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New Production Arrangements: The Totally Flexible Cage?

Author

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  • Patrick Dawson

    (Graduate School of Management University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia 5001)

  • Janette Webb

    (Department of Business Studies University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH8 9JY)

Abstract

This paper examines the management of innovation and change in two different operating units on a single site of a UK Division of a high technology US-owned multinational corporation. The transformation of work in changing from `production for stock' to `production to order' is analysed, and the process of changing established patterns of work (as a brownfield operation), and designing new production arrangements from the outset (as a greenfield operation) are contrasted and compared. The key features of Just-in-Time and Total Quality Control principles are identified and the extent to which they represent real inovations in production is assessed. The paper concludes with a critical discussion of the flexible specialisation debate through reappraising the empirical evidence, and concludes by rejecting the view that modern production arrangements signal the general enhancement of working life through a reversal of the division of labour, increased worker autonomy and greater employee involvement in production.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick Dawson & Janette Webb, 1989. "New Production Arrangements: The Totally Flexible Cage?," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 3(2), pages 221-238, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:3:y:1989:i:2:p:221-238
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    Cited by:

    1. Humphrey J., 1992. "New technologies, flexible automation, work organisation and employment in manufacturing," ILO Working Papers 992872663402676, International Labour Organization.
    2. P. K. Edwards, 1992. "Industrial Conflict: Themes and Issues in Recent Research," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 30(3), pages 361-404, September.
    3. repec:ilo:ilowps:287266 is not listed on IDEAS

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