When Good Jobs Go Bad: The Declining Quality of Auto Work in the Global Economy

Rothstein, Jeffrey S.

doi:10.1007/978-0-230-37023-4_8

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In terms of Table 5 and institutional logics, my analysis showed how machine operator jobs can be turned into semiautonomous jobs (when management adopts a logic of substantive empowerment), but also why they are more likely to remain tightly constrained: despite the normative logic being widely understood as ‘best practice’ and ‘world class’, the majority of managers I observed deviated from this logic because they continued to understand their situation through the enduring cultural frame of Taylorism (Vidal, 2012). While physical work intensification was not an issue in the factories I visited, there is ample evidence that intensification is a common outcome under lean, particularly in auto assembly (Rothstein, forthcoming; Stewart et al, 2009). Future research could focus on why some managers use lean to intensify work but others do not, and to what extent there exists a logic of externalization shaping managerial understanding of the situation explicitly and hence driving intensification in some factories.…”

Section: Labour Processes Employment Relations and Competitive Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-autonomy work and bad jobs in postfordist capitalism

Vidal

2013

Human Relations

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In this article I present a critical reconstruction of the concept of postfordism, arguing for a regulation-theoretic approach that views Fordism and postfordism not in terms of production models based on a particular labor process but as institutional regimes of competition, within which there are one of four types of generic labor process: high autonomy, semiautonomous, tightly-constrained and unrationalized labor-intensive. Ishow that over one-third of US employment is in low-autonomy jobs and sketch an analytical framework for analyzing job quality. Contrasting the four labor process types with various measures of job quality produces 18 job types that reduce to one of three job quality categories: good jobs, bad jobs and decent jobs. The typology provides a framework for analyzing upgrading or downgrading of four aspects of employment quality within and across the four generic labor processes.

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Section: Labour Processes Employment Relations and Competitive Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-autonomy work and bad jobs in postfordist capitalism

Vidal

2013

Human Relations

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“…For example, Carré et al (2012) highlight three trends which have worsened job quality: the shift to business strategies which emphasise cutting labour costs; the whittling away of labour standards; and the increased use of off-shoring. Empirical support for these explanations is taken from qualitative case studies of particular economic sectors such as call centres, retailing and car production (Álvarez Galván, 2012; Lambert and Henly, 2012; Rothstein, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The determinants of skills use and work pressure: A longitudinal analysis

Felstead

Gallie²,

Green

et al. 2016

Economic and Industrial Democracy

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Employers, workers and governments all have a stake in improving intrinsic job quality since it can help to raise worker well-being and lower the social costs of ill-health. This article provides a unique insight into factors triggering changes to two key aspects of intrinsic job quality – the skills used and developed at work, and the pressures under which work is carried out. Using a rare two-wave panel dataset, the article assesses whether three predicted determinants – namely employee involvement, teamworking and computerisation – are good or bad for these aspects of intrinsic job quality.

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“…This research shows that too many developed countries have poor quality jobs and that while there have been some improvements within some countries, a number of previously good jobs are worsening and there is growth in the number of bad jobs (Hurley et al., 2015; Kalleberg, 2011; Leschke, Watt, & Finn, 2012; Rothstein, 2012). As Carré, Findlay, Tilly, and Warhust (2012) explain, good jobs can deteriorate and bad jobs get worse, and, with employment growth or contraction, the stock of good and bad jobs can change nationally—as well as by industry and locality (Green & Owen, 2006).…”

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confidence: 99%

Opportunity Knocks? The Possibilities and Levers for Improving Job Quality

Findlay

Warhurst

Keep

et al. 2017

Work and Occupations

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This article focuses on demands and interventions to improve or maintain job quality. There is need for better understanding of what can be done, by whom and with what impacts. The article provides a framework for reflection focused on interventions within and outwith the workplace. Drawing on secondary data, it outlines the renewed policy and academic interest in job quality, examines the multi-level reasons for intervention, the factors that shape this intervention and evaluates the loci of intervention. On the basis of the evidence to date, it argues that there is scope for intervention and that intervention can be effective.

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When Good Jobs Go Bad: The Declining Quality of Auto Work in the Global Economy

Cited by 5 publications

References 8 publications

Low-autonomy work and bad jobs in postfordist capitalism

Low-autonomy work and bad jobs in postfordist capitalism

The determinants of skills use and work pressure: A longitudinal analysis

Opportunity Knocks? The Possibilities and Levers for Improving Job Quality

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