Sociology Plus
Definition
The action approach is a method within industrial sociology that emphasizes the impact of actors’ general attitudes toward work, including those originating outside the workplace. The method offers itself as a response to more deterministic approaches, such as the sociotechnical systems approach.
Explanation
The social action approach is an alternative to the system approach. In the system approach, society dominates, while players such as employers, workers, and their representatives maintain a low profile and play a passive function.
On the other hand, the social action approach gives industrial relations participants an active role. The actors’ grasp of the work environment becomes more essential than social considerations, and their autonomous opinions are more important in determining the conduct of their industrial relations.
According to the social action approach, bargaining is the most effective method for dispute resolution.
According to this concept, players are ready to work with other actors in the settlement of problems, with bargaining serving as the foundation for such collaboration.