Technology in the Workplace Class 1

Administrative Collect critiques Hand back journals

Review Work no longer just takes place at work Work no longer just takes place during work hours Advantages – provides possibility of greater flexibility and self-pacing Disadvantages – may lead to longer work time and blur the barrier between work time and personal time

Today I. Who would like to work in a call center? II. How do the managers behave? III. What kind of training do the employees get and what kinds of skills do they develop IV. Comparison of Head and Zuboff V. Technology doesnt have to mean high tech! VI. Comparison of work technologies in four different industries

I. Who would like to work in a call center? Why or Why not? Is the work physically difficult? Is the work mentally difficult? Why is the work so stressful? Who do they get to work in the call centers? How long do they stay? Why?

II. How do the managers behave? Real time monitoring Why are they so prone to criticize the employees? What limitations are there on the way managers exercise their power? Why? How could limitations be imposed on them? What should the job of the managers be?

III. What kind of training do the employees get and what kinds of skills do they develop? Dont rely on employees developing expert skills What do they do instead? What is the result?

IV. Comparison of Head and Zuboff Head, On the Digital Assembly Line Zuboff, In the Age of the Smart Machine How do the organizations Head describes try to use technology? How do the organizations Zuboff describes try to use technology?

V. Technology and High Tech Every occupation and every industry has a technological environment True of the software industry but it is also true of the carwash industry True of aerospace but also true of railroads The technology of work always matters, whether it is high tech or not

VI. Comparison of Work Technologies Call Center Maritime Class to suggest two others Describe the technology of the workplace in each

Next Time Begin unit on Workers, Wages and Inequality