Weberian fundamental concepts: theoretical-methodological possibilities applicable in social studies

Abstract

The social action of individuals can lead to an understanding of the social relationships that constitute society, always from the perspective
of the collective, as without it, these relationships would not be possible for analysis or practice. The objective of this article is to present the Weberian
perspective on rationality and some concepts linked to it, which we believe are promising with regard to structuring and operationalizing studies within the scope of Social Sciences. For this  purpose, various studies and research were reviewed to support this reflection; that is, this  research is exploratory, reflexive, and  bibliographical in nature, based on texts and reflections already available on Weberian thought. As results, we identifled that the main concepts contributing to this reection are “ideal types,”  “action,” “social action,” “ideal types of social action,” and “fundamental sociological  categories of economic management.” It is  possible to conclude that rationality played a  central role in Max Weber’s works and that this theoretical construct, aligned with the other  concepts that accompany it, constitutes an  excellent prism for conducting social studies,  whether they are operationalized using empirical
cases of formal and informal organizations, groups, or isolated individuals. We also believe that the concept of “ideal types” can be a great  methodological ally for carrying out these studies.