Women, work and recession: the other face of unemployment

In analysing women's economic role in a recession, critics and proponents of the "reserve army of labour" theory usually focus on the phenomenon of female unemployment. This paper looks instead at the effects of a female labour reserve on those in employment during a recession. The work experiences of 22 clothing machinists are used to illustrate the argument that a reserve of labour is a competitive force which facilitates management strategies to counter declining profitability. It is argued that such strategies can be pursued particularly successfully with a female workforce

From Hot Metal to Cold Type: New Technology in the Newspaper Industry

The paper examines the impact of radical changes in typesetting and composing techniques on 3 occupational groups employed in a major New Zealand newspaper: ex-linotype operators, hot-metal compositors and teletypesetters. The paper stresses the importance of adopting a "relational" approach to analyse the transformation of the labour process. The approach proceeds from the historically defined interests produced by the tensions and contradictions within and between organisations or groups

"The men make it seem like a secret society..." The struggle for control over 'direct inputting' of classified advertising in the New Zealand newspaper industry

This paper draws on a detailed empirical study of the New Zealand newspaper industry undergoing technological transformation to illustrate why an analysis of the labour process which adopts the classic Marxist problematic, class-in-itself and class for-itself, is limited. Instead the paper uses a 'relational' analysis (see Elbaum et al., 1979; Stark, 1980; Hill and Novitz, 1985) to show that answers to questions about control in the workplace must be sought by -analysing gender as well as class relations, and the complex interaction between the two

Connecting Policy, Research and Practice: What does it mean in practice?

In this paper we discuss a case study-based methodology for evaluation and policy development within the Department of Labour (DoL), which was jointly developed with the Centre for Research on Work, Education and Business (WEB Research) between 1997-2002. We illustrate the particular role of research in bridging policy and practice, and discuss our experiences in developing and using this methodology to understand the systemic linkages between regulation, firm behaviour and policy.By using a developmental research approach (Engestrom, 1996), distributed teams and the eo-construction of research tools, the case study-based research and evaluation methodology has generated expansive learning cycles (ibid.) for government agencies, researchers and stakeholders. Examples are drawn from the work undertaken by the Department of Labour and WEB Research, in particular evaluating Accident Insurance and Employment Regulation The paper examines some of the methodological issues and challenges involved in such an approach; as well as the implications for processes of policy formation, and for contract and project management

Joint Responsibility for the Operationof the Enterprise: Workplace Reform at BHP New Zealand

Ryan's (1994 )framework for understanding the essential components of workplace reform ties management notions of quality and continuous improvement- key 'drivers' in New Zealand business today- to union concerns about shared decision-making and joint responsibility between management and labour. The purpose of the present paper is to use a 'grounded theory' approach to further develop and illustrate that framework, drawing on a recent case study of workplace reform at BHP New Zealand Steel's Glenbrook plant between 1990 and 1994. Case study data on the company's Business Improvement Programme (BIP) shows what 'joint responsibility' actually means in terms of the development of business strategy and work practices built round quality on a day-to-day basis

Finnish Developmental Work Research (Dwr) – A Powerful Research Paradigm With Policy Possibilities?

Finnish Developmental Work Research (DWR) has been used in New Zealand by WEB Research, who have been world leading exponents of the approach. Over a twenty year period they used the approach in such varied research locales as the public sector (IRD, Immigration, NZQA), public/private organizations (Dutch Rail; the New Zealand Pip Fruit and Dairy Industries), and the private sector (a furniture manufacturer, two meat companies; and in the Wool and Meat Industries).However, the requirements of the approach, and of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) on which it is based, often did not sit comfortably with the New Zealand research environment at the end of the twentieth century. Consequently, sometimes research was foreclosed early before full results were apparent.This presentation will review the original DWR research approach and WEB’s use of it. It will then contrast two recent New Zealand primary industry applications in the Pip Fruit and Dairy Industries. The former led to spectacular policy success with the development and adoption of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme. The latter’s research component has been terminated. Application of the research results now rests with DairyNZ, the sponsors of the project, who have taken the extension of the research into their own hands. Conclusions are drawn on the key components of a successful application of the approach

Women, work and recession: the other face of unemployment

In analysing women's economic role in a recession, critics and proponents of the "reserve army of labour" theory usually focus on the phenomenon of female unemployment. This paper looks instead at the effects of a female labour reserve on those in employment during a recession. The work experiences of 22 clothing machinists are used to illustrate the argument that a reserve of labour is a competitive force which facilitates management strategies to counter declining profitability. It is argued that such strategies can be pursued particularly successfully with a female workforce

A Developmental Work Research (DWR) Study of Team and Organisational Learning at DHL Worldwide Express

The environment in which New Zealand businesses and public agencies operate is volatile, complex and uncertain. Organisations face a wide and competing range of demands. Managers and employees need to collaborate across functions, business units and teams. Practical research approaches are needed to help support them.This paper illustrates how a developmental work research (DWR) approach can support business process improvements and organisational/earning in continuously-changing, complex environments. We present findings from a PGSF study of cross-functional team problem-solving and learning at DHL Worldwide Express in Christchurch between April1997 and June 1998. The study used DWR methods, including analysis of videotaped meetings, developed at the University of Helsinki and the University of California San Diego by Engestrom and his colleagues (1996b).We describe how DWR was used to: analyse a process improvement initiative, or 'problem-trajectory', and how disturbances and tensions within this work activity reveal the underlying contradictions in DHL's operational and training systems; and identify opportunities for comprehensive system innovations that have a marked impact on productivity, efficiency and customer service