opportunity structures

Examples of opportunity structures in the following topics:

• Illegitimate Opportunity Structures: Social Class and Crime

  • Illegitimate opportunity structures are the rules that operate within deviant subcultures.
  • Illegitimate opportunity structures are the rules that operate within deviant subcultures.
  • Cowan and Ohlin used juvenile delinquency as a case study to explore this theory of illegitimate opportunity structures.
  • Finally, in a retreatist subculture youth learn to reject both legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures.
  • The retreatist subculture is the exception that proves the rule of illegitimate opportunity structures.

• Structural equivalence

  • In figure 12.1 there are seven "structural equivalence classes."
  • E and F, however, fall in the same structural equivalence class.
  • Finally, actors H and I fall in the same structural equivalence class.
  • Actors that are structurally equivalent are in identical "positions" in the structure of the diagram.
  • Whatever opportunities and constraints operate on one member of a class are also present for the others.

• Summary

  • This chapter and the next are concerned with the ways in which networks display "structure" or deviation from random connection.
  • In the current chapter, we've approached the same issue of structuring from the "top-down" by looking at patterns of macro-structure in which individuals are embedded in non-random ways.
  • The tools in the current chapter provide some ways of examining the "texture" of the structuring of the whole population.
  • In the next chapter we will focus on the same issue of connection and structure from the "bottom-up. " That is, we'll look at structure from the point of view of the individual "ego."
  • Taken together, the approaches in chapters 8 and 9 illustrate, again, the "duality" of social structure in which individuals make social structures, but do so within a matrix of constraints and opportunities imposed by larger patterns.

• External Sources of Social Change

  • Generally, a theory of change should include elements such as structural aspects of change (like population shifts), processes and mechanisms of social change, and directions of change.
  • It argues that the success or failure of social movements is primarily affected by political opportunities.
  • Political Process Theory is similar to resource mobilization theory (which considers the mobilization of resources to be the key ingredient of a successful movement) in many regards, and emphasizes political opportunities as the social structure that is important for social movement development.
  • Finally, "political opportunity" refers to the receptivity or vulnerability of the existing political system to challenge.
  • This has presented culture theorists an opportunity to expound on the importance of culture.

• Summary

  • Structural equivalence is the most "concrete" form of equivalence.
  • Two actors are exactly structurally equivalent if they have exactly the same ties to exactly the same other individual actors.
  • Pure structural equivalence can be quite rare in social relations, but approximations to it may not be so rare.
  • In studying a single population, two actors who are approximately structurally equivalent are facing pretty much the same sets of constraints and opportunities.
  • Commonly we would say that two actors who are approximately structural equivalent are in approximately the same position in a structure.

• Structuring Employee Feedback

  • The feedback structure should focus on performance—not personality.
  • Feedback should be structured around coaching time.
  • This ensures better reception of the feedback and turns the feedback session into a team-building and educational opportunity.
  • Negative feedback itself can be less upsetting when it emphasizes the need for change as an opportunity for professional development and personal growth.
  • Just as employees should see criticism as an opportunity for professional growth, so should the evaluator who listens to employee ideas and concerns.

• Network Structure

  • The network structure is a newer type of organizational structure often viewed as less hierarchical (i.e., more flat), more decentralized, and more flexible than other structures.
  • The concept underlying the network structure is the social network—a social structure of interactions.
  • Like other organizational structures, the network structure has its advantages and its disadvantages.
  • Proponents argue that the network structure is more agile compared to other structures (such as functional areas, divisions, or even some teams).
  • Communication is less siloed and flows freely, possibly opening up more opportunities for innovation.

• Considering the Environment

  • Resource-dependence theory explores the implications regarding the optimal divisional structure of organizations, recruitment of board members and employees, production strategies, contract structure, external organizational links, and many other aspects of organizational strategy.
  • SWOT analysis: In this particular model, a company's strengths and weaknesses are assessed in the context of the opportunities and threats in the business environment.
  • A SWOT analysis enables a company to identify the ideal structure to maximize its internal strengths while capturing external opportunities and avoiding threats.
  • Understanding these varying forces gives the company an idea of how adaptable or fixed the organizational structure should be to capture value.
  • Identify the inherent complexities in the external environment that influence the design of an organization's structure

• The State of Technology

  • The constant evolution of technology offers both considerable opportunity and risk to businesses across all industries.
  • Technology is always changing, offering new opportunities and risks for business every single day.
  • This type of technological opportunity is often referred to as a disruptive innovation.
  • By looking at how business IT strategies are structured, we can identify why technology matters through considering the state of technology from various perspectives.
  • Identifying opportunities before they become competitive risks is a key to survival in the modern business world.

• Political Opportunity Theory

  • Describe how and why political opportunities are important to social movements according to political opportunity theory.