Beyond technological determinism: revitalising labour process analyses of technology, capital and labour

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-159
Author(s):  
Paul Thompson ◽  
Knut Laaser
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
Call Centre ◽  
Technological Determinism ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Work Relations ◽  
Labour Process ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Critical Commentary

Technological determinism is a recurrent feature in debates concerning changes in economy and work and has resurfaced sharply in the discourse around the ‘fourth industrial revolution’. While a number of authors have, in recent years, critiqued the trend, this article is distinctive in arguing that foundational labour process analysis provides the most effective source of an alternative understanding of the relations between political economy, science, technology and work relations. The article refines and reframes this analysis, through an engagement with critical commentary and research, developing the idea of a political materialist approach that can reveal the various influences on, sources of contestation and levels of strategic choices that are open to economic actors. A distinction is made between ‘first order’ choices, often about adoption at aggregate level and ‘second order’ choices mainly concerned with complex issues of deployment. This framework is then applied to the analysis of case studies of the call centre labour process and digital labour platform, functioning as illustrative scenarios. It is argued that the nature of techno-economic systems in the ‘digital era’ open up greater opportunities for contestation.

Braverman and the Contribution of Labour Process Analysis to the Critique of Capitalist Production - Twenty-Five Years on

2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Revolutionary Change ◽  
Capitalist Production ◽  
Work Relations ◽  
Labour Process ◽  
Conceptual Confusion ◽  
Different Levels

This paper seeks to reassess the contributions made by Braverman and subsequent labour process writers to the critique of capitalist production. Braverman's main motivation lay with the subversion of pro-capitalist ideologies. He identified deskilling tendencies with the capitalist imperative of accumulation in order to promote the case for revolutionary change. The labour process debate that Braverman helped to initiate, while successful in broadening understanding of concrete work relations, has difficulties in excavating the necessary interconnections of capitalist alienation and exploitation. In particular, there is a problem in separating out the different levels of analysis that link essence and appearance in the work context. Narrow focus on the labour process creates unnecessary conceptual confusion about the specificity of capitalist production, and also condones an unduly pessimistic political agenda on the prospects for transcending capitalist domination. In eschewing the important interconnections between workplace organisation and capitalist social relations, labour process analysis risks inverting the critical intent of Braverman's Labor and Monopoly Capital by promoting the continuation of the extant social order.

The Decline of Labour Process Analysis and the Future Sociology of Work

Sociology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 931-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damian O'Doherty ◽  
Hugh Willmott
Keyword(s):  
Process Analysis ◽  
Sociology Of Work ◽  
Labour Process ◽  
The Future

The Need for Speed – Technological Acceleration and Inevitabilism in Recent Danish Digitalization Policy Papers

SATS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-48
Author(s):  
Mads Vestergaard
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Technological Determinism ◽  
Economic Values ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Sociotechnical Imaginaries ◽  
Official Policy ◽  
The Empirical Analysis

Abstract The article explores whether sociotechnical imaginaries of digitalization as inevitable accelerating development can be traced in Denmark’s official policy papers concerning digitalization 2015–2020. It identifies imperatives of speed, acceleration and agility equal to what has been described as a corporate data imaginary as well as tropes of an imaginary of the fourth industrial revolution and inevitable exponential technological development and disruption. The empirical analysis discovers a shift in the studied period mid-2018, before which inevitabilism is prominent and after which the focus on non-economic values increases and the aim of influencing the development, instead of adapting to it, emerges. The article then addresses how imperatives of acceleration and narratives of inevitabilism may be considered problematic from a democratic point of view employing Hartmut Rosa’s critical diagnosis of the acceleration society and the notion of discursive closure. Finally, it discusses the empirical findings in light of technological determinism and constructivism inherent in the notion of sociotechnical imaginaries and introduces a sociotechnical selectionist theory allowing both for human agency in technological development while also providing a mechanism for explaining the emergence of law-like technological trends, as Moore’s Law, at macro level.

scholarly journals Toward a Political Economy of ‘Audience Labour’ in the Digital Era

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brice Nixon
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Political Economy ◽  
Cultural Consumption ◽  
Labour Process ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Productive Activities ◽  
Labour Exploitation ◽  
Human Labour ◽  
Political Economic

This article contributes to a political economic theory centred on the concept of “audience labour”. First, the previous use of the concept of audience labour is briefly traced and the process of rethinking the concept as the basis of a political economic theory is begun. Second, a theory of the audience labour process is developed, drawing on previous theories of audience activities of cultural consumption as productive activities of signification and adapting Marx’s theory of the human labour process to the audience labour process. Third, a political economy of audience labour is outlined. As a theory of the basic processes through which communicative capital can control and extract value from audience labour, it describes the exploitation of audience labour and accumulation of communicative capital through distribution relationships of rent and interest. Finally, the continuing centrality of audience labour exploitation in the digital era is discussed.

scholarly journals Digital and Intelligent Public Administration: transformations in the era of artificial intelligence

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (71) ◽  
pp. 55-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Gustavo Corvalán
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Impact

This article addresses the impact of the digital era and it specifically refers to information and communication technologies (ICT) in Public Administration. It is based on the international approach and underscores the importance of incorporating new technologies established by the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Thereon, it highlights the Argentine Republic national approach towards ICT, and how it has moved towards a digital paradigm. It then emphasizes on the challenges and opportunities that emerge from the impact that artificial intelligence has in transforming Public Administration. Finally, it concludes that the key challenge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is to achieve a boost towards a Digital and Intelligent Administration and government, which promotes the effectiveness of rights and an inclusive technological development that assures the digital dignity of people.  

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF E-COMMERCE AND E-ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGES ON DIGITAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN WEST SUMATRA IN SUPPORTING NATIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 808-814
Author(s):  
Siti Rahmi ◽  
Poppy Fauziati ◽  
Erni Febrina Harahap ◽  
Neva Novianti ◽  
Daniati Puttri
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Business People ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
National Economic ◽  
West Sumatra ◽  
Regression Tests ◽  
Descriptive Statistical Analysis

Purpose of study: This study aims to present empirical evidence about the analysis of e-entrepreneurship and e-commerce of digital economic development in West Sumatra in supporting national economic growth. Methodology: the hypothesis used in the statistical method of this study is to test the classical assumption and multiple regression tests and descriptive statistical analysis. Result: The results indicate that an increase in the number of E-entrepreneurship in Indonesia, especially in West Sumatra, provides a significant overall effect on national economic growth, the statistical result is 0.002% but the development of business people and the digital market developments haven't been significant because it is greater than alpha 5%. Application: In the digital era there are still many challenges faced, especially related to the absorption of skilled labor and can be supported e-entrepreneurship. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the strength of e-entrepreneurship in the digital economy to increase income and encourage national economic growth. Novelty/Originality of this study: This research has never been studied before in West Sumatra and raises a developing theme of the technological advancements of the industrial revolution and the digital era that can enhance the economic growth of a region.

The new concept of quality in the digital era: a human resource empowerment perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Balouei Jamkhaneh ◽  
Arash Shahin ◽  
Sahar Valipour Parkouhi ◽  
Reza Shahin
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cause And Effect ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Human Aspects

PurposeThis study aims to identify the drivers of human resource empowerment in understanding the new concept of Quality 4.0 in the digital era.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the literature of quality management evolution in the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) and the position of the required workforce in Quality 4.0 were reviewed and then by using the opinions of experts and managers of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS) firms, a set of driver effects on the readiness and ability of human resources was identified in the context of Quality 4.0. After identifying the drivers, cause-and-effect relationships among these drivers were investigated using the Grey DEMATEL technique.FindingsA total of 29 Quality 4.0 drivers of readiness and workforce ability were identified, based on multiple interactions of quality management in different stages of the production cycle. They were divided into new valuation approaches, composite dimensions, team creativity and thorough inspection. “Technical abilities and capability to solve problems” was identified as the most significant driver.Practical implicationsFindings help KIBS firms to take necessary measures and plans. Consequently, they can increase the readiness and ability of human resources based on the changes in managing Quality 4.0. Also, considering the importance of each driver, they will be able to take a step towards total quality improvement.Originality/valueDespite extensive research on the subject of the fourth Industrial Revolution, research on the human aspects required for managing Quality 4.0 is limited. This study was performed to examine the cause-and-effect relationships between human resource drivers to adapt to the changes in Quality 4.0.

scholarly journals Kajian Kritis Terhadap Strategi Reformasi Perpajakan Dalam Menyambut Era Digital

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 414
Author(s):  
Risa Mayasari ◽  
I Made Narsa
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Tax Reform ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Tax Reforms ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
The Right ◽  
Two Stages

The research aims to find and uncover the challenges of implementing tax reform in the digital age and formulate suitable strategies for tax reform. This research use descriptive qualitative, which use secondary data, collected in two stages, namely: searching and collecting relevant literature, and determining categories, and analyzing data with qualitative techniques. The results of the study revealed tax reform faces an increasingly greater challenge in the digital age, which is not only the challenge of increasing the capability and integrity of the tax authority, but also the challenge of integrating various occured changes because of digitalization and the industrial revolution 4.0. So that the right strategy in implementing tax reforms in the digital era is to increase the trust and compliance of taxpayers by increasing the capability and integrity of tax authorization through the modernization of the system and controlling tax human resources. Keywords: Tax Reform; Industrial Revolution 4.0; Tax Strategy; Taxpayers Complience.

scholarly journals The evolution of agribusiness management values from labor to brain mechanism that shape leadership style

2020 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 13033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kannapat Kankaew
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Styles ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Artificial Intelligent ◽  
Managerial Values ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Brain Mechanism ◽  
Management Concept

The managerial values have been changed overtime, because of external environment situations. It is also shaping leadership style in each era of the changes. This article, the authors aim to review the managerial values changing overtime from agricultural, to industrial revolution, computerization, technology, and until today the digitalization era. In each era, there were various scholar proposed management concept and values. Presently, some concepts are still in use, and each concept requires different leadership styles that affecting to organizational performancestrive to success its goals. The most well-known leadership styles are transactional and transformational style. Today, in digital era where artificial intelligent applied and things change swiftly, unpredictably. The leadership style in this era, the authors proposed leader should transform to ‘digitalizationalleader’.

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