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'You’ll (n)ever walk alone'. Innovative Wissensarbeit zwischen individualistischem Leistungsregime und kommunitaerer Teamkultur ('You’ll (n)ever walk alone'. Innovative knowledge work: Individual performance systems as opposed to communitarian team culture)

Author

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  • Doerhoefer, Steffen
  • Funder, Maria

Abstract

Im Fokus des Beitrages steht die Arbeitsregulation in wissensbasierten Unternehmen. Interessenvertretungen werden hier nicht nur damit konfrontiert, dass hochqualifizierte Beschaeftigte – Wissensarbeiter/innen – zur Selbstvertretung tendieren, sondern auch mit neuen integrativen Human Resource Strategien, in denen Commitment und Empowerment eine grosse Rolle spielen. Ob das Spannungsverhaeltnis zwischen individualistischer Leistungsorientierung und kommunitaerer Teamkultur – das Paradox der Wissensarbeit – hierdurch jedoch geloest werden kann, ist die Frage; ebenso wie die Vereinbarkeit mit traditionellen Institutionen der Interessenvertretung. Zur Analyse wird das Theoriekonzept der „institutionellen Logiken“ herangezogen, das uns Aufschluss ueber die in wissensbasierten Unternehmen vorherrschenden Spannungen und Interessenskonflikte geben soll. Am Beispiel von Pharma- und Biotech-Unternehmen wird gezeigt, wie widerspruechliche institutionelle Logiken entstehen und bearbeitet werden. Diskutiert werden mit Blick auf die empirischen Befunde auch die Chancen fuer eine Rekonfiguration kollektiver Formen der Arbeitsregulation. (This article examines the role of work regulation in knowledge-based firms. Collective interest representation is faced with a preference of knowledge workers for self-representation as well as the need to counteract integrative human resource strategies which support commitment and empowerment. Could these management strategies resolve the tension between an individualistic performance orientation and a communitarian team culture – the paradox of knowledge work? Or, does knowledge work fit well with traditional models of collective interest representation? Our analysis is based on the theory of institutional logics that offers a framework for investigating tensions and conflicting interests within knowledge-based firms. With reference to the example of pharmaceutical and biotech companies, the article describes how contradictory institutional logics develop and how they are applied. Our empirical findings provide a further discussion of possibilities for reconfiguring the collective representation of interests.)

Suggested Citation

  • Doerhoefer, Steffen & Funder, Maria, 2016. "'You’ll (n)ever walk alone'. Innovative Wissensarbeit zwischen individualistischem Leistungsregime und kommunitaerer Teamkultur ('You’ll (n)ever walk alone'. Innovative knowledge work: Individual perf," Industrielle Beziehungen - Zeitschrift fuer Arbeit, Organisation und Management - The German Journal of Industrial Relations, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 23(4), pages 458-476.
  • Handle: RePEc:rai:indbez:doi:10.1688/indb-2016-04-doerhoefer
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    knowledge-intensive firms; institutional logics; organisational field; employment relations; innovation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • P12 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Enterprises

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