A Technological Science Perspective for Sociology1

Abstract The traditional positivist model is an inadequate foundation for sociology as a science. The phenomena of society differ from the phenomena assumed by positivism and existing in the world of nature in ways that prevent the successful use of that traditional approach. Agency, the ability to choose among alternatives where the choice makes an important difference, exists in social phenomena but has no counterpart in nature and cannot be dealt with adequately by positivism. A technological science perspective is suggested as an alternative for a science of sociology that can deal with the reality and importance of agency. Eight differences between the traditional perspective and the alternative are sketched. The alternative requires changes in the kind of generalized knowledge produced and the way it is produced, accumulated, and refined. The changes, though seemingly small, would produce a major reconstruction of much of sociology; such changes could result in important progress by the field of sociology.     

Rethinking Management and Managerial Work: Capitalism, Control, and Subjectivity

The paper presents an alternative understandingof managerial work based upon a reconstruction of laborprocess theory. Drawing upon contemporary studies ofmanagement practice, the paper explores the relevance of poststructuralism and an attentiveness tosubjectivity to articulate a view of managerial work asthe subject and object of the contradictory organizationand control of capitalist labor processes. This understanding is illustrated by reference toempirical studies of ICI and is supplemented byinterview material drawn from a study of changingmanagement practices in the U.K.     

Family Processes and Problem Behaviors in Middle‐Class African American Adolescents

This study examined the joint association between mothers’ and adolescents’ ratings of parental behavioral control and adolescents’ and observers’ ratings of mother – adolescent communication with adolescent problem behaviors in a sample of 86 middle‐class African American early adolescent boys and girls (age: M= 13.08 years, SD= 1.32) and their mothers. Consistent with hypotheses, greater adolescent‐rated parental behavioral control and better observer‐rated mother – adolescent communication were associated with lower levels of adolescent problem behavior, as examined using structural equation modeling. Furthermore, interrelationships between age and adolescent problem behavior were partially mediated by adolescents’ reports of parental behavioral control and observers’ ratings of positive mother – adolescent communication, which both decreased with adolescents’ age. Although the sample was primarily middle class, higher socioeconomic status was associated with more positive mother – adolescent communication, as rated by observers. Problem behavior was greater among boys than girls, but the hypothesized indirect effect of gender on problem behavior through associations with parenting was not observed. The findings demonstrate the utility of conceptually distinguishing between parenting and parent – adolescent relationships, and suggest that both have unique influences on middle‐class African American adolescents’ problem behavior.     

State-of-the-Art Developments in Expert Systems and Strategic Marketing Planning

This paper describes a case history of the development of an Expert System in Strategic Marketing Planning codenamed EXMAR. It traces the evolution of the system from the formation of the DTI club two years ago to the launch of the prototype model. The paper outlines the technical and domain–specific obstacles encountered en route and how these were overcome. A number of conclusions are drawn from the project. The principal one is that there is a bright future for expert systems in the field of strategic management. Professor Malcolm McDonald is the principal expert to the club. Hugh Wilson is a senior consultant with Artificial Intelligence Ltd. He was also the knowledge engineer and the project manager. For readers who would like a simple explanation of Expert Systems, please refer to Professor McDonald's paper ‘Marketing Planning and Expert Systems: an Epistemology of Practice’, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 7, 7/8, 1989.     

Who Should Be a Family Therapist? A Personal View of Selection for Training

The author presents a view of the selection of applicants for training programs in family therapy, drawing on his own experience. A case is made for the importance of selection, based in the notion that the profession is responsible for attempting to protect the therapy consumer from practitioners who are potentially unhelpful or even damaging. The qualities that are desirable in a trainee family therapist are itemised and discussed. The article then describes how particular selection processes can be used to identify appropriate and inappropriate applicants. The author stresses that a good selection process should be isomorphic with the program of which it forms the first stage.     

Pest population stability under sterile releases

Summary The stability of a pest population is one of the critical features to be examined when considering a control strategy for a given pest species. Four models involviing sterile male releases are examined for various stability characteristics; the models examined were: (i) a simple one stage model with no species interactions, (ii) a two life-stage model, (iii) a model involving two competing species, (iv) a model in which the pest is under predation. Of the four, the simple model was the most stable and the predation model was the least stable under continued sterile releases.