Citation
Cole, Robert E.; Kalleberg, Arne L.; & Lincoln, James R. (2006). Assessing Commitment in the United States and Japan: A Comment on Besser [Reprint].. Beynon, Huw & Nichols, Theo (Eds.) (pp. 409-412). Northampton, Mass.: Edward Elgar.Abstract
The editors (both of the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff U., UK) bring together 48 papers that critically analyze Fordism, post-Fordism, and other capitalist modes of production. The papers generally are concerned with the sociological aspects of production, including labor- management relations and labor conditions, and many critical voices have been included. The papers have been organized into sections examining Fordism, modes of production originating in the Japanese automobile industry, flexible specialization, and lean production, with a final paper examining the emerging debate over "McDonaldization" of production systems. The discussion is generally empirical in nature and includes cases from around the industrialized world. Examples of specific topics include the roots of mass production, the social organization of labor process in the Japanese automobile industry, "Total Quality Management" as a resurrected form of Taylorism, occupational health consequences of Japanese production management, the sociological meaning of workplace flexibility, lean production as "management-by-stress," and the psychology of lean production.Reference Type
Book SectionYear Published
2006Author(s)
Cole, Robert E.Kalleberg, Arne L.
Lincoln, James R.