Models of Social Change PDF

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Social Transformation lecture notes and summary. the notes are meant to help both lecturer and the student from social work courses....

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Model sofSoci al Change In their search to explain social change, sociologists sometimes examine historical data to better understand current changes and movements. They also rely on three basic theories of social change: evol ut i onar y ,f unct i onal i st ,and confli cttheories. Evol ut i onar yt heor y

Sociologists in the 19th century applied Charles Darwin's (1809–1882) work in biological evolution to theories of social change. According to evol ut i onar yt heor y, society moves in specific directions. Therefore, early social evolutionists saw society as progressing to higher and higher levels. As a result, they concluded that their own cultural attitudes and behaviors were more advanced than those of earlier societies. I dent i fiedast he“ f at herofsoci ol ogy , ”August eComt esubscr i bedt osoci alevol ut i on. Hesawhumans oc i et i esaspr ogr essi ngi nt ousi ngsc i ent i ficmet hods.Li k ewi se, Emi l eDur khei m,oneoft hef ounder soff unct i onal i sm,saws oci et i esasmovi ngf r om s i mpl et oc ompl exs oci als t r uct ur es.Her ber tSpencercompar eds oci et yt oal i vi ng or gani sm wi t hi nt er r el at edpar t smovi ngt owar dacommonend.I nshor t ,Comt e, Dur khei m,andSpencerpr opos eduni l i nearevol ut i onar yt heor i es,whi chmai nt ai n t hatal lsoci et i espasst hr ought hesamesequenceofst agesofev ol ut i ont or eacht he s amedest i ny . Cont empor ar ysoci alev ol ut i oni st sl i k eGer har dLens ki ,Jr . ,howev er ,vi ewsoci al c hangeasmul t i l i nearr at hert hanuni l i near .Mul t i l i nearevol ut i onar yt heor yhol ds t hatchangecanoccuri nsev er al way sanddoesnoti nev i t abl yl eadi nt hesame di r ect i on.Mul t i l i neart heor i st sobs er v et hathumansoci et i eshav eev ol v edal ong di ffer i ngl i nes . Funct i onal i stt heor y

Functionalist sociologists emphasize what maintains society, not what changes it. Although functionalists may at first appear to have little to say about social change, sociologist Talcott Parsons holds otherwise. Parsons (1902–1979), a leading functionalist, saw society in its natural state as being stable and balanced. That is, society naturally moves toward a state of homeost asi s. To Parsons, significant social problems, such as union strikes, represent nothing but temporary rifts in the social order. According to his equi l i br i um t heor y, changes in one aspect of society require adjustments in other aspects. When these adjustments do not occur, equilibrium disappears, threatening social order. Parsons' equilibrium theory incorporates the evolutionary concept of continuing progress, but the predominant theme is stability and balance. Cr i t i csar guet hatf unct i onal i st smi ni mi z et heeffect sofchangebecauseal laspect sof s oci et ycont r i but ei nsomewayt os oci et y' sov er al lheal t h.Theyal soar guet hat

f unct i onal i st si gnor et heuseoff or cebysoci et y' spower f ul t omai nt ai nani l l usi onof s t abi l i t yandi nt egr at i on. Confli ctt heor y

Conflict theorists maintain that, because a society's wealthy and powerful ensure the status quo in which social practices and institutions favorable to them continue, change plays a vital role in remedying social inequalities and injustices. Al t houghKar l Mar xaccept edt heev ol ut i onar yar gumentt hatsoci et i esdev el opal ong aspeci ficdi r ect i on,hedi dnotagr eet hateachs ucces si v est agepr esent san i mpr ov ementov ert hepr evi ousst age.Mar xnot edt hathi st or ypr oceedsi nst agesi n whi cht her i chal way sex pl oi tt hepoorandweakasacl assofpeopl e.Sl av esi n anc i entRomeandt hewor ki ngcl assesoft odayshar et hesamebasi cex pl oi t at i on. Onl ybysoci al i str ev ol ut i onl edbyt hepr ol et ar i at( wor ki ngcl ass) ,expl ai nedMar xi n hi s1867DasKapi t al ,wi l lanysoci et ymovei nt oi t sfinalst ageofdev el opment :af r ee, c l assl es s,andcommuni sts oci et y . Mar x' svi ewofsoci al changei spr oact i v e;i tdoesnotr el yonpeopl er emai ni ng pas si v ei nr es ponset oexpl oi t at i onorot herpr obl emsi nmat er i alcul t ur e.I nst ead,i t pr esent st ool sf ori ndi v i dual swi s hi ngt ot ak econt r ol andr egai nt hei rf r eedom.Unl i k e f unct i onal i sm andi t semphasi sonst abi l i t y ,Mar xhol dst hatconfli cti sdesi r abl eand neededt oi ni t i at esoc i al changeandr i dsoc i et yofi nequal i t y . Cr i t i csofMar xnot et hatconfli ctt heor i st sdonotal way sr eal i z et hatsoci al upheav al doesnoti nev i t abl yl eadt oposi t i veorexpect edout comes .

challenges of social transformation models Typical barriers to change include: Social barriers: lack of community support, social norms and group conformity.  Cultural barriers: tradition, culture, customs, religion.  Economic barriers: lack of property rights, corruption, fiscal infrastructure.  Political barriers: ideology, values. Overcoming these obstacles is not always easy and may require creative solutions. 

Put technology to work Technology plays a leading role in most social change movements by facilitating new friendships, discussions and global activism, simplifying the fundraising process and providing ease of access. Technology has proven to be a key solution to some major social concerns, It also makes it easy to connect with others who care about the same cause.

This article is sponsored by MissionBox Engagement Communities

Technology addresses barriers to social change by: 

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Improving and democratizing access to information. Today's unparalleled access to information is breaking down social barriers between social classes. Online archives, research studies and how-to articles make it possible for nearly anyone to be well-informed on any number of issues. Engaging participants. Let's face it, technology is fun. Virtual lessons and classrooms, streamed videos, documentaries and interactive historical displays breathe new life into educational programs. For social change to succeed, it must first engage—and technology is a welcome vehicle for that.

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Connecting people. Tech solutions make it much quicker to form connections. Many social media platforms have the goal of connecting, such as volunteers with causes they care about, doctors with patients and youth with mentors. True social change requires cooperation from individuals, communities, the civil sector and government, but technology can significantly speed up what would otherwise be a lengthy change process.

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Raising money for good. Whether crowdfunding, marketing or collecting money for the next nonprofit campaign, technology contributes to turning capital profits into social good. Programs such as Indiegogo and Kickstarter help organizations and individuals launch fundraising campaigns that can have significant impact while raising awareness of a cause.

The relationship between social change and state-building State-building—how institutions support stability in economics, politics, law and other social structures—is an uneven science. Understanding the political context of where you are working is vital. The people who have the most power are historically unlikely to disrupt the status quo. Social movements arise because power is not evenly distributed. Nonprofit and civil society organizations and groups of all sizes work in this "gray" area.

Involve the community One way to chip away at social barriers is to invite the entire community into the change process. Go out into the world and solicit feedback. Have coffee with community leaders and listen carefully to their fears. Resistance to change almost always gives way once more people are educated about the issues. In the meantime, advocate respectfully for your cause, provide information and persevere.

Involving people directly in decision-making is vital to the well-being of a functioning community. Everyone has a different role: participants participate, volunteers volunteer and donors donate. Although nonprofits can encourage people to connect and engage with other civil society organizations, they can't create social agitators from whole cloth. It is the job of social activists to routinely test the state's capabilities and the support of volunteers to see if they have the capacity to build a true social movement.

References Fast Company: 6 ways technology is breaking barriers to social change by Abe Grindle (2015) The Resistance to Change: Cultural barriers to change The Resistance to Change: Organizational barriers The Resistance to Change: Social barriers to change

SOCIAL MARKETING What Is Marketing? Marketing refers to activities a company undertakes to promote the buying or selling of a product or service. Marketing includes advertising, selling, and delivering products to consumers or other businesses. Some marketing is done by affiliates on behalf of a company. Professionals who work in a corporation's marketing and promotion departments seek to get the attention of key potential audiences through advertising. Promotions are targeted to certain audiences and may involve celebrity endorsements, catchy phrases or slogans, memorable packaging or graphic designs and overall media exposure.

KEY TAKEAWAYS  Marketing refers to all activities a company does to promote and sell products or services to consumers.  Marketing makes use of the "marketing mix," also known as the four Ps —product, price, place, and promotion.  At its core, marketing seeks to take a product or service, identify its ideal customers, and draw the customers' attention to the product or service available.

four types of marketing strategies Cause Marketing Cause marketing, also known as cause-related marketing, links a company and its products and services to a social cause or issue. Relationship Marketing Relationship marketing focuses on customer retention and satisfaction in order to enhance your relationships with existing customers to increase loyalty. Scarcity Marketing Scarcity marketing creates a perception of a shortage which aims to entice customers to purchase out of fear that they may not be able to get it in the future. Undercover Marketing Undercover marketing, also known as stealth marketing, involves marketing to consumers in a way that they do not realize they are being marketed to. The first two – cause and relationship marketing — are what I consider “positive” marketing techniques that focus on the benefits to others. The second two – scarcity and undercover marketing – are more unconventional and potentially controversial techniques.

WHY YOU NEED THE 7 P’S OF MARKETING The 7 P’s of marketing include product, price, promotion, place, people, process, and physical evidence. Moreover, these seven elements comprise the marketing mix. This mix strategically places a business in the market and can be used with varying levels of force. This is to ensure the target audience is satisfied, value perception is accurate, and to stand out from

competitors. Implementing these P’s in the best way you see fit for your company can become extremely beneficial, but you must completely understand each piece of the 7 P’s puzzle first.

PRODUCT The first P stands for product. As you can probably guess, this is referring to the products or services a business is offering. Decisions within this element include a product or service’s purpose, how a product looks, packaging, any warranties, and more. Additionally, when focusing in on the first P, you need to think deeply about consumers. Consumers need to know what is included, what they can get out of it, what need or want it fulfills, and why your product or service is better than the competition.

PRICE Price encompasses the entire pricing methodology for products or services, and how customers will react to it. Furthermore, this segment goes into depths beyond selling prices. Price includes discounts, terms, fees, and so on. When arranging pricing, you should consider your business’ current position among other competitors. If you advertise as having a very high-quality product, your pricing should reflect that claim.

PROMOTION Promotion is essentially the act of marketing directly to consumers. This P covers the idea of making your product or service known to the public. Furthermore, this could be in the forms of various advertisements, SEO, SEM, sponsorship, etc. It is key to make your product known to acquire new customers—increasing sales.

PLACE This P encompasses many locations—where a product is made, viewed in ads, distributed, and sold. You need to ensure that customers can find your product or service with ease. Furthermore, it needs be available to consumers at the right place and the right time. You can use this P step to consider selling products through e-commerce, in-store, or through thirdparty means.

PEOPLE

People are not just those who you are selling and advertising to. It includes staff, salespeople, customer service teams, and anyone involved in the marketing and sales processes. You want your employees to be effective and perceived positively by customers.

PROCESS This step refers to the delivery of your product or service to a customer. Maps need to made to outline functions, activities, tasks, and processes. Doing so keeps your processes functioning smoothly and efficiently. Check your processes frequently to guarantee they are simple and increasing your ability to generate revenue. This step may come with many trial and error phases.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Your consumer should always receive something physical to validate their purchase. Consider how braces give you straight teeth, hairdressers give you a new look, and receipts are proof of a purchase. People like to receive something that evokes their senses to confirm that they have gotten a product or service, even if it is just the receipt. This tangible item validates the experience of purchasing and fosters a sense of value from that purchase. Need help developing your marketing strategy with the 7 P’s in mind? Social marketing has the primary goal of achieving "common good". Traditional commercial marketing aims are primarily financial, though they can have positive social effects as well. In the context of public health, social marketing would promote general health, raise awareness and induce changes in behaviour. Social marketing has been a large industry for some time now[when?] and was originally done with newspapers and billboards, but similar to commercial marketing has adapted to the modern world. The most common use of social marketing in today's society is through social media.[1][2] However, to see social marketing as only the use of standard commercial marketing practices to achieve non-commercial goals is an oversimplified view. Social marketing seeks to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to social change. Social marketing aims to influence behaviors that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good. The goal is to deliver competition-sensitive and segmented social change programs that are effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable. [3...