Publisher's Synopsis
The contributors of this book are drawn from a range of disciplines - economics, sociology, political science, industrial relations, geography - and countries - Britain, the USA, Japan, West Germany, Canada, Hungary, Sweden and France. They extend the debate well beyond the confines of technology and flexible forms of work organization to include technological developments and the limits of automation; internationalization and the geography of production; Japanese management and developments in the concept of management; gender relations and occupational segregation; developments within the service sector; autonomy and control within socialist countries. The book pinpoints some clear changes, including new forms of organizing work in both manufacturing and services. But obvious continuities are also apparent, particularly in the sexual division of labour. Overall, the book suggests, work will continue to be organized in very varied forms: enhanced flexibility in one place will not preclude increased standardization elsewhere.
