Consider the following questions:
Explain the relationship between technology and organizational structure.
What advantage over direct control does technical control provide for management? What are the drawbacks of technical control?
What is deskilling? Give an example, not discussed in the book, of a technological change that resulted in deskilling for one group of workers but skill upgrading for a different group of workers.
Explain what Burawoy means by "making out" and give your own example of how workers do this. What is the effect of "making out" according to Burawoy?
Explain how computers allow both greater access to information and greater centralization of control. Which of these do you think will be the dominant effect?
Explain why women are underrepresented in unskilled work, yet Blacks and Hispanics are overrepresented.
What factors led to the decline of the steel industry in the United States?
What characteristics of work give craft workers relative security from layoffs?
What strategies have American manufacturing firms pursued in response to increased international competition? How have these contributed to a declining middle class?
What is externalization? How does it encourage plant closings?
What is externalization? How does it encourage plant closings?