Transformative power: a study in human service organization

Although the activities of large industrial and financial corporations dominate economies around the world, their impact on the distribution of employment and the use of new production techniques is much disputed. In this two-volume set, the editors examine the changes which have taken place in the organization of work and the nature of employment over the last half century. The articles selected for these volumes address the issues of work, skills and employment, with particular focus on the manufacturing sector, which has seen rapid change in working practices, and on the expanding service sector, where new kinds of jobs entail serving customers and working in the money, banking and financial services, call-centres and the public and government sector. Many of the studies challenge the utopian view of post-Fordist work regimes and raise questions about the effectiveness of post-Fordist concepts in accounting for the variety of changes in the world economy. In a new introduction, the editors offer a comprehensive overview and discussion of these concerns.