According to an article by the American Sociological Association (ASA), sociology “…is the scientific study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture.”
The author further states, “…sociologists study all things human, from the interactions between two people to the complex relationships between nations or multinational corporations.”
From the above statements, it goes without saying that sociology is an integral part of any business. We say this because, let’s face it, the actual business transaction happens between people.
A good understanding of human behaviour based on your sociology background helps you grow your business in ways your competitors can not.
In other words, sociology can help business owners, marketers, and managers develop valuable skills, whether researching market conditions, improving their products/services, or boosting their team’s morale.
With that preamble, let us examine how sociology helps businesses progress in diversity, equality, and inclusion. Yes, we’re talking about different cultures, genders, religions, and sexualities, among other things.
The following section covers ways to leverage sociology to grow your business, big or small. We hope you find a gem.
Richard Branson once said, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. They will care for the clients if you care for your employees.” These words carry much weight from a businessman who owns more than 60 companies (under the Virgin Group).
From firsthand experience, we’ve known that a happy employee is a valuable asset to have on your side. If you have disgruntled employees, you cannot expect an A1 performance. Obviously, unhappiness in the workplace breeds many problems, problems you can easily avoid with a sociology background.
Sociology helps you understand the cultural and social aspects that shape each team member. With this knowledge, you can avoid alienating staff members or hurting company loyalty. Sociology offers you an advantage when dealing with employees in the workplace.
Studying sociology helps you develop or hone your analytical thinking skills. Sociology usually involves analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to determine how various factors affect a population.
Therefore, you can use the analytical skills you learn in sociology to better understand your target audience. According to the University of Maryville, it is the main reason today’s employers seek versatile critical thinkers to address complex challenges and why sociology degree holders can work in various settings. In fact, sociologists have found a growing place in marketing teams. They use analytical thinking methods to help businesses research market data and draw beneficial conclusions.
Businesses face a lot of competition daily. It is no secret that cutthroat competition can put you out of business.
It is also no secret that companies that adjust their strategies according to viable market data overcome challenges and move forward. But what does that have to do with sociology?
Sociology allows you to understand that certain conditions influence groups of people differently. For instance, those in business with a background in sociology will easily recognise opportunities created within a population, even in phenomena such as war, natural calamities, or diseases.
Business owners without sociology backgrounds will likely miss opportunities within a given population since they aren’t “in touch” with the reality of things on the ground. These business owners often have a limited understanding of their customers, which is terrible for any business.
Want to identify opportunities presented by your target audience? Add a sociologist to your marketing team, and thank me later.
According to Questia.com, public relations involves “…activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. Public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most favourable light.”
Going with the above definition, how do you expect to shine in public relations if you have no idea how to reach your target audience? Remember, people’s behaviors are motivated by several factors, including surroundings, cultural beliefs, religion, etc.
A sociology background will help you identify the sociological factors driving your customer base. This information will allow you to tune your public relations activities for the best results. Your business’s actions will affect your customers based on their cultural and economic backgrounds.
For instance, you cannot afford to make fun of people who don’t eat pork due to religious or cultural beliefs, even if they don’t make up a considerable part of your customer base. However, you will probably miss the mark entirely with your public relations activities if you don’t understand your customer base, especially the things that drive the behaviors.
A degree in sociology is not required to succeed in business, and you will find it unlikely to pursue a sociology degree just to get an edge in the industry. Still, having someone with a sociology background on your team will help you in ways you never imagined.
We hope this article helps you appreciate the value of sociology and business, including how to grow them sustainably. If you have questions or suggestions, please share them in the comment section at the end.
