SOC 402 – Contemporary Social Problems and Workplace

SOC 402 – Contemporary Social Problems and Workplace

SOC 402 – Contemporary Social Problems and Workplace

Discussion Questions

SOC 402 Week 1 DQ 1 Three Sociological Perspectives

Compare the differences among the three major theoretical perspectives in sociology (structural-functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism). With which theory and theorist do you find that you share similar views with and why?

SOC 402 Week 1 DQ 2 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research & the Methods of Social Research

Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative research. Suppose you are to study police brutality, what methods of research (demographics, historical data, surveys, interviews, or observation) would you utilize?

SOC 402 Week 2 DQ 1 McDonaldization

Analyze your college or workplace using Weber’s model of bureaucracy. What elements (efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control) of McDonaldization do you see? Do you wish life were less McDonaldized? Why or why not?

SOC 402 Week 2 DQ 2 Generational Differences in the Workplace

Analyze the following scenarios:

a. Bob Jackson is 44. He is the manager of operations for a mid-sized company. He is always working and many employees at work think that he is a workaholic. His goal is to become the company president before he turns 50. In which generational group would Bob fall? Explain your answer.

b. Jerry Thomas is 28 and has just become the new corporate VP at his company. The older VPs with whom he works see him as impulsive, somewhat self-centered and unwilling to play by the rules. In which generational group would Jerry fall? Explain your answer.

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SOC 402 Week 2 Assignment Women and Flexibility in the Workplace

After viewing Women as change agents in America: Part I, determine why Kathleen Christensen believes that the flexibility of women in the workplace is a social and structural issue.

a. Identify some factors that have affected women’s flexibility in the workplace throughout history.

b. Evaluate the factors that have affected women’s pay in the workforce.

c. Hypothesize what may change for women in the workplace within the next 10 years.

SOC 402 Week 3 DQ 1 Retirement

After viewing Retirement revolution: The new reality, examine how the topic of retirement has changed in American society since the 2008 recession. Describe how it has impacted your plans, family members, or friends’ plans for retirement. Compare traditional views of retirement with current views.

SOC 402 Week 3 DQ 2 Sexual Harassment

Here are several events that happen in the workplace. Do you believe they fall under the definition of sexual harassment? If so, why? If not, why not?

a. Jane willingly dated a co-worker for the last 3 years. Now, she has met someone else and does not want to continue the relationship with the co-worker. The co-worker does not want to end the relationship and is posting negative things about her on Facebook.

b. Linda offers sexual favors to her professor in order to get a passing grade. The professor agrees, and Linda receives a passing grade.

c. Mary, a supervisor, asks her male employee, Stan, to join her for dinner so they have will some quiet time away from the office to go over his performance evaluation.

d. Bob, a supervisor, makes comments about on a regular basis to his secretary, Susan, about how she is dressed for the day.

e. A customer in a restaurant grabs the rear end of a waitress. She complains about the customer to the manager, who says, “Ignore it, you’ll probably get bigger tip.”

f. Don posts pictures of scantily clothed women on his office walls.

SOC 402 Week 3 Assignment Outline of Final Paper Professional Workplace Substance Abuse Outline

Review the Final Paper instructions in Week Five of the online course or in the “Components of Course Evaluation” section of this guide. Then, visit the Ashford Writing Center located under Learning Resources tab on the left navigation tool bar in our online classroom. Format your outline for the Final Paper according to the “Sample Outline.” (NOTE: In the “Sample Outline,” it states that the thesis statement is the last one to three sentences of the Introduction. However, the thesis statement must be one sentence in length and the last sentence of the Introduction).

The outline must include:

§ Introduction with thesis statement

§ An outline of 5 body paragraphs as demonstrated in the Writing Center’s template

§ Conclusion

§ Reference Page

SOC 402 Week 4 DQ 1 Second Shift

Respond to the following questions: Among twin- income and dual-career families, do you think there will ever be an equal sharing of household work? Why or why not? There has been some indication that women voluntarily assume a larger share of household responsibilities because they feel that their male partners do not perform these tasks satisfactorily. How do you think this observation fits in with the sharing of housework?

SOC 402 Week 4 DQ 2 Substance Abuse

Substance abuse may include alcoholics and drug users, their behavior will be different than other workers on the job. In what ways can alcohol and drug use affect job performance and career success? What are some ways that employees with alcohol and drug problems deal with their problems and in your opinion, what can employers do to assist employees?

SOC 402 Week 5 DQ 1 Ethics in the Workplace

Analyze 2 of the following ethical scenarios:

§ Although John is an honest employee who never takes money from the company cash box, he uses the company car to run personal errands while making sales-rounds. Is this unethical behavior? If so, why? If not, why not?

§ Betty is a high producing, devoted employee who might work overtime in an emergency. She tells her boss that she got caught in traffic upon arriving late the next day, when in fact, she overslept. Is this unethical behavior? If so, why? If not, why not?

§ Suzy is a sympathetic employee who knows a co-worker is operating a small business on the side (often using company office equipment and paper) but says nothing. Is this unethical behavior? If so, why? If not, why not?

§ Noticing her supervisor, a young married man, taking her co-worker, Joanna, who was divorced, home two nights in succession, Diane decided something was going on between them. Without any malicious intent, Diane introduced the matter into the local grapevine and, as so often happens, the rumor got out of hand. Is this unethical behavior? If so, why? If not, why not?

SOC 402 Week 5 DQ 2 Globalization

Describe how globalization has changed the way American companies are doing business. In what ways do you believe this change has benefited American organizations and/or their customers? Are there ways in which organizations and their customers have been adversely effected? Explain.

SOC 402 Final Paper

Select one of the following issues affecting the workplace and working environment. You may narrow the range of the topic by choosing a subtopic. Develop a paper that discusses the issue you have chosen, your subtopic if applicable, and how your topic has or is affecting the work environment that you have been in or are currently a part of. Also analyze how the problem(s) could be solved using various social controls (i.e., laws, organizational policies/practices, training/education, government or corporate involvement) and determine what potential social or economic benefits may result if your recommended changes were implemented.

§ Retirement issues

§ Balancing family and work life

§ Workplace violence

§ Ethical behavior in the workplace

§ Substance abuse in the workplace

§ Sexual harassment