There are three concerns that this article covers, providing an introduction to the rest of the volume. First, work is an essential human activity and economic process that encompasses much more than paid employment. Second, work is a social process that shapes is shaped by workers’ actions and beliefs, just tithe individuals’ employment decisions but the culture of work is important. Last, institutional, technological, and political forces are changing the nature of work in ways that may require reflective changes in economic theories. This article will focus on this last issues, the history of work and the accompanying change in theory; an introduction of the other two issues will then be given.
