that there could be sub-groups that can still benefit were they to provide the full costs aimed at accomplishing the benefits of the group. A good example I have learned of how collective action can bring social change is in companies coming together to lobby for tariffs from their own interests as they create benefits for other companies in their industry (Hardin, 2012). Through this, they bring social change. As a result of my study, I have also come to learn about the China household responsibility reform system of the late 70s.

Farmers initiated local reform and were forced to endure political risks because they were willing to abandon the commune system that they felt was inefficient and were willing to improve their well-being (Hardin, 2012). The local community’s close-knit nature meant that betrayal of the group’s collective action would lead to the individual not being forgiven, and he would live his entire life in misery. This taught me that, through collective action, it is possible to effect social change even under the pressure of recrimination.

Collective action ensures that bystanders do not have the ability to create trouble. The second question’s answer was very enlightening during my studies. Apart from collective action groupings helping in the improvement of individual welfare, other factors contribute to group creation. The by-product theory has been suggestive of the fact that, sometimes, groups can succeed in the realization of their goals simply via the stimulation of behaviors that are grouping-oriented (Hardin, 2012).

For example, the liberation of women's movement benefited from women’s leagues that were created, originally, from social life. The existence of groups gives individuals the convenience of coordination and gathering of power to fight for the rights of their members and effect social change. One issue that I have not yet ascertained is whether the size of the collective action group affects the latency of the group or not. With some suggestions, which increase in the number of individuals leads to some being more reluctant to pay for the group’s common good, I believe that if returns to scale increases, the groups can be led by big players with all gaining from the social change effected by collective action.

My experience in collective action has aided my ability to create social change. I have learned that multiple individuals can benefit from collective action; in addition, it is not plausible that I can undertake social change and solve societal problems alone. The rational choice is that I need to be part of a collective group to take collective action that will share the cost. However, it is essential to ensure that the rational choice of individuals does not give those with more resources a heavier burden when providing public good (Sandler, 2010).

The poorer individuals may have no choice but to opt to be free riders, benefiting sans contributions to the provision. To effect social change, it is important that this underproduction is discouraged and that individuals should carry their own weight. Institutional design is also vital in collective action. The design of the collective group has to be done with the aim of reducing failure from the collaboration (Sandler, 2010). It is only in this way that effective social change from collective action can be done.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/sociology/1473518-social-change
(Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1473518-social-change.
“Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1473518-social-change.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Value of Collective Action in Working

Social Movements and the Development Process

The movement can therefore be defined as processes of collective action that are detached but are sustained across time and different locations.... The notion of movements refers to the process of mobilizing other than a specified set of organizations working towards the achievement of change (Tarrow, 1998).... These movements are additionally greater than their actors as can be identified and indulge in utilizing uncoordinated along with cyclical structures involving collective actions and protests by their populations (Bandana, 2006)....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

Organisation Culture and Change Management

Knowledge can be best explained as the ability to take necessary and effective action, with the identification that ability includes both actual and potential capability.... It signifies that an action is of use when it provides the desired and anticipated results.... Most of the thoughts that are considered normally to form knowledge (Information, Predictability, Facts, Experience, Concepts, Truths, Theories, Intuition, Judgement and Insight) help in adding to form the ability and understanding that are essential to take necessary action, they all can possess knowledge....
14 Pages (3500 words) Assignment

Collective Bargaining

The practices of collective bargaining and unionization are known to emerge at the end of the great depression when people were forced to work in the extremities of inhumane environments.... At the end of the day, each organization has some kind of unions working in order to solve and resolve problems and disagreements with the management respectively.... The following essay "collective Bargaining" concerns the right which employees of the company can use in order to form unions....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

The Learning Organization as a Philosophical Concept

Various organizations and consultants continue to embrace the commercial value of organizational learning.... The paper "The Learning Organization as a Philosophical Concept" states that literature on learning organizations focuses on action orientation and aims at using precise diagnostic techniques that help in the identification and evaluation of quality learning procedures within the company....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Role of Auction Houses

This case study "Role of Auction Houses" to discuss the major role of auction houses such as in the case of Sotheby's, Christie's, and Philips de Pury & Company in relation to the selling of prestigious work-of-arts which can be found in the local and international museums.... .... ... ... Auction houses play a crucial role as a middleman in terms of trading items sold on auction....
12 Pages (3000 words) Case Study

Whether the Types of Collective Bargaining Helped the Industries

"Whether the Types of collective Bargaining Helped the Industries To Develop" paper identifies whether have collective bargaining and trade unions helped employees to enjoy proper wage scale, appropriate working hours, and high job satisfaction.... Collective bargaining can be considered as a significant process of arbitration between a group of employees and employers at making agreements in order to regulate organizational working conditions.... It is true that collective agreements are made by these specific negotiations generally set out working hours, training, wage scales, overtime, participating rights in company or workplace affairs, and health and safety....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Ethics in Theory and in Practice

However, failing to take action against a wrong deed even when committed by another person makes one guilty of the act as well.... By organizing themselves into groups, they are able to take action.... Depending on the nature of the activities and measures that could have been taken to avoid it, the guilt can be individual or collective.... ranscombe and Doosje define collective guilt as an experience that 'stems from the distress that group members experience when they accept that their ingroup is responsible for moral actions that harmed another group' (2004, p....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Pumas Corporate Ethical Value

The paper "Puma's Corporate Ethical value" discusses that the market is becoming highly competitive while retaining effective and efficient employees is becoming difficult.... It is from such background that the paper aims at analyzing the corporate ethical value for PUMA, which uses a basic Code of Ethics for all its workers, customers, and suppliers....
9 Pages (2250 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us