Economic Sociology Reformulated

A bstract Previous theoretical and empirical research on economic sociology leaves much to be desired in terms of consistently defining the agenda and objectives of the discipline As a result, economic sociology often appears to lack a clearly defined mission and purpose This is epitomized by various failures to establish adequate epistemological relations of the proper realm of economic sociology with those of economics and sociology, and especially with the domain of rational choice theory This failure is compounded by a misplaced distinction between the subject matter of economic sociology and that of sociological economics, or socioeconomics And some recent works in the discipline (including the ambitious Handbook of Economic Sociology ) have not helped to remedy this situation In this paper, we try to address this situation by suggesting some reformulations of the subject matter of economic sociology in relation to those of related disciplines In addition, we attempt to redefine the field of the sociology of the market which is seen as the focal specialty of economic sociology     

Parsonian Economic Sociology

A bstract .   This article focuses on Parsonian economic sociology and its actual or potential bridges and contributions to contemporary economics. These bridges are methodological or epistemological and theoretical or substantive ones. A relevant instance of the methodological bridges is socioeconomic holism, epitomized in the systems approach to economy and society. An important case of the theoretical bridges is sociological institutionalism. The holistic systems approach is a pertinent methodological bridge in that it treats the economy as an integral element of society as a larger system, and consequently treats economics as part of the complex of social sciences. Sociological institutionalism is an important theoretical bridge to (especially institutional) economics by virtue of its emphasis on social institutions and their economic significance. Some other methodological and theoretical bridges of Parsonian economic sociology to contemporary economics are also identified and discussed.     

Max Weber and Economic Sociology

A bstract .   Peukert (2004 ) argues that Weber's work is only of limited relevance to present-day economic sociology because it incorporates "a rather narrow and static understanding of rationality and the economy." This article disputes that claim. It is argued that Weber differentiates between economic and sociological perspectives on the economy through incorporating uncertainty into the latter. Hence Weber's economic sociology develops the distinction between "before" and "after" perspectives on action, incorporates expectations, and defines capital with reference to time and uncertainty. Furthermore, Weber's analysis of formal rationality presupposes uncertainty. Weber's economic sociology thus assumes a dynamic economy, where uncertainty is prevalent, and formal rationality can reduce uncertainty. Peukert's analysis thus (a) fails to consider Weber's differentiation between economic and sociological investigations, and (b) does not engage with Weber's knowledge of Austrian economics.     

The Sociology of Knowledge as a Tool for Research Into the History of Economic Thought

A bstract . Hill and Rouse's formulation of Mannheim's framework for the sociology of knowledge as a means of examining the history of economic thought is rejected although it is held that they render an important service to economics by arguing the need for employment of the sociology of knowledge as a research tool. They have not appropriated Mannheim's categories authentically and they apply them in an overly simplified and undialectical manner. Even Mannheim's authentic formulation of the sociology of knowledge suffered limitations which more recent work enables us to overcome. What is believed to be a superior sociology of knowledge framework for investigating the evolution of economic thought is constructed by joining the Berger-Luckmann model of legitimation with Habermas's philosophical anthropology. Increasingly economists are recognizing that their discipline is in a state of crisis. The crucial issue is how we can better understand the sociological nature of economic thought—its social functioning—to enable us to formulate our own economic theory so as to maximize human welfare.     

Toward an Integrated Theory of Social Stratification

In the discipline of sociology, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber represent “classical” approaches to the study of stratification, from one or another of which most modern theory derives. In economics, Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class represents an under‐utilized alternative to Marxian class analysis. The argument advanced in this article is that a close reading of the introductory chapter to Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class provides a useful framework for productive integration of the diverse traditions of stratification theory and class analysis descending in sociological thought from Marx, Durkheim, and Weber.     

Russian Sociology

A bstract . Russian sociology, while significant before the 1917 revolution and into the mid-1920s, was non-existent for a quarter of a century under Stalin. His death and subsequent political liberalization under Krushchev allowed sociology to re-emerge under the protective wing of economics. Curtailed by a "period of stagnation" during the Brezhnev reign, greater sociological freedom accompanied the Gorbachev glasnost period including access to Western sources and ideas previously "forbidden." Totalitarian history and structure has conditioned Russian sociology ; made it quite applied and wedded to social reform. Tatiana Zaslavskaia provided leadership for sociological endeavors during former Soviet years, and continues to do so. Her orientation and the reactions of her Novosibirsk State University colleagues to the ideas of various Western social theorists provide some insight into the state of contemporary Russian sociology.     

Pareto, Parsons, and the Boundary Between Economics and Sociology

A bstract .   Recent discussions of the separation bUniversity of Bremenetween economics and sociology in the United States highlight the way Talcott Parsons used Vilfredo Pareto's Trattato di Sociologia Generale to propose that economics study logical actions and sociology study nonlogical actions. This article argues instead that in Pareto's treatise: (1) sociology is a synthetic discipline concerned with the study of human society in general; (2) human behavior is nearly always logical from a subjective point of view; and (3) sociology studies both logical and nonlogical behavior judged from an objective viewpoint. Thus, Pareto is an important intellectual ancestor for economic sociology.     

Heterogeneity in Professional Service Firms

Research on professional service firms emphasizes similarities in their organization and management and distinctiveness from other types of organization. In this paper we take a different tack and focus on the differences between professional service firms, that is, on heterogeneity across different professional sectors. We argue that differences between professions on a number of dimensions affect the nature of professionals' work and, in turn, the organization and management of firms across different professional sectors. Drawing on the sociology of professions literature we focus on three key dimensions of knowledge, jurisdictional control and client relationships to compare legal, auditing and engineering consulting firms. We consider how differences in these dimensions across the three professional services sectors impact upon the way firms are organized. We offer a number of propositions explicating how differences in the nature of knowledge, jurisdictional control and client relationships have implications for organizational form, team-working and pricing systems.     

Economic Sociology in Retrospect and Prospect

A bstract Theory and research in the field of economic sociology have seen steady advancements in recent years. Economic sociology has become a legitimate branch of sociology as well as of economics. Nonetheless, the treatment of economic sociology in both modern economics and sociology leaves much to be desired. Various formal-terminological confusions and theoretical-substantive misconceptions are still present in the field. The present article advances some proposals for remedying this situation. In particular, it provides clarifications of and amendments to the current treatment of issues, such as the relationship between economics and sociology, the character of economic sociology, its links to economic theory, socio-economics, and rational choice theory, as well as the question of the old versus the new economic sociology. Special emphasis is placed on the relationships between economic sociology and rational choice theory, given the latter's claims to universality. It is hoped that the article will thereby redress certain inconsistencies found in some previous treatments of economic sociology as well as stimulate further refinements.     

Scientists, Engineers and the Organization of Work

A bstract . Scientists and engineers experience job dissatisfaction and perform below potential productivity , largely because of conflict between professionalism and work bureaucracies. Research has documented potential gain on both counts through reduced hierarchical power of management and movement toward greater participation in shared decision-making. But relative reduction in managerial power is not likely; neither is the spread of unionism for scientists and engineers as an offset to that power. Furthermore, any assumed transfer of power a la Veblen assures no social gain. Work organization for scientists and engineers is of direct relevance for economics. Yet, the human capital development in economics has ignored the entire question of the effect of work organization on productivity and job satisfaction. In doing so, it has divorced economics from other disciplines and sacrificed realism and relevance for quantitative rigor.     

Economic Sociology

A bstract . Economic sociology covers the gray area between the disciplines of economics and sociology brings scholars from both disciplines together to communicate over topics of interest. This communication provides debate that stimulates and strengthens social theory , which in turn, allows for better policy recommendations. A major area for concern in the development of economic sociology has been the presence of economic imperialism combined with economic bubris , the effects of which could suffocate economic sociology. These phenomena arc examined along with the trends over the past twenty years in the development of economic sociology and the relative impact that "economic sociologists" from both disciplines are having on their respective fields. Observing these trends will allow for an analysis of the developments in economic sociology and a assessment of where It is going in the future.     

Economics, Sociology, and the "Professional Complex"

A bstract .   This article discusses the relationship between economics and sociology in the context of Parsons's analytical theory of action and systems and his criticisms of orthodox and institutional economics. The article also addresses his view of the importance of the professions to an understanding of the nature of advanced capitalism. The professions are discussed as both an illustration of his theoretical argument and a substantive problem that stimulated the development of his theory. The "professional complex" is an emergent phenomenon in capitalism that modifies its operation and points to the complexity of systems of social action that require to be analyzed without being reduced to one of their elements. This reductionism is evident in orthodox economic theory and also in the more sociologically-oriented approach of institutional economics. Parsons argues that each is a form of what, following Whitehead, he calls the "fallacy of misplaced concreteness." Although Parsons offers a significant critique of dominant approaches in economics, major flaws within his own theory create the appearance that he has simply carried over the deficiencies of orthodox theory into his own general statement of theory. These flaws contribute to major misunderstandings of Parsons's project and, therefore, indicate continuing problems in the relation between economics and sociology.     

The role of constraints in policy analysis

The new discipline of policy analysis applies the specialized knowledge of economics, sociology, organization theory, and all the other social sciences to the task of designing and implementing viable socio-economics programs. This paper is a contribution to the methodology of policy analysis. Contrary to widely held views, social scientists can usefully participate in the making of public policy not by setting goals or giving expression to the “needs” of particular groups, but rather, by pointing out all the constraints (economic, sociological, organizational, etc.), which effectively limit the set of feasible alternatives. The theoretical explanation of these limitations is a fundamental task of applied social science. The systematic exploration of the region of feasibility should form the core of all policy analyses. This exploration can be assisted by the proposed distinction between logical, empirical and policy constraints corresponding, respectively, to impossibility theorems, empirical theories or hypotheses, and preliminary decisions or conventions. The significance of the distinction is indicated by some examples, and the different conditions of testability are noted. Some methodological problems of socio-economic planning are also examined. It is shown that the nature of a program is determined by the character of the crucial constraints rather than by the ostensible objectives. Questions of program implementation cannot be treated separately from planning and resources allocation. All the constraints, including organizational and administrative ones, must be considered in the moment of decision. An alternative which appears satisfactory in relation to a limited number of conditions may turn out to be quite bad with respect to the complete set of constraints.     

Two Views on Social Stability: An Unsettled Question

A bstract Emil Durkheim published The Division of Labour in Society as part of his strategy to create a place for sociology as a science independent from economics. The book describes how social cohesion and cooperation evolve spontaneously in the course of the process of the division of labour. Friedrich Hayek developed a theory of markets and competition which was later extended into a theory of society, in which spontaneous evolution is a central element. The main force behind this process is competition and the evolution of coordination. Both authors address the problem of social stability. Hayek rejects Durkheim's analysis as constructivistic, but his criticism is unjustified. Further analysis reveals many similarities between the two authors theories of societal evolution. A striking point of convergence is that Hayek's theory of markets is a network theory, and that sociological network theory is directly inspired by Durkheim's work. The main differences are Hayek's emphasis on the division of knowledge and on coordination as the fundamental stabilising forces as opposed to Durkheim's stress on the division of labour and cooperation. The network approach, together with an elaboration of Hayek's psychology, offer perspectives for integrating coordination and cooperation into a unified theory of social stability.     

Motivational phases associated with the foreign placement of managerial candidates: an application of the Rubicon model of action phases

This study describes an initial attempt to apply Heckhausen's Rubicon model of action phases to the decision-making process involved in a professional stay abroad. The datas stem from the longitudinal study Selection and Socialization of Managerial Candidates, which provides for the standardized questioning of examinees at the university faculties of economics, the natural sciences and engineering in Munich, Berlin and the Ruhr area. A sample of 453 managerial candidates, employed in German companies, was analysed in this study. The following conclusions for organizations can be drawn from the results of our study: the candidates' values and previous experiences abroad can furnish decisive criteria. Information offered in the job interview can further encourage already motivated persons. The lesser emphasis put on the value 'leadership' and the great importance ascribed to the value 'technological progress' could indicate training needs. Intercultural as well as special management trainings within the organization seem appropriate here.     

我国农村劳动力转移法律问题研究——以“民工荒”现象为例

我国一向被认为廉价劳动力"无限供给",经过20多年的发展,却出人意料地大范围出现"民工荒",农村劳动力转移已经成为危及当代中国经济发展前景的关键问题.这需要从管理学、经济学、社会学等多学科角度进行分析和探讨,特别需要在法学视野下对农村劳动力转移进行研究.以利益为理论基点,在对"民工荒"现象有所诠释和成因剖析,并进而构建完善农村劳动力转移的路径选择.     

A Socio-Dynamic Understanding of Markets

A bstract    Economic sociology furthers a healthy alternative to price-theory–oriented economics as it sets out to remedy the invisibility of the market within the latter. There is, however, no doubt that such a market-oriented sociology is still in its infancy, given among other issues its inability to shoulder market change. The void thus recognized opens up the potential for a market idea with both social and dynamic properties. There is good reason to believe that such an endeavor would benefit from the constructive blending of economic sociology and Austrian economics. This paper argues that such a "socio-Austrian" connection is in the position to enrich the socioeconomic discourse in general and its market conception in particular.     

Affordances for practice

This paper argues that Gibson's concept of affordance inserts a powerful conceptual lens for the study of sociomateriality as enacted in contemporary organizational practices. Our objective in this paper is to develop a comprehensive view of affordances that builds upon the existing conceptualizations in the psychology, human–computer interaction, sociology and information systems literatures and extend them in three important ways. First, we show that taking an integrative interpretation of affordance as dispositional and relational, rather than the standard unidimensional interpretation, provides a theoretical articulation of how the material and the social influence each other. Second, we propose to broaden the focus from the affordances of technology to the affordances for practice provided jointly by technology and organizing. This means considering social affordances alongside technological affordances. Finally, we argue that the best way to integrate the study of social and technological affordances is not to stretch Gibson's original concept to include the social but rather to complement it with a sociological concept that fits it neatly: Bourdieu's idea of habitus. Our claim is that the concepts of affordance and habitus complement and complete each other. Affordance offers a useful way of thinking about how practice is patterned by the social and physical construction of technology and the material environment and habitus offers a useful way of thinking about how practice is patterned by social and symbolic structures. We describe how affordances and habitus may be used together to provide a theoretical apparatus to study practice as a sociomaterial entanglement, thus adding to the methodological toolkit of scholars embracing a sociomaterial perspectives.     

Beyond Twin Deficits

A bstract This paper outlines new developments in the sociology of money. It highlights certain aspects of Post Keynesian monetarism and explores Keynesian concepts of emotions relative to economics and economic sociology. Gunnar Myrdal's work on time and money contributes to the discussion. Underdeveloped areas of discourse in both sociology and economics are identified and the resulting superficiality of references to money are examined. Sociology, for example, has historically neglected concepts of future time and money, while economics has paid little attention to emotions and organizations. Removing these orthodox barriers allows economics to be informed by concepts previously relegated to sociology, such as emotions of trust and confidence. This process may induce the disaffected from both disciplines to draw from each other, creating an alternative, and ultimately more satisfactory understanding of money.     

Max Weber as an Economist and as a Sociologist

A bstract In this article I first give a picture of Weber as an economist, mainly by focussing on a text which he distributed to his students when he taught economics in the 1890s. From this text it is, for example, clear that Weber was positive to the use of marginal utility theory in theoretical economics, but also felt that this approach was insufficient, by itself, to analyze empirical phenomena. I then outline Weber's work in economic sociology, relying primarily on Economy and Society and its central Chapter 2 ("Sociological Categories of Economic Action"). The differences between the approaches of economic theory and economic sociology, as seen by Weber, are summarized, and an account is given of some of Weber's most suggestive concepts in economic sociology. In the concluding section the question is raised as to when the analyst, according to Weber, should use economic sociology rather than economic theory, and vice versa. Weber's ideas about a broad economic science–what he termed Sozialökonomik or social economics–are also presented.