Question

Which of the following is true of norms?

A. They are mandatory instructions that must be followed by all employees of a company.

B. They are written instructions about desired behavior in the workplace.

C. They are informal codes of conduct among employees in a particular company.

D. They give detailed instructions about how to perform a certain aspect of a task.

E. They specify actions to be taken under different circumstances to achieve specific company goals.

Answer 1

Norms are informal codes of conduct that members of a society or group typically adhere to. They are not necessarily written instructions but are learned through socialization and observation. Option C is correct as it describes norms as informal codes of conduct among employees in a company.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks which statement about norms is true. Among the options, the statement that they are informal codes of conduct among employees in a particular company (Option C) correctly defines norms. Norms are indeed behaviors that reflect compliance with what cultures and societies have defined as good, right, and important, and most members adhere to them. They are the visible and invisible rules of conduct through which societies are structured, including both formal and informal norms. Formal norms are established, written rules, such as laws or employee manuals, while informal norms are more about casual behaviors generally conformed to, and learned by observation, imitation, and general socialization without the need for written instructions.

These standards may also be classified as mores, embodying the moral views and principles of a group and sometimes encoded in law, or folkways, which are the less strict social rules and standards followed by a community. Thus, while formal norms can be written and officially enforced, informal norms guide everyday behavior in a more subtle yet pervasive manner.