Achieved status refers to what an individual does and has accomplished. In achievement-oriented cultures, individuals derive their status from what they have accomplished. A person with achieved status has to prove what he/she is worth over and over again: status is accorded on the basis of his/her actions.
Ascribed status, however, refers to what a person is and how others relate to his/her position in the community, in society or in an organisation. In an ascriptive society, individuals derive their status from birth, age, gender or wealth. A person with ascribed status does not have to achieve to retain his/her status: it is accorded to him/her on the basis of his/her being