CH 9 Work, Occupations and the Economy (QUESTIONS)) Flashcards
How are the Foundations of Work described by Marx? (1,3)
Under capitalism, a relationship exists between the bourgeoisie and proletariat
- The bourgeoisie own the means of production and proletariats sell their labour for a wage
- Owners exploit workers through extracting surplus value from their labour
- Workers are alienated from the product of their labour, the labour process, themselves, and other workers
4 forms of Alienation (Marx)
- Alienation from product of labour
- Alienation from labour process
- Alienation from oneself
- Alienation from other workers
How are the Foundations of Work described by Weber? (1,2)
Saw the quest for rationalization as the defining feature of society
- Bureaucratic organizations are an exemplary form of rationalization
- Bureaucratic workplaces are characterized by a rigid, normative, prescribed, and hierarchical environment
According to Weber, what 5 characteristics define a Bureaucratic workplace ?
- Hierarchy
- A vertical command chain
- Formal division of labour
- Technical qualifications
- Formal decision-making processes designed to eliminate inefficiencies and biases.
How are the Foundations of Work described by Durkheim? (2)
- Pre-industrial economies: Mechanical solidarity (collective consciousness)
- Industrial economies: Organic solidarity (inter-dependance)
What does the Labour Process Theory seek to achieve?
Seeks to explain the structural effects of the capitalist organization of labour on workers as they struggle for autonomy and control over their labour and skills
What does Scientific management seek to achieve?
Seeks to increase control of the labour process by automating skill and dividing workers and production into small specialized tasks
What was Braverman’s critique on Scientific Management
Capitalist production alienates workers through deskilling
- Takes away the value of human labour/production as it promotes
According to Braverman, why does *Deskilling** happen? (1,3)
Employers want more control over the work process. By simplifying tasks and using technology or strict rules, they can:
- Hire cheaper, less experienced workers
- Replace workers more easily
- Keep more control in the hands of managers
What did Braverman overlook in his critique on Scientific Management?
Worker subjectivity & Agency
- He ignored the ways workers interpret and resist management efforts to control their labour
What did Buraway discover through his study of the factory shop floor?
Found that workers actively participate in processes of negotiation – “making out”
Characteristics of “professional work”? (4)
- Advance credentials
- Specialized knowledge
- Lengthy induction or mentoring programmes
- Licensing
Characteristics of individuals in professional work? (4)
- High autonomy
- High authority
- High pay
- High social status
Some occupations—called ________ or ________—have attempted to ________ established professions to raise their ________ and ________
- Semi-professions
- Para-professions
- Model themselves after
- Social standing
- Pay
What is the significant economic shift in the late 20th century? What does this indicate? (1,3)
A shift from manufacturing goods to providing services
Indicates:
- More people are employed in service jobs like retail, education, healthcare than blue-collar manual labour
- Rise in self-employment
- Requirement of emotional labour
The construction of the “ideal” worker is bound up with _______ and _______
- Race
- Gender
Entire workplaces and organizations are __________ and __________
- Gendered
- Racialized
Traditional vs. New/Neoliberal work (6)
T: Careers advance through loyalty and seniority
N: Careers advance through flexibility and employability
-
T: Full-time permanent jobs with benefits
N: Temporary work arrangements
-
T: Specialized job descriptions
N: Project-based requirements
-
T: Hierarchal bureaucaries
N: Flatter organizations and team-based work
T: Well-defined career ladders
N: Uncertain career paths
-
T: Tight control
N: Soft control
Name a positive and negative aspect of neoliberalist work
- Some argue this shift is good because it allows more flexibility and autonomy for workers
- Others argue that it has contributed to increased insecurity, anxiety, and inequality
Name an example of how work has changed due to post-fordism (1,3)
Uber has upended the taxi industry
- Some see this as a benefit to customers and potential drivers
- Taxi drivers and company owners see Uber as a threat
- Uber continues to face challenges around fair wages and benefits for drivers
