Changing Organization Of Work Research Articles

Recent Automation Trends in Portugal: Implications on Industrial Productivity and Employment in Automotive Sector

Recent developments in automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are leading to a wave of innovation in organizational design and changes in the workplace. Techno-optimists even named it the “second machine age,” arguing that it now involves the substitution of the human brain. Other authors see this as just a continuation of previous ICT developments. Potentially, automation and AI can have significant technical, economic, and social implications in firms. This paper will answer the following question: What are the implications on industrial productivity and employment in the automotive sector with the recent automation trends, including AI, in Portugal? Our approach used mixed methods to conduct statistical analyses of relevant databases and interviews with experts on R&D projects related to automation and AI implementation. Results suggest that automation can have widespread adoption in the short term in the automotive sector, but AI technologies will take more time to be adopted. The findings show that adoption of automation and AI increases productivity in firms and is dephased in time with employment implications. Investments in automation are not substituting operators but rather changing work organization. Thus, negative effects of technology and unemployment were not substantiated by our results.

Working at Home in Greece: Unexplored Potential at Times of Social Distancing?

This paper investigates the incidence, trend and determinants of remote work in Greece. A crisis-stricken country in the years preceding the Covid-19 crisis, Greece entered the first wave of the public health shock as a laggard in digitalisation and remote work arrangements among European countries. While Covid-19 induced a spike in the use of remote work arrangements in many countries, this paper presents evidence that working from home (WfH) in Greece was subdued in the past decade.By analysing the profile of the job tasks and skill needs of Greek homeworkers, the paper also shows marked deviations in homeworking patterns and determinants in Greece, relative to other EU countries. This includes a higher prevalence of WfH among Greek females and non-nationals, limited use by young workers and families with children and a stronger relation with atypical work hours. While remote workers in Greece receive a 7% monthly wage premium, their jobs are found to involve standardised and moderate ICT tasks and to rely more on social serving tasks.The paper highlights that there is significant scope to enhance remote work in Greece, which can amount to up to 37% of all salaried jobs, subject to changing work organisation, norms and policies. In the coronavirus era, overcoming barriers to remote work will be key for the Greek labour market to adapt to social distances practices and digitalisation.

Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work.

Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work.

Skills and work organisation in Britain: a quarter century of change

AbstractThis paper overviews key findings concerning the evolution of job skill requirements in Britain, and their relationship to technology and work organisation, based on surveys dating from 1986. The use of skills has been rising, as indicated by several indicators covering multiple domains. Technological change is robustly implicated in these rises, but it is not possible to satisfactorily classify most tasks according to how easily they are encoded and thereby clearly link the changes to the nuanced theory of skill-biased technical change associated with asymmetric employment polarisation. Moreover, changing work organisation also contributes to explaining the rises, both in skills use and in skills development. Nevertheless, the extent of worker autonomy in the workplace declined notably during the 1990s; this decline is not accounted for by the data, but is thought to be associated with changing management culture. Changing skill requirements also affect pay. In addition to the education level both computing skills and influence skills attract a premium in the labour market. There is an increasing cost in terms of pay from overeducation and a rising prevalence of overeducation. Together, these changes are reflected in an increased dispersion of the graduate pay premium. While these findings have provided important contextual information for the development of skills policies, they have had little effect on engendering policies for stimulating improved job design.

Optimization of the production process using virtual model of a workspace

Optimization of the production process is an element of the design cycle consisting of: problem definition, modelling, simulation, optimization and implementation. Without the use of simulation techniques, the only thing which could be achieved is larger or smaller improvement of the process, not the optimization (i.e., the best result it is possible to get for the conditions under which the process works). Optimization is generally management actions that are ultimately bring savings in time, resources, and raw materials and improve the performance of a specific process. It does not matter whether it is a service or manufacturing process. Optimizing the savings generated by improving and increasing the efficiency of the processes. Optimization consists primarily of organizational activities that require very little investment, or rely solely on the changing organization of work. Modern companies operating in a market economy shows a significant increase in interest in modern methods of production management and services. This trend is due to the high competitiveness among companies that want to achieve success are forced to continually modify the ways to manage and flexible response to changing demand. Modern methods of production management, not only imply a stable position of the company in the sector, but also influence the improvement of health and safety within the company and contribute to the implementation of more efficient rules for standardization work in the company. This is why in the paper is presented the application of such developed environment like Siemens NX to create the virtual model of a production system and to simulate as well as optimize its work. The analyzed system is the robotized workcell consisting of: machine tools, industrial robots, conveyors, auxiliary equipment and buffers. In the program could be defined the control program realizing the main task in the virtual workcell. It is possible, using this tool, to optimize both the object trajectory and the cooperation process.

A legacy of struggle: the OSHA ergonomics standard and beyond, Part I.

In November 2000, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an ergonomics standard to prevent debilitating work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). It was rescinded by Congress within four months. We explore how this story unfolded over two decades of collaboration and conflict. Part I provides an overview of the historical context of the struggle for a standard, followed by interviews with key players from labor, academia and government. They provide a snapshot of the standard; discuss the prevalence of WMSDs in the context of changing work organization; give insight into the role of unions and of scientific debate within the context of rulemaking; and uncover the basis for the groundbreaking OSHA citations that laid the foundation for a standard. Part II interviews further explore the anti-regulatory political landscape of the 1990s that led to repeal of the standard, discuss the impact of the struggle beyond the standard, and describe creative approaches for the future.

The Dilemma of Professional Partnerships: Production of Producers or Prompt Profit?

A large and growing proportion of the organizations in the contemporary knowledge economy are organized as professional partnerships as is the case of professional service firms. As these firms have grown larger (e.g. Big4: Deloitte, PwC, E&Y, KPMG), the way of organizing is under pressure for change. The internalized 'democratic' ownership, the single- minded focus on delivering professionalism in client relations and the fundamental goal of growing new professionals of the professional partnerships have become challenged. Based on an ethnographic study of Deloitte in Denmark, and data from other sources, the paper analyzes the changing organization of work, the changing partner and manager roles and basic changes in the HR-model. The paper explores the question of where the partnership organization is going and discusses potentials and pitfalls for this particular type of organization.

Wage Bargaining Tensions in Italian and Greek Banking: The Role of Employer Associability and Labour-State Coalitions

How do we explain divergent trajectories of change in wage bargaining institutions? Existing studies maintained that European economic integration and liberalisation, decline in trade union power, changing work organization and new pay systems would push national wage-setting institutions towards decentralisation. This expectation, however, was not borne out. Instead, change in wage bargaining has been more nuanced and differentiated than anticipated. To overcome the limitations of earlier theoretical conjectures, this paper explores the mediating conditions under which centrifugal tendencies in wage bargaining are likely to be reversed. I argue that ‘employer associability’ and ‘labour-state coalitions’ mediate pressures for convergence to the Anglo-Saxon model of decentralised bargaining. A strong employers association is expected to better appreciate the long run benefits of industry-wide bargaining, but also accommodate its firm-members needs for increased flexibility, striking effective compromises. In the absence of a strong employers association, the state may ‘fill the gap’ of employer associability and the institution is likely to survive due to a labour-state coalition. Unions will likely stem an employers’ offensive, if they are able to speak with a single voice and use their political influence effectively. The relevance of the argument is suggested by two critical case studies that trace developments in wage bargaining since the mid 1990s in Italian and Greek banking.

비정규직 문제 해결의 첫단추는 노동기본권 보장으로부터

According to the Constitution of Korea, “Workers shall have the right to independent association, collective bargaining, and collective action.” However, the courts have ruled that the rights to organize a trade union, collective bargaining and collective action can be exercised solely within a framework of an employment relationship. Based on these precedents, the basic labour rights of independent workers are not recognized and exercising these collective rights in relation to user employers or main contractors is not allowed.BR However, by virtue of the principles of freedom of association, all workers, with the sole exception of members of the armed forces and police, should have the right to establish and join organizations of their own choosing. The criterion for determining the persons covered by that right, therefore, is not based on the existence of an employment relationship. Freedom of association and the right to collectively bargain should be ensured, regardless of the form of employment relationship, as fundamental principles and rights at work. This is reaffirmed in the international labour standards including the Employment Relationship Recommendation (No. 198, 2006).BR Even if considering the difficulties of establishing whether or not an employment relationship exists, the scope of the rights to organize a trade union and to collective bargaining should not be determined on the premise of an employment relationship. On the contrary, collective bargaining and collective agreements in this area may be helpful for finding solutions to questions relating to the scope of the employment relationship.BR For years, Korean trade unions and precariously employed workers have struggled for basic labour rights and a few of them collectively bargained or achieved a collective agreement. However, these efforts have been confronted with suppression caused by biased interpretation and a biased application of law. Employers usually refuse collective bargaining and suppress trade union activities on the pretext of decisions by public authorities.BR The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), with various social movement organizations, has been demanding legislation to ensure rights for precariously employed workers since 2000. The existing labour laws are inadequate to protect workers in the changing labour market and changing organization of work. Especially, since definitions of “employee” and “employer” in labour laws are based on the traditional regular employment relationship, precarious types of work such as triangular employment workers and independent workers are left outside the scope of labour laws. This article proposes the legislation that adjusts the terms ‘employee’ and ‘employer’ in labour laws to reflect changes in the world of work.

Organisational merger and psychiatric morbidity: a prospective study in a changing work organisation

BackgroundProspective studies on the relationship between organisational merger and mental health have been conducted using subjective health indicators. The objective of this prospective occupational cohort study was to examine whether...

'You don't know what you've got till it's gone': re-contextualising the origins, development and impact of the call centre

This paper locates the emergence of call centres within the broader political economy. We demonstrate how British Gas responded to privatisation, restrictive regulation and the need to deliver shareholder value by radically changing work organisation. Using documentary evidence and oral testimonies, we show how the call centre was pivotal to tightening control over the labour process, to intensifying work and transforming the experience of work.

Commentary IV: Italian practices in monitoring the changing organisation of work

Commentary IV: Italian practices in monitoring the changing organisation of work

Commentary I: Monitoring the changing organisation of work: a European perspective

Soz.Praventivmed. 48 (2003) 349–350 0303-8408/03/060349–02 DOI 10.1007/s00038-003-0026-1 © Birkhauser Verlag, Basel, 2003 The EU has set itself to increase participation rates (which are notably lower than in the U.S.), to an overall rate of 70% (60% for women and 50% for the 55+) in 2010. This means enabling those in employment to remain in it, and those out of it to get more easily into it. One of the ways to achieve such is to improve both quality of employment (job security, social protection, income levels...) and quality of work (health and well-being, skills and competences, conciliation between working and non-working life). Not only should Europe create jobs, it should also create better jobs. The issue of monitoring (are we making any progress? is quality improving?), and the selection or the development of relevant indicators have therefore become a key issue both technically (how to do it?) and politically (on which issues? for which purposes?).

Changing Work Organization in Small Manufacturers: Challenges for Economic Development

This review article examines the growing literature on the changing employment practices of small and medium-sized manufacturers. Specifically, the authors examine the literature in three areas: (a) hiring practices, (b) employment security and retention, and (c) career ladders. Observers disagree about the extent to which restructuring has taken place in smaller firms, the nature of workplace change, and the impact of this change on employees and firms. The policy arena is just as contentious; a host of different strategies have been proposed to provide employment opportunities in manufacturing, particularly for low-income populations. By synthesizing the research to date and evaluating the key debates in this area, this literature review will assist economic development researchers and practitioners in making the leap to workforce issues.

Changing work organisation in America : what has happened and who has benefited?

In the USA, with a strong economy and falling unemployment, a large number of firms are still restructuring the workplace, including laying off workers. Coupled with this is a change in the employment relationship, giving some workers opportunities to use their knowledge and skills, while other workers are experiencing a deterioration in their working conditions. This paper, resulting from a survey carried out by the Sloan School of Management, MIT, in 1997, examines the spread of High Performance Work Systems and shows that managers accept that these innovations lead to higher productivity and quality. The survey also shows that workers welcome the higher levels of responsibility these work systems give. However, it also indicates that the balance of power within these firms is shifting away from employees to managers, resulting in higher possibilities of layoff and higher levels of income inequality.

Creating Roles for Social Work in Changing Health Care Organizations

SUMMARY Social work has historically been influenced by and influential in periods of social change. The current health care environment poses challenges to the profession whose function is to maximize adaptation. In addition to helping patients and families adapt to a rapidly changing health delivery system, social workers can develop roles that affect the direction and impact of organizational change, substantively if not fundamentally. This includes assisting staff to work professionally and maintain client-focus during organizational stress and chaos. This article develops one example of how social work expanded its role during a time of transition through staff education of another discipline at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, USA. The authors conceptualize the need for such practice, describe and analyze the program, and extrapolate practice principles for expanding social work roles in a changing work organization.

Workers’ investigations into the working environment

This article compares workers’ investigations into the working environment in Scandinavia with trade union research projects in Britain. The future of workers’ investigations in Britain is related to increasing concerns about occupational stress and changing work organisation with the introduction of new technology.