Changing work organisation in America : what has happened and who has benefited?

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Osterman
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
High Performance Work Systems ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Number Of Firms

In the USA, with a strong economy and falling unemployment, a large number of firms are still restructuring the workplace, including laying off workers. Coupled with this is a change in the employment relationship, giving some workers opportunities to use their knowledge and skills, while other workers are experiencing a deterioration in their working conditions. This paper, resulting from a survey carried out by the Sloan School of Management, MIT, in 1997, examines the spread of High Performance Work Systems and shows that managers accept that these innovations lead to higher productivity and quality. The survey also shows that workers welcome the higher levels of responsibility these work systems give. However, it also indicates that the balance of power within these firms is shifting away from employees to managers, resulting in higher possibilities of layoff and higher levels of income inequality.

Competition, market commonality, and resource similarity: precursors to HPWS

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1830-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Ryan Prince
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
Resource Based View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Performance Work Systems ◽  
Statistical Support ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect competition has on organizations’ use of high-performance work systems (HPWSs). Specifically, using the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, it develops a logic for why firms will increase their use of an HPWS when competition increases. It investigates the direct effect of competition on HPWS use. Additionally, it takes a look at the impact market commonality and resource similarity have on the influence of competition on organizations’ use of an HPWS. Design/methodology/approach Survey method design was used to collect data about organizations from 127 alumni of two large Midwestern universities in the USA. Data were analyzed using OLS regression analysis. Findings The main finding of this paper is that competition increases the use of HPWSs. There was not statistical support for the effect of market commonality or resource similarity to influence the competition–HPWS relationship. Originality/value This study uses the RBV of the firm to understand how competition influences the adoption of HPWSs. Additionally, it also investigated the effect of market commonality and resource similarity, which has not previously been looked at.

Immigrants and job satisfaction: Do high performance work systems play a role?

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Chowhan ◽  
Isik U Zeytinoglu ◽  
Gordon B Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
High Performance Work Systems

The effect of high performance work systems on small and medium size enterprises

2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 1463-1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Vicente Pascual Ivars ◽  
Jose Manuel Comeche Martínez
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
High Performance Work Systems

Empowerment e intensificazione? Gli effetti dei nuovi sistemi di lavoro sui lavoratori1

2012 ◽  
pp. 45-75
Author(s):  
Torre Edoardo Della
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
New Work ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
High Performance Work Systems ◽  
Sceptical View

The debate about the effects of new work systems - the so-called High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) - in terms of improving economic performance and productivity of the enterprise is rich in contributions and a substantial convergence is recorded in saying that, in the presence of a well thought-out and properly implemented system, the effects are positive. More neglected and controversial are the effects that these practices have for the well-being of workers. Through a review of theoretical and empirical literature on the topic, this paper analyses the traditional opposition between supporters of the "empowerment view" and supporters of the "intensification view". The former consider the HPWS such as win-win solutions for enterprises and workers, while the latter believe that the HPWS are a managerial expedient that aims to intensify the pace of work and the efforts required to workers. The results show that both positions are sustainable and attach to internal tensions related to HPWS (i.e. control/ discretion, responsibility/stress, etc.) the uncertainty of the results found from the literature. This interpretation finds in the intermediate "sceptical view" the more careful position to adopt and suggests to pay greater attention to the measurement adopted to analyze these relationships and to the characteristics of the employees and of the context in which HPWS are introduced. Finally, some directions for the development of future researches in this area are drawn.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document