The Transformation of Work Revisited: The Limits of Flexibility in American Manufacturing
Author(s)
Vallas, Steven; Beck, John
Abstract
In theory, post-Fordist work processes achieve flexibility by using new information technologies and less- hierarchical forms of management to respond to rapid changes in product markets. The discussion of post-Fordist regimes is part of a long-standing debate about the relationship between technology and the skill content of production jobs. Drawing on case study material, this paper examines the experiences of shop floor workers when new technology and new management practices were introduced. Rather than greater flexibility as predicted by post-Fordism, it finds a trend toward greater standardization and displacement of discretion from craft-based to engineering-based knowledge.
