Chapter 11 Work and the Workplace

The Importance of Work Source of income Source of pride and accomplishment Source of identity and self esteem Provides meaning to life and is a major part of our adult identity © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural Changes In the U.S. Economy The Industrial Revolution The Information Revolution Deindustrialization Globalization © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Industrial Revolution The first transformation at the beginning of the 19th century Rural and small towns Most were employed in the primary sector producing raw materials Farming; Fishing; Forestry; Mining © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Industrial Revolution Shifted jobs from the primary sector of the economy to the secondary sector Transforming raw goods into products Automobiles ; Sewing machines; Furniture © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Information Revolution The 1950s and the emergence of the tertiary sector From factory to service work Not all workers benefited from this shift Invention of the computer and spread of computer technology White collar jobs © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deindustrialization Deindustrialization - decline of industrial production (after 1950) Decline in factory jobs Job displacement Plant closings Decline in pay and benefits © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Globalization Globalization of the economy – Expansion of economic activity around the world with little regard for national borders Multi-national corporations Shifting jobs to low wage countries © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Other Problems of the U.S. Workplace The Dual Labor Market Two separate labor markets: 1. Primary- occupations that provide good pay and extensive benefits to workers 2. Secondary – provides low pay and few benefits to workers © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Other Problems of the U.S. Workplace The Dual Labor Market Primary labor market jobs tend to be Challenging Good pay and benefits More secure Room for advancement in one’s career © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Other Problems of the U.S. Workplace The Dual Labor Market Examples of primary labor market job categories Professionals Managers and executives Some high skilled jobs in factories © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Other Problems of the U.S. Workplace The Dual Labor Market Secondary labor market-jobs Low pay and few benefits Less secure Little opportunity for advancement © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Problems of the U.S. Workplace The Dual Labor Market Examples of secondary labor market job categories: Retail sales Telemarketing Building maintenance Laborers © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Problems of the U.S. Workplace Dangers to Workers In 1970, the federal government established OSHA National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Conducts research on workplace hazards © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Problems of the U.S. Workplace Dangers to Workers Toxic Substances Control Act (1976) Guidelines for handling chemicals in the workplace Test for harmful chemicals © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Problems of the U.S. Workplace Dangers to Workers Mining Farming Toxic Substances and Radiation Workplace Violence © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace Alienation Alienation: Marx’s View Alienation - experience of isolation and misery from powerlessness in the workplace Work as a natural act Alienation stems from the social nature of work under capitalism Capitalism distorts the social nature of work © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace Alienation Alienation: Weber’s View Alienation - depersonalization of the workplace and of society in general Due to modern society’s rational focus on efficiency Weber - the cause of alienation is the rational nature of the organization of work © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace Alienation Individuals have become detached from the social and creative aspect of work Work has become highly impersonal Rationalization of society led to the industrial revolution Historical change from tradition to rationality & efficiency as the way people think of the world © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

McDonaldization and the Rise of “McJobs” George Ritzer and McDonaldization McDonaldization- defining work in four principles: 1. Efficiency 2. Predictability 3. Uniformity 4. Automation © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

MacDonaldization and the Rise of “McJobs” Characteristics of the McJobs: Work that involves simple tasks Work that provides little satisfaction Work that is predictable and repetitive High turnover © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The “Temping”of the Workplace Deindustrialization and the growth in part-time workers Low pay No benefits Little control over their work © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Unemployment Reasons for Unemployment About 4 to 5% unemployment may be normal Declined to 8.3% in 2012 To be counted as unemployed: Must be registered with unemployment service and actively looking for a job © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Who is at Risk for Unemployment? Less educated Racial and ethnic minorities © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The “Jobless Recovery” The U.S. economy operates in cycles, with periods of prosperity followed by: Periods of recession—what many people call “boom and bust.” Computer technology allows fewer people to do more work © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Institutional discrimination – Bias built into the operation of the economy, education and other social institutions Under representation of women and minorities in higher education Secondary labor market © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Race, Ethnicity, and Gender The Glass Ceiling- Barriers (often invisible) that prevent minorities from moving up in an organization © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace Segregation Workplace is segregated by race & gender Minorities concentrated in the least desirable jobs Labor unions - Worker organizations; seek to improve wages & working conditions by various strategies Including collective bargaining and strikes © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Union Decline Labor unions are a recent development U.S. Government and the labor movement of the 1930’s Railway Labor Act Norris-La Guardia Act National Labor Relations Act © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Union Decline Union membership grew from 1930 and peaked in the 1970s Since 1970s decline in union membership until just recently Function of structural change a shift from factory jobs to the non-union service sector © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

New Information Technology: The Brave New Workplace Telecommuting- linking employees to the office using information technology, Including telephones, fax machines, and e-mail Function of the information revolution © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

New Information Technology: The Brave New Workplace Telecommuting blurs the distinction between home and work Telecommuting and gender discrimination and work Worker isolation © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace Isolation Computer technology reduces the need for face to face interaction Workers are connected by information networks Social and physical separation and isolation of workers and clients from one another © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlling Employees Computer technology and controlling the behavior of workers “Deskilling” Work Technology and the loss of skills necessary to perform one’s job Machines replace human skill © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural-Functional Analysis: Finding a New Equilibrium Stresses the interrelatedness of social institutions Impact of technology on established social patterns How information technology is shaping the nature of work and other social institutions © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Symbolic-Interaction Analysis: The Meaning of Work Stresses the social construction of work Meanings that people attach to work and work relationships © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social-Conflict Analysis: Work and Inequality Focus is on how inequality impacts work in society Work reflects the interest of the upper-class © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Conservatives: Look at the Market Free-market with a minimum of government regulation Downturns are temporary and people will be allocated to where the jobs are Individuals should take responsibility for their economic and job well-being © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Liberals: Look to Government Free market with government regulation to insure all interests are taken care of Government aid for education and job training © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Radicals: Basic Change is Needed The free-market is the source of economic and worker related problems The end of capitalism and the emergence of socialism As the answer to economic and worker related woes © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.