Structure of Work in the American Economy

The structure of work in the American economy is in a period of transition as the 1990s approach. Externally, both international and domestic pressures demand increased productivity from organizations. Internally, employees demand greater participation in the organizational decisions which affect their lives. One of the factors which is involved in each of these pressure areas is the scheduling or organizational work time for employees. Several different alternatives to the standard 40hour per week, eighthour per day work week have been suggested, and, on limited scales, implemented. Among these alternatives are job sharing, flextime, and the fourday work week. The research study proposed will examine the fourday work week alternative.

In the 1990s, organizations must develop structures and systems which will permit them to integrate often conflicting demands. One set of often conflicting demands pits employee pressures for changes in the standard 40hour per week, eighthour per day work week against demands for increased

productivity. A change in the standard work week need not lead to productivity reductions. The effect of such a change on productivity will depend largely on the structure of the new system, and how well the characteristics of the new system meshes with organizational requirements. An ill considered, hasty change, however, could potentially cause a serious deterioration in productivity. On the other han

Related Essays

Choice of Work Hours & HR Management .... 1989, pp. 75 98). The structure of work in the American economy is in a period of transition in the early 1990s. Externally, both .... (2384 10 )

American Economy .... of reasons for believing that the class structure in America .... such as has not been seen in American business in .... and define the problem, then to work together to .... (1442 6 )

American Health Care Environment .... 1989, pp. 75-98). The structure of work in the American economy is in a period of transition in the 1990s. Externally, both international .... (8289 33 )

Impact of WWII on the US Economy .... came about as a result of American participation in .... a role in comprising the wartime economic structure. .... on the impact that the industrial work experience had .... (3764 15 )

THE ECONOMICS OF WOMEN, MEN & WORK .... be five subheadings that follow the structure of the .... beyond what is known from work in other .... the economic value of entrepreneurship to the American economy. .... (3699 15 )

ld cause an organization to tend to either overlook or to downplay the lower order needs (which include compensation in a modern industrial society). Acceptance of the Herzberg theory would cause an organization to continue to address needs such as compensation, without, however, placing a primary motivational emphasis on them. The Application of Power in Organizations Power is a concept with which organizational behaviorists have long been concerned (McDermott, 1985). The use of power within organizations is most often perceived as a practice employed by one individual to overcome the resistance of another, as a means of attaining an organizational goal (Pfeffer, 1981). In the context of this perception, power differences are thought to create problems within organizations, because such power differences lead to the development of organizational conflicts (Tjosvold, 1985). 7 Conflicts are typically thought to be essential, as a means of providing a setting where power many be employed (Lawrence, and Lorsch, 1986). This assumption is, to a degree, paradoxical, in that power differences are also thought to be one cause of organizational conflict. Nevertheless, the typical train of thought is that the use of pow

Category: Economics - S