The term “Societal Factors” describes the factors that influence and control the societal development within a country. The term was first introduced in the field of criminology and then expanded into other areas of study. It includes the following factors: geographical location, social structure, ethnicity, language, and norms or rules of the society.
There are many reasons why Societal Factors can change or influence society. Societal factors contribute to the formation of individual societies, either intentionally or unintentionally. If a society has a more complex cultural identity, more individuals will choose to integrate into the larger society through political and social means, or if there is a stronger sense of community, this population will push for greater autonomy within society. A society may be less likely to choose one form of integration or separation, or the other if the society is more centralized and homogenous in nature.
Industrial societies are characterized by specialization, division of labor, and a higher degree of interaction among individuals than do small, rural, or informal societies. The rise of the university press in the 20th century marked the rise of a specialization-based economy. This type of economy is characterized by specialization in education, specialization in scientific and technological fields, specialization in marketing, specialization in social sciences, and so forth. In contrast, smaller, more local economies have a general or generalized economy with wide gaps between specialized classes in different industries and skill levels.
The rise of the University permeates all aspects of life. This includes the rise of a specialization-based economy and the expanding sectors of specialization within society. Within a specialized society, individuals have the ability to specialize in specific career fields, which further narrows the scope of opportunities and livelihoods open to them. In contrast, horticultural societies, such as the United States and Canada, have a population that has a wider range of occupations and career choices.
The main article society is typified by specialization within the larger field of horticulture. In this case, the main occupations include grape production, vine tending, winery, and the like. This narrowing of occupational horizons, coupled with technological advancements, has created a situation where workers are often homogeneous within the business. In contrast, in pre-industrial societies, each individual had the ability to specialize in one or two core industries, which would give him or her access to a wider range of job markets.
Industrial societies have developed for different reasons. In some cases, societies have developed due to the need for cheap labor. In other societies, members of a society to pool their resources together in order to build larger cities. In other cases, societies develop because of the need for large scale investment in technology and infrastructure. As investment becomes a larger portion of the economy, cities develop both because of the need for large amounts of labor and infrastructure, and because of the need for technology to develop in the city to create more economic activity.
In any case, it has become clear that development occurs in response to the demand for goods and services, and not as a result of the development of markets. Given this fact, a market economy can be seen as a social construction process. Markets tend to develop in response to the needs of buyers, and do not serve as a tool for creating wealth in the abstract. For example, if there is a glut in a particular area, then prices go down as demand falls. On the other hand, if there is a surplus of a good, then prices rise because supply exceeds demand.
These two views of development are distinctively different from traditional approaches to economic development. In the first view, markets are viewed as providing the framework for social organizations. In the second view, the market becomes the instrument through which individuals and groups can realize their goals of life satisfaction. Both of these sociological perspectives provide important insights into how people organize their lives, the types of institutions that they create, and the forms of social cooperation that they participate in.
