The document discusses social institutions, defining them as major spheres of social life that fulfill human needs, including family, education, religion, economics, and politics. It emphasizes the characteristics of organizations, particularly hospitals, highlighting their structured roles, division of labor, authority types, and the need for rule adherence, while also noting scenarios where flexibility may be necessary for patient care. Overall, it explores how social institutions serve fundamental human needs and maintain societal function.

1. Social Institutions
Study Unit 9.1
By C. Settley

2. Learning Outcomes
• Define the following concepts
• Social institutions
• Social organizations
• Describe the classification of organization
• Discuss the general characteristics of a social
organization as applied to the hospital as an organization
of a healthcare institution
• Division of labour
• Authority
• Communication
• Formality and rigidity

3. Social Institutions
Page 189
• Humans have basic social needs –
belonging, support for the young etc.
• These different fields of needs have been
classified by Sociologists hence the
concept: social institutions
• Defined: Social Institutions are the major
spheres of social life, organized in such a
way that they fulfill human needs

4. The Five basic Social
Institutions
• 1) The family
• 2) Education
• 3) Religion
• 4) Economics
• 5) Politics

5. Social Institutions: The Family
• The family is the most basic of all
institutions
• It serves the person’s need to belong and to receive and
give love.
• Satisfies the need for care and socialization
• Cornerstone for individuals to function in society
• More than 90% of all people prefer to live within a family
unit

6. Social Institutions:
Economic Institutions
• Enables a society to survive economically.
• Through the provision of services such as
banks.
• Fosters business potential in communities.
• Without the economy, societies would not
be able to trade, import and export goods
etc.

7. Social Institutions:
Social group
• A number
of specific
identifiable
people
Institution
• A system of
organised,
standarised
patterns of
social
behaviour

8. Organization: The Hospital
• Individuals spend their whole lives in
organizations
• School, formal education
• Organizations are structured- roles, positions,
functions, rules and regulations
• Formal organizations- certain activities are
performed by certain people. They get paid to do
so. In accordance to rules and regulations.
• To achieve the organizational
goal/philosophy/mission/vision

9. A classification of organizations
(4 types). See page 190.
Pattern maintenance
• Responsible for the
functions of cultural
transfer and socialization
• Expressive function eg
arts, schools
Adaptive organization
• Orientated towards
economic production
• Eg small and large
business organisations

10. A classification of organizations
Goal Attainment
Organizations
• Concerned with the
attainment of political
goals
• Eg the government of a
country
Integrative
Organizations
• Function is to maintain
social control
• ITC management control
in South Africa

11. General characteristics of
organization
• Division of labor- prescribed tasks/job
descriptions
• Authority
– Traditional: how it is done. Obedience is reinforced
– Rational-legal: lawful. Invoking an existing law.
– Charismatic: obedience to a person rather
than impersonal legal system
– Line: vertical ranking of staff members
– Staff: specialized knowledge to support line
function.

12. General characteristics of
organization. Continued…
• Communication- vertical

13. General characteristics of
organization. Continued…
• Communication- horizontal

14. General characteristics of
organization. Continued…
• Formality and rigidity- activities, meetings
• Activities must take place according to
certain rules.
• Bureaucratic structure of a hospital
requires every rule to the letter being
followed.
• Not always possible.
• Sometimes necessary to bend rules to
benefit the patient.

15. Characteristics of
Social Institutions
The comb like
structure of
the
Hospital
as
organization
Nursing Department
Medical Department
Deputy Director:
Nursing Services
Chief Medical Officer
Hospital Manager
Chief Executive OfficerChief Executive Officer

16. References
• Du Toit, D.A. & Van Staden S.J. (2009).
Nursing Sociology. 4th Edition. Pretoria:
Van Schaik