Lecture slides about the world of Work.
Looks at why does work matter when it comes to understanding the differences between the bourgeoise and proletariat and tries to understand what actually is Work and its different terms in Sociology.
Looks at the theories and histories behind Work and Key S...
• Takes up much of our day/life.
• Provides our means of subsistence (or production
WHY
reproduction).
• Is the social and creative enterprise that separate
humans from animals (see Marx’s species being).
DOES • Provides meaning, but may also produce alienatio
Marx)
WORK
• Is an obligation (moral worth) (see Weber).
• Is an entitlement/right (exclusion matters).
• Is a site in which our identities are forged and so
MATTE relationships shaped - the absence of work produ
social exclusion (see Jahoda).
• Is a site in which we are disciplined (see Foucault
R? • May produce stigma (see Goffman)
e.g. ‘dirty work’.
• Can be dangerous or risky.
• Other...
, WORK CAN
BE DEADLY
Charts from:
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/work-overview/work-safety-introduction/
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/history/historical-picture.pdf
https://www.arinite.co.uk/the-worlds-most-dangerous-countries-for-workers
More information:
https://www.ilo.org/moscow/areas-of-work/occupational-safety-and-health/W
CMS_249278/lang--en/index.htm
, WHAT IS WORK?
Waged labour = typical (or ‘standard’) work
But waged employment = small proportion of broader category ‘work’.
Own-account work (e.g. self-employment)
Unpaid work (e.g. voluntary work)
Forced work (e.g. slavery)
Domestic work (e.g. housework/childcare)
Creative work (e.g. artistic endeavour)
Consumption work (e.g. self-provisioning work)
Some income-generating employment not formally recognised as work.
Criminal work (sex work, burglary, drug dealing)
Informal work (barter and exchange, day labour, casual work)
, WHAT IS WORK?
History of work involves struggles over who can perform it and how
Restrictions on child labour (see images from US in early 20th C)
Restrictions on slave or coerced labour
Restrictions on hours of work (e.g. 8 hour day) / days of work (weekends) / brea
Rights of women, people of colour to equal employment / promotion opportunitie
Requirements that people are paid a minimum wage
And more…
None of these were simply ‘conceded’ by employers. All were fought ove
In most cases, trade unions and their political allies pushed for reform.
,TWO BIG QUESTIONS
IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF WORK
1. Control: How do managers control workers (ensure
they perform the required work in the required mann
at the required speed)?
2. Resistance: How (and when) do workers resist
managerial control?
Lots of other issues we’re not focusing on, like Bureaucracy, Bullying, Labour Market
Inequalities & more! (can study these in future modules!).
,MECHANISMS OF
MANAGERIAL CONTROL
1. Standardisation
Standardisation in industrialisation: Taylor/Ford
The shift to services and role of customers
Examples: McDonaldisation and Call Centres
2. Surveillance
3. Corporate Culture
, Frederich Taylor (1856-1915)
Midvale Steel and Bethlehem St
Principles of Scientific Managem
MANAGERIAL CONTROL 1: STANDARDISATION
TAYLORISM / ‘SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT’
1. Workers will ‘soldier’
Workers combined to prevent ‘rate busting’
2. Managers need to understand production.
Need to work on shop-floor to wrest knowledge
from workers.
Subdivision of all tasks to their smallest elements
Time and motion studies
3. One best way to do each and every task.
Managers to identify this and teach workers to do it
this way.
Standardisation of tools/implements to fit the job
4. Need to select ‘right’ worker for the task at hand
5. Carefully train / supervise workers to work in the
right way
Time and Motion studies (with stopwatch). See example from Gilbreth
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