What causes deskilling? Flashcards
Technology
With Fordism, the production process is broken down into simple repetitive tasks with assembly line production. This results in workers losing control over the production process as it takes away the skills and creativity demanded of workers. Moreover, as production is completed in simple tasks, it became easier to invent automated machines to carry out these tasks. With the skills of the worker no longer required, they will be degraded into lower skilled supervisory work, as they will simply be employed to watch machines and to monitor the working of the machines.
Automation has led to deskilling in a wide range of jobs such as in secretarial work the skills have been reduced by computer packages. The introduction of cashpoints and online banking has reduced the number of banking jobs and shop workers have been deskilled through bar code self service check outs. Digital technology is extending deskilling into highly skilled, knowledge based middle class professions. Frey and Osborne predict that nearly half these jobs will be made redundant in 10 to 20 years. .
Technology A03
Gallie found little evidence to support the idea of deskilling; many workers said their jobs had become ‘upskilled’ as more skills were required to operate machinery with higher level qualifications required and more time spent on training
Deskilling is motivated by capitalists wanting to reduce costs and to increase control of the workforce
Marxist Braverman criticised the Fordist organisation of work in a capitalist economy. He said the labour process shows the conflict between the ruling class and subject class. Conflict is seen at work because managers cannot trust workers to work efficiently and so they maximise control over the workers. He said the application of technology and a highly specialised division of labour has resulted in the deskilling and degradation of work as it is easier to supervise and monitor workers when they are at work stations and using technology.
This also reduces the bargaining power of workers for higher wages, as workers can be more easily replaced by machines and, as the work is unskilled, there will be a ready supply of labour available. Capitalists benefit from technology as production is increased, more products will be sold and higher profits will be made as wage costs are lower.
Capitalists A03
Fordist model of mass production is outdated; today employers are looking for more flexible methods of production and demand a wider range of skills from their workers to operate new and more complex technology. Therefore workers are becoming more multi-skilled and flexible.
