Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Social Research Chapter 2

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Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Social
ResearchChapter 2

• By
• Dr. John Brenner

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Mexico used as a focus

• 1,952 border with U. S.
• 2,800 Maquiladoras plants with 1 million workers
• 40 are U.S. owned
• Americans know little about the country
• Major source of cheap labor
• Average workers in Mexico get 2.48 an hour
• About 4,500 U.S. plants closed due to labor
  transfer
• Each country has benefits and losses

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Mexico

• Major trend is the transfer of labor-intensive
  manufacturing out of the U.S. to labor abundant
  countries
• Sociological theories and research will help us
  to understand the impact of the labor transfer
• A theory is a set of principles and definitions
  that tell how societies operate
• Research is fact-gathering and fact-explaining

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Theoretical Perspectives

• Theory framework used to comprehend and explain
  events
• Model used to explain something
• Also called a paradigm
• Theories inspire research
• Facts generated through research are meaningless
  without theory to interpret them

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Theoretical Perspectives

• The following theories will all look at the
  Maquiladora Program
• Each of the theories will present its own angle
  on a situation
• We will discuss three of them--functionalist,
  conflict, and symbolic interaction

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Functionalist Theory

• Define society as a system of interrelated parts
  that are interdependent
• Just like the human body has parts so does
  society
• The parts are family, government, economy,
  religion and education--found in all societies
• Each part effects the other parts of the system
• Theory was first discussed by Herbert Spencer

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Functionalist Theory
Functionalist Theory

• People are socialized into the prevailing system
• Most are unaware of the functions of society
• Look for stability in the social system and how
  the parts work together (function)
• Seen as a conservative theory

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Functionalist Theory
Functionalist Theory

• Herbert Gans states that poverty is functional
• Someone to do the dirty work
• Take up the slack in times of social change
• Provide luxuries for the rich--maids, nanny,
• Guinea Pigs for new medicines and techniques
• Jobs for people to take care of them
• Purchase inferior products

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Functionalist Theory-Critique

• A conservative theory that defends the existing
  arrangements
• Stating that oil spills increase employment
• Social stability is maintained while some suffer
• What is a function?--automobiles
• It was invented and then became functional
• Connects people and weakens social ties
• Harms the environment

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Mertons Concepts

• Four parts to functionalism
• Manifest function--stated or obvious function of
  something--the intended, expected or recognized
  function
• 4th of July celebrations--
• Marketing and public relations for city, family
  and friends meetings, and unifies community
  through a shared experience

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Maquiladoras--Functionalist

• System was set up after World War II
• Bracero Program to help employ Mexican workers
  during the war
• Increased economic ties between the countries
• Called the Border Industrialization Program (BIP)
• To create jobs for returning Braceros
• Give U.S. companies access to low wage workers
• Fill jobs U.S. workers did not want
• And give more jobs in the Mexican border cities

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Maquiladoras--Functionalist

• Maquiladoras (mah-kee-la-doras)--manufacturing
  operations in Mexico
• 2,800 in Mexico
• 90 owned by U.S. or subsidiary company
• Some are joint U. S./Mexican companies
• Black and Decker, GTE, Kellogg, Singer, Ford,
  General Motors, Xerox and Westinghouse

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Maquiladoras--Functionalist

• Program works this way
• Foreign companies ship tools, machinery, parts to
  Mexico (no tariff)
• Workers finish products and ship them back
• Only a charge on the cost of the workers wages
• Mexican workers do labor-intensive work

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Mertons Concepts

• Latent function-unintended, unrecognized,
  unanticipated and unpredicted
• The links between the two nations are obvious
• 5 million per month people cross San
  Diego-Tijuana daily
• Busiest land-border crossings in the world
• The cities on the borders increase

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Mertons Concepts

• Manifest dysfunctions--expected or anticipated
  disruptions
• Job displacements in U.S.
• Lack of entry level jobs esp. in rural areas
• Latent dysfunctions--unintended, unanticipated
  negative disruptions
• Low wages on both sides of the borders
• Rapid and unregulated growth of populations

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Maquiladoras--Functionalist

• Latent Dysfunction--(unexpected-hidden) problems
  in one country effects the other, financial
  crises in Mexico hurt American retail industry on
  the US side
• Less Americans get white collar jobs in Mexico as
  Mexicans gain higher qualifications

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Maquiladoras--Functionalist

• Latent dsyfunction--rapid population growth on
  both sides of the border which has generated
  large numbers of people living in substandard
  housing (Colonias)
• Health-threatening pollution to both countries
• Loss of American jobs have destroyed small towns
  in the U.S.

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Conflict Theory

• Feels conflict is an inevitable part of life
• Look at the role of competition in conflict
• Those who own the means of production use their
  resources to protect their interests
• Influenced by Karl Marx
• Wants to know Who benefits? from the system

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Conflict Theory

• Bourgeoisie--own the means of production (land,
  machinery, buildings and technology) and purchase
  labor
• Want to expand markets and increase profit
• Want cheapest labor and raw materials
• Proletariat-workers who own their labor, are
  treated like machines by owners, have low skills
  and are dependent

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Conflict Theory

• Façade of legitimacy--explanations used by
  dominant groups to justify their actions
• Workers are free to work anywhere when they have
  no money (capital) so they have to work
• Employers can fire and lay off workers
• Blame the victim--poor get blamed for poverty
• Emphasize less successful benefit from the system
  (better off here than in Mexico)

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Conflict Theory--Critique

• Overemphasizes the tensions and divisions between
  the top and bottom of society
• Ignores real contributions of industrialization
• Owners do not always ignore workers
• Watchdog and grass route groups are created to
  watch the actions of the bourgeoisie

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Conflict Theory

• Represents a need for profit, Mexican workers
  sell their labor at low cost, jobs are insecure
• Façade of legitimacy says that it benefits both
  US and Mexico but it really exploits the Mexicans
  who are vulnerable, when Mexican economy falters
  US investment increases as labor costs decrease

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Conflict Theory

• Maquila jobs are insecure, lack of advancement
  and low wages
• Jobs are mind-numbing and repetitive
• US banks make money off of Mexican loans
• In the US owners can threaten to move to Mexico
  to keep workers in line

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Conflict Theory

• Maquila exploit the environment--only about 1/3
  of Mexican laws comply
• Hazardous waste is not disposed of properly
• Companies can pull out over night in Mexico
• Conflict theorists want to know who benefits from
  the program
• The owners of production, or capitalists benefit
  from the Maquila system.

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Symbolic Interaction

• How do people define reality through interaction
  with each other
• George Herbert Mead, Charles Horton Cooley and
  Herbert Blumer
• Concerned with how the self develops, how people
  attach meanings to things, and how the meanings
  change through time and interaction

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Symbolic Interaction

• Symbol--any kind of physical phenomenon to which
  people assign a name, meaning or value
• Symbolic interaction--people use those symbols to
  communicate and interact with each other
• People decide what things will mean
• Society shares a symbol system

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Symbolic Interaction

• Interpretation of symbols requires an active
  processthe purpose of a wedding ring has meaning
  beyond the actual ring
• They advocate a down to earth research approach
• Study human interaction first-hand by immersing
  one in the social world

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Symbolic Interaction--Critique

• Want to know about the origins of symbols, the
  way the meaning persists, and the situations
  where people question them
• First hand and extensive knowledge of the social
  world
• Can influence those being observed
• Ignores social factsthings outside the
  individual
• Can not predict any changes or how meanings
  actually change
• Can not account for the social structures and
  processes larger than the individual

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Symbolic Interaction--Maquiladoras Program

• Look at how people on different sides of the
  border have different meanings
• Friday the 13th is unlucky in the US while
  Wednesday the 13th is unlucky in Mexico
• Americans may stereotype Asians as hard working
  and Mexicans as unambitious and lazy who are
  taking siestas under a sombrero

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Symbolic Interaction--Maquiladoras Program

• Focus on the interactions among the employees of
  same and different rank
• American expatriates rarely have experiences with
  other cultures and seem ignorant of basic Spanish
  phrases
• Culture clashes are quite common

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Research Methods
It is fact-gathering and fact-explaining Research
Methods--techniques used to formulate meaningful
research questions and collect data Information
explosion--unprecedented increase in the volume
of information There are six (6) steps in the
research process
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Step 1-Defining the Topic

• Means the researcher picks a topic
• Explains why the topic is significant
• Clarifies the importance of the topic
• Explains the motivation of the study
• May pick a topic due to personal interest,
  current issues, or because grant money is
  available

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Step 2-Reviewing the Literature

• Researcher reads all the published work on the
  topic
• Finds where there is a missing gap in the
  previous research studies
• Sociologists read sociological journals and books
  on the topic
• The researcher must consider the works of other
  thinkers and how the research verifies, advances
  and corrects other research

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Step 3Core Concepts/Hypothesis

• Conceptsgeneral ideas about people, places and
  things (like family)
• Good sociological research begins with the
  researcher defining the topics of the study
• Readers know exactly what the author means by
  family, group, social interaction and so on

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Step 4-Research Design and Collecting Data

• Design is a plan for gathering data
• Methods of collecting data on populations
• Tracessmall situations that give data
• Documentswritten items
• Territoriessettings with borders
• Householdsfamily size
• Small groupsfriends, teams or gangs

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Step 4-Research Design and Collecting Data

• Populationthe total number of whatever that is
  going to be studied
• Random sample is a portion of the total
  populationall have an equal chance
• A sample is a portion of the population
• Representativesample looks like total
• Sampling framecomplete list of population
  usually not possible

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Step 4-Research Design and Collecting Data

• Methods of data collection
• Self-administered questionnaire
• Interviewsface-to-face or phone
• Structuredwording set in advance
• Unstructuredflexible and open-ended

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Step 4-Research Design and Collecting Data

• Observationslistening and recording of
  information on people
• Nonparticipantdetached observations
• Participantjoining the group
• Hawthorne Effectaltering behavior if they know
  they are being watched
• Secondary sourcesdata collected for one reason
  used for anothercensus, birth, death records,
  movies, graffiti, etc

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Step 4-Research Design and Collecting Data

• Variable-trait that consists of more than one
  category
• Dependent-behavior to be explained
• Independent-variable that explains or predicts
• Operational Definitionsclear and precise
  definitions of how to measure and observe the
  variables to be studied
• Allows researchers to duplicate others work
• Reliabilityconsistent results
• Validitymeasures what it claims to measure

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Analyzing Data

• After getting the information researcher has to
  determine what it is saying
• May use graphs, frequency tables, photographs,
  statistical data charts, and other visual
  displays of the information

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Drawing Conclusions

• Generalizabilityusing research to make general
  statements about people and society
• How does information apply to larger population
• 3 conditions must be present to explain that the
  independent variable contributes significantly to
  the dependent variable

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Drawing Conclusions

• 3 conditions
• 1. independent variable must precede dependent
• 2. two variables are correlated (from
  0-9positive to negative)
• Correlation shows the mathematical relationship
  of change in one and the other
• Spurious correlationaccidental or coincidental
• 3. No other variables influenced results

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Conclusion

• All three theories offer a different perspective
  on the same issue
• No single perspective gives a complete picture of
  the Maquiladora Program
• All three perspectives make a contribution to our
  total understanding of an issue
• Research helps understand the process

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