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Review Notes on   The Future of Work
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 Changing Trends in the Workplace   
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 Three Master Trends in the Workplace   
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 Computer Tech & the Future of Work   
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           Robots, Artifical Intelligence, & the End of Work   
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 The Integrated World Econ   
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 Labor Force Diversity   
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 Work in the 21st Century   
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 The Innovative Sector   
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            An Employee Participation Continuum   
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                       Work Teams & Innovation   
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                       Co Determination & Joint Union Mgt Programs & Innovation   
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                       Employee Ownership & Innovation   
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                       Job Security & Innovation   
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                      Training & Innovation   
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                       Distributing Profits & Innovation   
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            Barriers to Innovative Job Re Design & Innovation   
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            The Innovative Sector:  Google   
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 The Marginal Sector   
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            Low Pay & Few Benefits   
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            Modern Sweatshops   
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            Absence of Employee Commitment   
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            Continuingly Disadvantaged Wkrs   
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            Marginal Employment in a Retail Distribution Center   
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 Better Work in the Future:  The Post Work Society   
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            Increasing Innovation   
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                       Organizational & Mkt Imperatives to Increase Innovation   
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                       Increased Wkr Power to Increase Innovation   
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                       The Role of  Unions to Increase Innovation   
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                       Education & Training to Increase Innovation   
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                       Wkplace Experimentation to Increase Innovation   
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            Leisure Society   
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                       Expanding Leisure   
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            Public Goods & Reduced Consumption Lifestyles   
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            Creative, Communal Society   
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            The Post Work 'Work' Society   
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                       Reducing Marginal Employment   
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            The Role of Govt in the Post Work Society   

 
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 Outline on   Changing Trends in the Workplace 
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  CONTRARY TO LOGIC, WHILE TECH HAS MADE US MORE PRODUCTIVE, LEISURE TIME HAS DECREASED
 
  There are many trends that even the experts were unable to predict:   
  There is mounting evidence of "time poverty," overwork, & a squeeze on time 
 
  People report their leisure time has declined by as much as 1/3rd since the early 1970s 
 
  We are spending less time on the basics, like:  cooking, house keeping, sleeping, eating, & others 
 
  Parents are devoting less attn to their children 
 
  Stress is on the rise, partly owing to the balancing act of reconciling the demands of work & family life 
 
  Technology was once seen as possibly creating automated factories effortlessly churning out products 
 
  45 yrs of increasing productivity have failed to liberate us from work, & today we are beginning to question techl potential & analyze the cultural, social, econ, & political context in which tech is put to use 
 
  THE RAPIDLY CHANGING WKPLACE OF TODAY HERALDS MORE DRAMATIC CHANGES FOR THE NEAR & DISTANT FUTURE IN WHICH WORK WILL BECOME MORE OF A CALLING & LESS OF A CAREER  
  The rapidly changing econ, tech, & orgl realities of today's global econ are setting the stage for the world of work in the 21st C   
  For the 1st time in hist, we can speak of a global wkplace   
  Night shifts in No Am communicate instantaneously w morning shifts in Europe & w/ afternoon shifts in Asia   
  Global corps link production sites around the world w/o regard for geographic or political boundaries   
  The transformation of the global corp is not the product of tech alone   
  It is tempting to view the changes in the wkplace as beyond the control of the average person   
  Even the highly successful wkrs may feel helpless in the face of global competition or 'the system'   
  The welfare of wkrs & all of us depends on who controls the nature & direction of change   
  Wkrs around the world are deeply involved in this process of transformation in the wkplace & are far from powerless   
  Wkrs' power is based on their knowledge of the tech & the product & on their collective orgs, such as unions & professional assoc   
  The challenge for wkrs & analysts alike is anticipating the consequences of the changing nature of wk   
  All changes have multiple effects, some anticipated, some unanticipated  
  Some changes are benign, others are not so benign   
  There are several trends that are of crucial importance in determining the nature of  wk in the future, including the: 
-  spread of  microprocessors, including AI 
-  use of robotics 
-  increase of global competition 
-  distribution of income 
-  improvement of productivity 
-  use of orgl innovation 
-  safer wkplace, 
-  reducing env harm, 
-  post work workplace include developing meaningful, productive lives for societal members 
-  completion of marginalized populations entering the wkforce to create the most comprehensive wkforce possible 		  
  Based on the trends today, it is possible to project the possibility of a future society in which there is an increasing divide btwn a highly innovative & productive sector & a marginal sector, increased immigration of  people in search of wk, more displaced wkrs seeking new careers, an increase in small business, an increase in the artisan & entertainment sectors, & more people trying to find meaning in life in new ways outside of the tradl wkplace   
  The emergence of such a divided society is a possibility but not a certainty if wkrs employ mechanisms for increasing innovation, increasing wkrs voice, & reducing marginality   

 
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 Outline on  Three Master Trends in the Workplace
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  THREE TRENDS AFFECTING THE FUTURE WKPLACE INCLUDE THE:  ORGANIZATION & TECH, THE PURSUIT OF PRODUCTIVITY, & THE MAKE UP OF THE WKFORCE
 
  The three master trends that affect the wkplace of the future are the role of tech & organization in the wkplace, the competitive climate, & the changing composition of the labor force   
  The three master trends that affect the wkplace of the future combine in many ways to produce many possible outcomes   
 
 Figure:  Three Master Trends in the Workplace 

The Figure on Three Master Trends in the Wkplace indicates that the manner in which organization, tech, productivity, & the wkforce are structured will determine the nature of the future wkplace & determine if innovative or marginal jobs will prevail
 
  No Am jobs are centered somewhere in the middle of of the dynamic of org & tech, productivity, & labor force   
  A choice to use org & tech in a way that increases the utilization of wkrs skills would represent a shift to a point closer to the innovative sector   
  A choice to use org & tech to simplify or eliminate jobs is a shift to a point closer to the marginal sector   
 
 The intersection of optimization of the wkforce, org, tech, & productivity has the effect of alleviating the competitive threat, resulting in jobs shifting to the innovative sector 
 
 
 Women & members of minority grps are coming to be a larger proportion of the labor force, but whether their labor power is fully utilized depends on the types of jobs available to them 
 
 
 The intersection of an untrained, homogenous wkforce, the use of old forms of org, a lack of new tech, & subsequent low productivity represents factors maximizing employment in the marginal sector 
 
  Greater access for female & minority wkrs to full time, yr round jobs in preferred occupations & industries is occurring in the innovative sector as a result of the need for more committed & well trained wkrs   
 
 A mvmt for female & minority wkrs to full time, yr round jobs in preferred occupations & industries would do more for achieved wage & power equality in the wkplace than any govt regs such as affirmative action 
 
  THE CHALLENGE FOR THE FUTURE IS TO EXPAND THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT & MINIMIZE THE MARGINAL SECTOR  
  Even if most jobs in No Am fail to move to the innovative sector, some jobs will   
  It is possible that women & minorities could be less adequately utilized than they are today; toward the marginal sector of the econ   
  The innovative sector represents tech & org used to complement wkrs' skills, competitive threats addressed by productivity increases, & women & minorities move closer to equality  
  From the pt of view of the 3 major trends in the wkplace, the question is how to achieve full time, yr round jobs in preferred occupations & industries for women & minorities; is it through govt regs such as affirmative action, or some other mechanism?   
  Both structural factors & govt regs are moving to integrate women & minorities into preferred occupations & industries   
  The structural factors moving women & minorities into preferred occupations & industries is the ever greater demand for skilled labor & thus as women & minorities gain skills & training they are moving into all sectors of the econ   
  The govt regs moving to integrate women & minorities into preferred occupations & industries include regs aimed at equal access to both education & jobs   
  MANY EMPLOYERS SEE ONLY THE ADVANTAGES OF THE MARGINAL SECTOR, & HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THE ADVANTAGES OF THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR   
  The marginal sector of the econ is the result of the intersection of a homogenous wkforce, old org forms & tech, & subsequent low productivity   
  The marginal sector of the econ is characterized by jobs that exhibit little innovation, require low tech & standard organization, are not competitive, & employ low skilled wkrs   
  In the marginal sector, pressures will persist to use women & member for minority grps as reserve wkrs, calling them up for part time or seasonal wk as needed, or paying them low wages to undercut the wage demands of higher paid wkrs   
  Org & tech may be used to deskill or eliminate jobs, esp in response to competitive pressure   
  Even if  most jobs do not move toward the marginal sector, some jobs will   
  Most jobs will still lie somewhere btwn the innovative sector & the marginal sector of the econ in the 21st C   

 
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 Outline on  Computer Tech & the Future of Work
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  -  Supplement:  Nuwer. Machines Take Over.  2015 
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  -  Supplement:  McKinsey.  Automation & the Future of Work.  2014 
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  TECH & ORGL INNOVATION ELIMINATES SOME JOBS, & CREATES OTHERS 
 
  Tech & org advances increased productivity in both mfr & the services   
  Innovation takes place in 2 fundamental dimensions:  tech or machine innovation, & organizational innovation   
  Initially, productivity advances involved a finer div of  labor into more minute tasks   
  Another avenue to productivity advances involved the org of jobs along moving assembly lines   
  New tech involves to use of automated machines, computer controlled robotics, & automated info processing   
  Electronic tech is having an impact on a broad range of industries & occupations   
  The 'info revolution' is increasing production even more than the mass production technologies of the 20th C   
                  INNOVATION IN TECH & ORG INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY, THUS ELIMINATING JOBS, BUT ALSO CREATING JOBS IN NEW SECTORS OF THE ECON                   
  Electronic & machine tech, & orgl innovation have increased productivity & created skilled jobs   
  Tech has shortened the time needed to develop new products   
  The pace of change has increased, giving rise to faster econ growth   
  Microprocessor tech has encouraged greater employee participation, which is required to ensure the successful  use of sophisticated tech   
  BESIDES THE DILEMMA OF WHETHER NEW TECH CREATES MORE JOBS THAN IT ELIMINATES, OR VICE VERSA, A WEAKNESS IS THAT NEW TECH REQUIRES RETRAINING OF WKRS SO THEY MAY TRANSITION FROM OLD ECON SECTORS TO NEW   
  On the negative side, tech has created new stresses b/c of the deskilling of some wkrs, the displacement of wkrs, the electronic monitoring or surveillance of wkrs, & unintended consequences of a variety of types   
  The accelerated pace of tech change assoc w/ microprocessors has created rapid change in the workplace & in wkplace relations   
  Tech changes have destabilized both the older patterns of wk as well as the relationships among wkrs & btwn wkrs & mgrs   
  Tech by itself does not determine the direction of these changes b/c other factors are equally important for determining changes in the nature of wk   
  Since the 1st job was lost to tech at the beginning of the ind rev, social scientists have tried to determine if tech creates more jobs than it eliminates   
  Studies have not clearly determined if tech creates more jobs than it eliminates, w/ innumerable studies supporting one side or the other   
  Today it is likely that tech does create more jobs than it eliminates, but this is of little benefit to those who lose their jobs b/c these wkrs usually cannot simply switch jobs or careers to those in the new tech sector   
  What is needed for wkrs displaced by tech is paid education or retraining for new jobs, & the support needed to be able to take advantage of that ed or retraining   
  THE SHARING ECON & THE CONTRACTING ECON ARE GOING TODAY & WILL BE EVEN LARGER IN THE FUTURE ECON      
  In the 1950s, Henry Ford II, the CEO of Ford, & Walter Reuther, the head of the UAW union, were touring a new engine plant in Cleveland.  Ford gestured to a fleet of machines & said, "Walter, how are you going to get these robots to pay union dues?" The union boss famously replied:  "Henry, how are you going to get them to buy your cars?"  
  While one dilemma of the expansion & tech & the elimination of jobs is the creation of new jobs & the retraining of wkrs, another dilemma is how wealth creation in the post work econ will be distributed so that we may continue w/ our consumer driven econ   
  Computers & the internet have made the sharing econ & the contracting econ possible  
  The sharing econ has many characteristics, including:   
  -  more people estbing small businesses to share their assets, from their cars to their homes   
  -  'wkrs' foregoing a wage, & earning income through the delivery of  a contracted service, provision of a product, or both   
  -  fewer people working for a business & more people wking for themselves or contracting to a business   
  Two of the biggest recent successes in the sharing econ are Air B & B & Uber   

 
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 Outline on  Robots, Artificial Intelligence, & the End of Work
External
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  -  Supplement:  Nuwer. Machines Take Over.  2015 
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  -  Supplement:  McKinsey.  Automation & the Future of Work.  2014 
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  -  Project:  Will Technology End Work? 
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  AT SOME POINT TECHNOLOGY WILL 'END WORK'
 
  New tech, both machine / computer tech, as well as orgl tech, both eliminates jobs & creates new jobs   
  Today analysts argue whether tech creates or destroys more jobs, & it is not even clear if the trend is to create or destroy jobs   
  The reality is that if it is not happening yet, at some point tech will eliminate more jobs that it creates, resulting in 'the end of work'   
  Whether the end of work is beginning now, or beginning in 20 or 50 or even 100 yrs, work as we know it, ie the amt of wk as well as the type of work we do is rapidly changing   
  Tech could exert a slow but continual downward pressure on the value & availability of work, that is, on wages & on the share of prime age wkrs w/ full time jobs   
 
 Eventually, by degrees, tech could create a new normal, where the expectation that wk will be a central feature of adult life dissipates for a significant portion of society 
 
  ROBOTS AS WE KNOW THEM WILL TAKE JOBS, BUT MOST WORK WILL BE DONE BY NON ROBOT LIKE TECH COMBINED W/ SOME FORM OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AS IN THE 'SMART ASSEMBLY LINE'   
  We often think of the job losses from tech as those jobs lost to computers or robots, but the reality today is that tech eliminates jobs through new systems that are more productive   
  Examples of systems productivity can be seen in US steel production where whole new, more productive plants were designed from the ground up   
  In 1977 Youngstown Sheet & Tube closed its Campbell Works mill, & w/in 5 yrs the city lost 50 K jobs & $1.3 bb in mfr   
  Many complain that regulation has resulted in large job losses in coal, but the reality is that larger machines & competition w/ natural gas have by far caused the most job losses   
  SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE WE ARE ALREADY AT THE TIPPING POINT WHERE WE ARE LOSING MORE JOBS THAN TECH CREATES, THOUGH THE MAJORITY DISAGREE   
  Some see the labor mkt at the tipping pt where automation destroys more jobs than it replaces as we see robots in the operating room & behind fast food counters   
  The capabilities of machines continue to expand exponentially   
  The disappearance of wk would usher in a social transformation unlike any we've see   
  Industriousness has served as if it were America's unofficial religion since its founding   
  The sanctity & preeminence of wk lies at the heart of the nation's politics, econ, culture, & social interactions   
  WAGE LEVELS & THE AMOUNT OF THE WAGE SECTOR OF THE WKFORCE IS DRAMATICALLY DECLINING         
  There are reasons to take seriously the argument of the end of work could result in:  the ongoing triumph of capital over labor, the quiet demise of the wking person, & the impressive display of the dexterity of info tech, & on the other hand the rise of the leisure life   
  One of the 1st signs of societal level tech displacement is the diminishment of human labor as a driver of econ growth   
  The share of US econ output paid out in wages fell in the 1980s, reversed some losses in the 90s, & has continued to fall since then   
  The share of US econ output paid out in wages is at its lowest level since the govt started keeping track in the mid 20th C   
  Karabarbounis & Neiman, economists at the U of Chicago, have estm that almost half of the decline in the wage econ is the result of businesses' replacing wkrs w/ computers & software   
  In 1964, the nation's most valuable firm, AT&T, was worth $267 bb in today's dollars & employed 758,611 people, but today's telecommunications giant,
Google, is worth $370 billion but has only about 55,000 wkrs, less than 1/10th the size of AT&T's wkforce in its heyday 		  
  THE LEVELS NON WKING MEN & UNDEREMPLOYED YOUTH ARE INCREASING   
  The share of prime age Americans (25 to 54 yrs old) who are wking has been trending down since 2000   
  Among men, the share of prime age men who are neither wking nor looking for wk has doubled since the late 1970s, & has increased as much throughout the recovery as it did during the Great Recession itself   
  In 2015, the suicide rate for prime age men was high & increasing faster than for any other grp   
  Economists cannot say for certain why men are turning away from wk, but one explanation is that tech change has helped eliminate the jobs for which many are best suited, & b/c the US sys is not set up to efficiently retrain them, many fall out of the wkforce or take a job that under employs them   
  Young people just coming onto the job mkt are also struggling, & by many measures have been for yrs.   
  6 yrs into the recovery, the share of recent college grads who are underemployed is still higher than it was in 2007, or, for that matter, 2000   
  The supply of non college jobs is shifting away from high paying occupations, such as electrician, toward low wage service jobs, such as waiter   
  More people are pursuing hi ed, but the real wages of recent college graduates have fallen by 7.7 % since 2000   
  In the biggest picture, the job mkt appears to be requiring more & more preparation for a lower & lower starting wage   
  Wage stagnation is likely a function of both tech as well as increased competition, as well as other factors   
  MFR EMPLOYMENT HAS COLLAPSED B/C OF  BOTH GLOBALIZATION & TECHNOLOGY  
  Some argue that the fact that self checkout has not fully displaced humans demonstrates that tech will never completely displace wkrs   
  Firms typically take yrs, even decades to embrace new machines at the expense of wkrs   
  The robotics rev began in factories in the 1960s & 70s, but mfr employment kept rising until 1980, & then collapsed during the subsequent recessions   
  The personal computer existed in the 80s, but there was not any significant effect on office & admin support jobs until the 90s, & then suddenly, in the last recession, the impact of the PC in the office was huge   
  The 3 most common jobs:  driver, office support, & checker are now nearly able to be completely eliminated by tech, & the mvmt toward this elimination is slow, but inexorable   
  TECH & THE IMPACT OF TECH IN THE WKPLACE IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT & OFTEN HAS UNEXPECTED & UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES  
  The role of tech in the wkplace is nearly unpredictable   
  No one saw the impact of the smart phone in eliminating hotel jobs by helping home owners rent out their apartments & houses to strangers on Air B & B   
  In 2013, Oxford U forecast that machines might be able to perform half of all US jobs in the next 20 yrs   
  In a few cases, Oxford didn't go far enough b/c some professional jobs are now being computerized   
  Oxford believed that psychologists are one of the occupations least likely to be computerizable, but some research suggests that people are more honest in therapy sessions when they believe they are confessing their troubles to a computer, b/c a machine can't pass moral judgment, & b/c computers can be programmed to respond to any issue   
  Google & WebMD are already answering questions once reserved for one's therapist   
  The computerization of therapy doesn't prove that psychologists are going the way of the textile worker, rather, it shows how easily computers can encroach on areas previously considered 'for humans only'   
  Uber now logs more miles than the rental car industry   
  IT TOOK ABOUT 50 YRS FOR THE AUTO, TRACTOR, TRUCK, ETC TO REPLACE THE HORSE   
  One example of how humans may be replaced by tech can be seen in the socio historical work of the horse   
  For centuries, humans created tech that made the horse more productive & more valuable, like plows for ag & lances for battle   
  Horses increased in value until early in the 20th C when tractors became common   
  As the result of tech dev, horses' place in the wkforce was completely eliminated in less than 50 yrs   
  ONLY 5 % OF RECENT OCCUPATIONS ARE 'NEW' IN THAT THEY ARE IN SECTORS THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE; 90 % OF OCCUPATIONS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 100 YRS OR MORE  
  It is clear that tech creates jobs as well as eliminates them, but creative destruction is often overstated   
  9 of 10 wkrs today are in occupations that existed 100 yrs ago, & just 5 % of the jobs created btwn 93 & 2013 came from hi tech sectors like computing, software, & telecom   
  The new industries tend to be the most labor efficient; they just don't require many people   
  WE CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE END OF UNIVERSAL WORK & THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF WORK  
  Many social scientists, futurologists, & others think we need to start designing a world w/o universal work   
  There are fragments of the post work future present in the here & now in both social structures & culture   
  Some people have found ways to survive, not get rich, w/o working full time, more & more people are working part time, more & more people are not in the wkforce   
  Thompson sees overlapping possibilities as formal wok declines, some people   
  a.  who can afford it, will devote their freedom to leisure   
  b.  will build productive communities outside the wkplace   
  c.  will fight, in many cases fruitlessly, to keep jobs by piecing together jobs in an informal econ   
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 The 3 possible paths as work declines may be the futures of: 
a.  leisure society 
b.  creative, communal society 
c.  post work 'work' society 
 

 
  The  3 possible paths as work declines assume that the world will have to embrace a new role for govt   

 
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 Outline on the  Integrated World Economy
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  GLOBALIZATION IS PROCEEDING AT AN UNPRECEDENTED PACE; THE TYPICAL WKPLACE OF THE FUTURE WILL BE GLOBALIZED W/ RESPECT TO RAW MATERIALS, PRODUCTION, CONSUMERS, & REALIZATION OF PROFITS 
 
  The world econ following WW 2 was integrated to a higher level than ever before   
  The level of integration of the world econ varies widely among the nations   
  Nations vary in their level of industrialization & how they are integrated into the global econ   
  Some nations are dependent suppliers of raw material or partially finished components to more industrialized nations; others are autonomous producers of finished goods & services  
  GLOBALIZATION HAS DESTROYED THE NATIONAL MONOPOLIES OF THE LATE 1800s / EARLY 1900s, BUT FEW ARE CONSIDERING THE IMPACT OF MONOPOLIES AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL WHICH WILL DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE 
 
  The integration of the world econ has greatly increased competition   
 
 After WW 2, Japan, Euro, & other nations rebuilt w/ newer, more modern factories & re entered the world mkt 
 
  Many developing nations have also industrialized & have become important producers of mfr goods   
  So Korea now sells cars in the Am mkt, something undreamed of 20 yrs ago   
  Much of the work in low wage, labor intensive industries is now performed in less developed nations, further intensifying the competitive pressure on wkrs in the industrialized nations   
  Changes in the world econ have also contributed to increased change in the wkplace from the board room to the shop floor 
 
  Increased intl competition  has heightened threats to the jobs of wkrs in the industrialized nations 
 
  Greater competitive pressures require orgl change & innovation for econ survival 
 
  THE COMPLEXITY OF ECONOMIES WHICH ARE BOTH MODERN & GLOBAL, & THE NEED TO ATTEMPT TO CONTROL GROWTH RATES HAVE RESULTED IN MORE ECON PLANNING AT THE NATION STATE LEVEL & THERE WILL BE MORE PLANNING IN THE FUTURE   
  Similar techl, orgl, cultural, & mkt forces have caused a convergence btwn capitalist & socialist nations   
  Formerly socialist nations today incorporate mkt forces to a significant degree in their econs   
  The most successful capitalist nations have moved to greater econ planning   
  Successful econ planning in cap nations targets specific industries for expansion, identifies the training needs of the labor force for these industries, & develops programs to meet these needs   
  In practice industrial societies transcend the distinction btwn cap & socialism   
  Other distinctions are also becoming more distinct, such as the contrast btwn more innovative & less innovative industrial systems, & the many distinctions btwn the developed global North & the less developed global South   

 
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 Outline on  Labor Force Diversity
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  THE TRANSITION OF  WOMEN INTO THE PAID LABOR FORCE IS NEARLY COMPLETE IN THE DEVELOPED NATIONS, BUT STILL NON EXISTENT IN OTHER NATIONS 
 
  Men transitioned into the paid labor force at the beginning of the industrial revolution as they moved from a barter / trade based ag econ to a wages based industrial econ   
  While women have always worked, the transformation of their work into paid labor outside the home occurred somewhat later than it did for men, & is still continuing today   
  The decline of high fertility & the reduction of child rearing duties are crucial in the process of women moving into the paid labor force   
  Employment opportunities have expanded in areas that have traditionally employed female wkrs, esp in clerical & service occupations   
  There is a rapid increase in the proportion of  female wkrs in the labor force   
 
 The process of of women moving into the paid wkforce has had significant consequences for the family 
 
  It can no longer be assumed that women will remain at home for child care & home tending 
 
  But women's & men's paid jobs are not similar; women & men are still segregated by occupation & industry, & women are much more likely than men to be part time & part yr wkrs   
  The future will see more women in the wkforce, increased rights in the wkplace, increased rights in other spheres of life, & more mvmt toward equal pay   
  WORLDWIDE, IMMIGRATION FOR WORK IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH, & IF NOT FOR THE SYRIAN WAR IMMIGRATION, WOULD BE THE GREATEST WAVE OF IMMIGRATION IN HISTORY   
  Immigration is increasing throughout the world as people leave low employment & low wage nations in search for econ opportunity   
  Major flows include immigration to No Am from Cen Am, So Am, & Asia, immigration from No Africa & Cen Asia (esp Turkey), to Euro   
  Major immigration flows are occurring from No Africa to Euro  
  Since the Syrian war, major immigration flows from the mid east to Euro have increased dramatically   
  These major immigration flows are supplemented by regional flows such as from Malaysia to Singapore, from So Korea to Japan, from Guatemala & Honduras to Mexico, & others   
  Immigrants bring new skills & high levels of ambition to their new home nations   
  Assimilating new migrants into the host culture & avoiding the creation of a permanent underclass remains an important challenge for many receiving nations   
  The future will see a growing immigrant wkforce as well as increased rights in the wkplace & other spheres of life   
   UNEMPLOYMENT & UNDEREMPLOYMENT FOR WKRS OTHER THAN MID & UPPER CLASS WHITE MALES IS HIGH & THUS ED, TRAINING, ENDING DISCRIMINATION, & JOB CREATION IN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED AREAS ARE CHALLENGES FOR THE PRESENT & FUTURE   
  Since the passage of the Civ Rts Act of 64 & related legislation, female & minority wkrs in the US have made progress in the wkplace as well as in other spheres of society   
  Opportunities for female & minority wkrs have increased significantly, but many recognized that the playing field is still not level   
  For minority wkrs, centuries of oppression have become embedded in inequalities of class, education, wealth, & neighborhood that  make it difficult for many to take advantage of increased opportunities   
  Resentments against newcomers can also limit opportunities for new migrants & create barriers to success   
  Continuing assumptions on the part of both men & women that home & childcare duties should fall more on women's shoulders make it challenging for many women to take advantage of increased opportunities   
  For female minority, immigrant wkrs, & LGBT community blatant & subtle forms of prejudice & discrimination continue to create barriers   
  Fully incorporating & taking advantage of a diverse labor force remains a challenge for orgs & society   
  The future will see increased diversity for a number of communities of people, as well as increased rights in the wkplace & other spheres of life   
  SOME FORWARD LOOKING WKPLACES HAVE  ESTB FULL RTS FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY, BUT  MOST HAVE NOT & ARE THUS MISSING VALUABLE WKRS & CONSUMERS   
  For the LGBT community winning the right to marry is only the 1st step; the LGBT community has no rts in the general category of  civil rts in education, housing, the wkplace, public service, & more   
  There are no Fed laws protecting the wkplace rights of the LGBT community   
  Some states do have laws protecting the rts of the LGBT community, some states have laws prohibiting the protection of LGBT rts; some states have no laws at all concerning LGBT rts   
  The Sup Ct has effectively legalized LGBT  marriage, but this ruling does little beyond that to impact LGBT rts   
  There are almost no laws protecting LGBT  rts on the job, except for some state's laws allowing employers to not hire them, or fire them, for religious reasons   
  The Sup Ct ruling on marriage does impact LGBT rts, effectively giving them a foothold to develop wkplace rts   
  Marriage ties to wkplace rts in that many of the benefits of being married come through the wkplace, including shared healthcare benefits, retirement benefits, married tax rates, insurance benefits & other benefits   
  The future will see increased LGBT rts in the wkplace & other spheres of life   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Work in the 21st Century 
External
Links
  -  Supplement:  NPR. World Renowned Economist John Maynard Keynes Predicted the 15 Work Week in 1930. 2015 
Link
  -  Supplement:  NYT.  Bush Recession, 2007.  2010 
Link
  TECH, GLOBAL COMPETITION, A MORE DIVERSE WKPLACE, & MORE MIGRATION OF WKRS WILL BE IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE FUTURE WKPLACE 
 
  Tech change, increased world mkt competition, & the increased proportion of  women, minority, immigrant wkrs in the labor force are major changes that will determine the nature of wk in the future   
  It is likely that the econ will be characterized by 2 different employment sectors, one which is the innovative sector, the other which is the marginal sector   
  SOME SEE THE 'END OF WORK' BUT  OTHERS  SEE A LONG PERIOD PRIOR TO THAT WHICH MAY BE STRUCTURED AROUND INNOVATIVE & MARGINAL OCCUPATIONS  
  While some social scientists such as Rifkin, 2004, believe that work will disappear in the hi tech future, others such as Hodson, do not   
  What is certain is that the nature of work appears to be diverging btwn 2 increasingly distinct sectors of employment   
  The major factors that will impact the wkplace in the future include tech change, orgl change, & the competitive climate   
  THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR OF OCCUPATIONS WILL BE CRITICAL FOR A FUNCTIONAL FUTURE  WKPLACE   
  In the innovative sector wkrs respond to heightened intl competition & tech change will be the development of tech & orgl innovations leading to increased productivity   
  In the innovative sector, tech & orgl innovation will be continuous, jobs will be reasonably secure, pay will be adequate, job conditions will be more or less pleasant, & wkrs will have an increased say in determining the conditions of their work   
  THE MARGINAL SECTOR OF OCCUPATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW & WILL BE DIFFICULT TO REDUCE IN THE FUTURE WKPLACE   
  In the marginal sector, wkrs respond to intl competition & tech change by constantly pressing down on labor costs through reducing wages & benefits   
  In the marginal sector, innovation will be slow, jobs will be unpleasant & even hazardous   
  The organizing principle of the marginal sector will be to achieve econ viability by driving down wages rather than by promoting tech & orgl innovation   
  Wkrs will have little say in determining the conditions of their employment or the polices of their orgs   
  Female & minority wkrs are likely to be disproportionately employed in the marginal sector   
 
 THE RENOWNED ECONOMIST JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES PREDICTED DRASTIC REDUCTIONS IN THE  NEED TO WORK
 
 
 In the 1930s, the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that his grand kids would work just 15 hours a week 
 
 
 Keynes' argument for the 15 hr work week was that over time, thanks to machines & tech & new ideas, people get more productive, & thus less labor is needed to produce the goods & services we need 
 
 
 Keynes believed that as tech & orgl structuring creates more productivity, an hour of labor produces more & more stuff, theoretically necessitating less labor 
 
 
 Keynes figured we'd just decide to work less
 
 
 In some nations, the number of hrs wked has dropped some
 
 
 But take the US, in 1950, people wked, on average, about 38 hrs a week 
 
 
 Today, 6 decades after Keynes wrote we would be wking 15 hrs a week, those people who are working work over 40 hrs a week, but there are more people out of the wkforce today 
 
 
 The full time work week is still 40 hrs, & the ave fully employed wkr works about 46 hrs a week, not including the 'home labor' necessary to prepare for work 
 
 
 Richard Freeman, a Harvard economist, says one of the things Keynes underestimated was the human desire to compete 
 
 
 In the innovative employment sector, earning more money can make it harder to take time off. b/c if someone is paid $200 an hr they do not really want to leave early & go to the beach & miss all that money 
 
 
 B/c of the competitive culture & the perceived need for security, for the fully employed wkr, foregoing wk & reading a novel is not worth the lost  income 
 
 
 The better you are at your job, the harder it can be to not do it 
 
 
 At the marginal end of the jobs spectrum, many people do not work less b/c the job(s) they have do not pay enough to allow them to work less 
 
 
 In the marginal employment sector, wkrs are often 'underemployed,' meaning that either they do not work full time, or they are employed in a job that does not match their ed & skills 
 
 
 Underemployed wkrs typically want more hrs or a different  job that utilizes their ed & skills 
 
 
 While machine & orgl tech would allow us as a society to wk close to Keynes' estm 15 hrs a week & still make a mid class living, the factors that prevent this are many: 
a.  the 40 hrs work week is still standard & necessary to earn retirement & benefits 
b.  in the innovative sector people do not want to forgo income for competitive reasons 
c.  in the marginal sector people simply cannot survive w/o wking 40 or more hrs a week 
d.  it is not socially acceptable in our culture, our values often result in socially evaluating people who do choose to forgo income for a leisurely lifestyle as misfits, lazy, moochers, wasteful, & so on 
 
  MAJOR CHANGES IN THE WKPLACE ARE OFTEN NOT SEEN UNTIL THEY ARRIVE  
  10 yrs ago, Facebook didn't exist; 10 yrs before that, the internet did not exist; both are now major job sectors   
  In the future as both Facebook & other firms on the internet demonstrate, the wkplace & work itself will be more flexible, for freelance, more collaborative, & less secure than it is toddy   
  The future wkplace will be run by a generation w/ new values, women & minorities will increasingly be at the controls   
 
 THE RECOVERY AFTER THE BUSH RECESSION DEMONSTRATES THAT THE EXPECTATION OF FULL TIME WORK IS CHANGING AS IS THE TYPES OF OCCUPATIONS AVAILABLE FOR  EMPLOYMENT 
 
 
 The Bush financial recession of 2007 to having begun in December 2007, lasted 18 months, officially ended in June of 2009 when GDP began to stop falling, but it was still far below where it had begun 
 
 
 Some analysts declare that the recession didn't end until Dec 2015 when the Fed Res Bank raised the interest rate for the 1st time from zero to .25% 
 
 
 Until now the longest postwar recessions were those of 1973-5 & 1981-2, which each lasted 16 mos 
 
 
 The end date to the recession also confirms what many had suspected: the 2007-9 recession was the deepest on record since the 1929 Great Depression, at least in terms of job losses 
 
 
 The Bush recession, 2007, is shaping the wkplace of the future in that it is forcing people to look harder at what they really want to do instead of following a standard path 
 
 
 The path that led many of America's elites to Wall Str is today a less appealing destination, but it hasn't disappeared 
 
 
 Financial centers like Charlotte, NC will flourish driven by the new banking boom 
 
  The fall of finance has the upside that top grads will look to other sectors that prize tech & analytical skills   
  According to consulting giant McKinsey & Co, about 85% of new jobs created btwn 1998 & 2006 involved complex 'knowledge work'   
  Jobs in math & across the sciences are expected to expand   
  The Dept of Labor predicts the sectors of network systems & data communication to grow rapidly   
  Info tech jobs will grow at twice the overall job growth rate from 2016 to 2023   
 
 Other job sectors expected  to grow at an above average rate include:  health care, education, providing for seniors, the non fossil fuel energy sector 
 
 
 The contracting job sectors include Uber, Air B & B, Zip Car, Travelocity, Temps Inc, & many more 
 
  WKRS ACT MORE LIKE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE EMPLOYEES IN THAT THEY ARE BECOMING MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE, RETIREMENT, & SO ON   
  One major change coming in the wkplace is that wkrs are increasingly on their own when it comes to retirement savings & health care   
  Firms don't typically eliminate an important wkr benefit, but they are shifting more of these costs onto wkrs who feel it in terms of higher health care premiums, rising co pmts, & 401k retirement plans replacing tradl fixed income retirement plans, less or no paid leave, & others   
  As more wkrs & entrepreneurs move to the 'sharing economy' like Uber & Air B & B, these sectors of the econ offer no benefits & have no job security   
  MORE WKRS TODAY, & IN THE FUTURE, WILL EMBRACE THE YOLO PHILOSOPHY & REFUSE TO BE A WORKAHOLIC   
  In the innovative sector more wkrs are refusing to 'climb the ladder,' that is, instead of giving it all to work to climb up the wkplace hierarchy, they are choosing to wk less, or differently, to have more qual of living   
  An example of refusing the ladder is the tax accountant who restructured her job to include more telecommunting & less hours   
  In the past, this was only done by women on the 'mommy track,' but today more male & female wkrs are refusing the ladder to improve their qual of life as exemplified by the YOLO lifestyle   
  Firms in the innovative sector are supporting more natural growth, letting wkrs wend their way upward like climbing vine instead of forcing the structure of the corporate ladder w/ one way up, or nothing   
  Old school mgrs often resist or even punish YOLO wkrs by scheduling meetings when a wkrs are out, favoring tradl 'the job 1st' wkrs, etc   
  BOOMERS MAY HANG ONTO THEIR JOBS UNTIL THE BITTER END   
  Even before the 2007 Bush recession, Boomers had not saved enough for retirement, & this non saving trend continues for today's younger wkrs   
  Investment firm T Rowe Price estm that the oldest boomers will delay retirement by 9 yrs, & it is now estm that all wkrs will push back retirement   
  Wkrs will have to wk longer   
  As boomers continue to wk, economists estm that they will squeeze out younger wkrs pushing 'normal' unemployment to over 10% b/c the normal retirement cycle has been disrupted   
  A rise in the % of older wkrs has the advantage of a greater utilization of the entire wkforce & a decrease or brake on inflation b/c older wkrs have topped out in their earnings, thus resulting in less raises   
  WOMEN WILL HEAD MORE BUSINESSES   
  Women are more likely to support the work life balance demanded by the YOLO wkr of youth today   
  Female mgt style is not soft; it's lucrative;  the wkplace research grp Catalyst studied 353 Fortune 500 firms & found those w/ the most women in senior mgt had a higher rate of return by more than 1/3 rd   
  Women are more cautious, focus on the long term while men take risk, esp when surrounded by other men   
  Women are consensus builders, conciliators & collaborators & they employ transformational leadership style:  heavily engaged, motivational, extremely well suited for the emerging, less hierarchical wkplace   
  The Employment Policy Foundation estm there will be a 6 mm person shortage of college ed wkrs, & b/c women are far outpacing men in college ed, women will take more positions of power in the future wkplace   
  Women & the wkplace of the future are tending to give wkrs more freedom & firms like Capital One have  found productivity shoots up   
  Women are getting rid of the 'crunchy' criticism of work life balance, the YOLO wkplace, the mommy track, demonstrating that it makes good business sense to institute the flexible wkplace w/ wkrs free to make money as they see fit   
  IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE MORE GREEN JOBS  
  A number os environmentalists & economists believe that by implementing a comprehensive energy program, we can not only avert climate change, but also create a generational boost to the econ like those created by the institutionalization of the railroad, the interstate highway system, the airlines, the internet, & other sectors   
  Green jobs represent the green way of doing everything we do now including:  raising & dist food, wind mills & solar panels, green buildings, mass transit, electric cars, zero waste production, space flight, & more   
  The Mayors' Report predicts that for the next 3 decades, green jobs will provide 10% of all new jobs   
  W/ the emergence of new sectors of the econ, the challenge in the wkplace, esp for the wkrs, is the process of how to shift from one econ sector to another   
  GEN X WILL BRING A NEW SET OF VALUES TO THE WKPLACE   
  Gen X, born btwn 65 & 78 will spend 2 decades running into the 'gray ceiling' of the Boomers until 2019 when Gen X will finally be  in charge   
  Gen Y, born btwn 1979 & 2000, is unlikely to follow their parents' lead: paying your dues, moving up slowly is going away   
  Success will be defined will be defined not by rank or seniority, but by getting what maters to you personally   
  Firms already want more short term independent contractors & consultants, & fewer tradl wkrs b/c contractors are cheaper   
  One new challenge  for Gen X mgrs is to estb collaborative dec mking involving team members who are scattered around the world   
  Leaders will have to be culturally dexterous on a global scale   
  MFR WILL RETURN / REMAIN IN THE FUTURE WKPLACE  
  The death of Am mfring has been greatly exaggerated   
  THe US remains by far the world's largest mfr, producing nearly 2X that as No 2, China   
  Since 1990, US  mfr output has grown by nearly $800 bb   
  But growth does not mean jobs; Am wkrs doubled their productivity which eliminated many jobs in mfr   
  Mfr is requiring more highly skilled wkrs who produce high value products in high stakes industries   
  Firms now make a distinction btwn exportable jobs & jobs that should stay home   
  Corner cutting scandals in China, such as lead paint tainted children's toys, or melamine laced milk, have underlined the advantages of mgr at home   
  Innovative firms also stay home b/c of the US's superior network of universities & its relatively stringent intellectual property laws   
  WE WILL SEE THE LAST DAYS OF CUBICLE LIFE IN THE WKPLACE OF THE FUTURE         
  Today & in the future, firms will no longer expect wkrs to drive to a blding to sit & work   
  When work gets auctioned off to the lowest bidder, the job gets a lot more stressful   
  Jobs of the future will have little to do w/ processing words or numbers b/c the internet can do that; nor will people act as place holders, errand runners or receptionists   
  The focus will be on finding the essential people & outsourcing the rest   
  Many jobs will be for people who manage customers, organize fans, who do digital community mgt   
 
 Rather than show up at the office & taking your place in your cubicle, rather you will be sent a file or take place in a teleconference 
 
  Everything at work will be measured, when you log in, what you type, what you access; & all this info will be available not only to the boss, but also to the team   
  Wkrs will go from a few days alone at home, maintaining the status quo, to remote wk being the norm, punctuated by urgent team sessions, sometimes in person, often online  
 

 
      Internal     
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Top
 Outline on the  Innovative Sector
    External      
Links
  THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR OF THE ECON USES NEW TECH & NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS (ORGL STRUCTURE) IN ORDER TO FACE COMPETITION BY CREATING NEW & BETTER GOODS & SERVICES IN NEW & BETTER WAYS 
 
  The innovative sector may be the result of innovative tech & / or innovative orgl structure   
  The growth of the innovative sector results from the development of microprocessor tech that facilitate innovation in the face of  intl competition that demands it in order to protect profits & jobs, from increasingly educated labor forces, & from the the expanding mvmt toward sustainable development   
  Many recent wkplace innovations can be understood as attempts to use new tech to adapt to increased competition & to the need for sustainability through utilizing a hi skill labor force & more efficient tech   
  Tech allows firms to reduce inefficiencies of bureaucratic & hierarchical arrangements of work (Vallas, 2006) such as is seen w/ Uber & Air B & B   
  Wkplace relations in the innovative sector are post bureaucratic rather than as post industrial b/c humans are central to the process of production   
  Work organization is at least as important for the success of this sector as tech innovations                    
  THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF WORK IN THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR ARE INCREASED WKR ED & PARTICIPATION  
  Increased wkr education & participation create the conditions for continuous learning & continual job redesign   
  Continual job redesign is necessary b/c of the pace of tech change & the competitive & rapidly changing global econ   
  The specific ways which jobs will be redesigned are impossible to predict in detail b/c they are unique to each setting & each tech   
  The major principle for job redesign in the future include is the centrality of participation   
  PARTICIPATION IS CENTRAL TO THE FUTURE WKPLACE B/C THE ADVANCED, COMPLEX, TECHL WKPLACE REQUIRES ALL WKRS TO ACT AS PROFESSIONALS RATHER THAN LABORERS  
  Wkrs hold the power to make orgl & tech advances succeed or fail through formal & informal employee participation   
  Industrial sociologist Robert Guest witnessed the importance of employee input at a steel mill which was implementing both a new incentive plan & a new steel making process   
  Guest observed that capacity increased over 20%   
  In the wkplace of today & tomorrow, wkrs hold the key to the success of programs of tech & orgl redesign   
  The sectors of the econ that succeed in introducing effective job redesign will be the sectors that include a leading role for wkr participation at every stage of production   
  While there are new forms of participation developing, in the future the current forms of participation will certainly be valuable, including:   
  -  Work teams  
  -  Co determination & joint union mgt programs   
  -  Employee ownership  
  -  Job security   
  -  Training   
  -  Distributing profits   

 
  Internal 
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Top
 Outline on an  Employee Participation Continuum
    External 
Links
  WKR PARTICIPATION IN THE WKPLACE OF THE FUTURE WILL BE CRITICAL B/C PROFESSIONAL LIKE WKRS WHO HAVE A VOICE & AUTONOMY ARE NECESSARY TO OPTIMALLY OPERATE THE COMPLEX FUTURE WKPLACE
 
  The ways which wkr participation can be incorporated into job redesign & tech innovation ae extremely diverse   
  In the Figure:  Employee Participation Continuum, the major forms of wkr participation are presented along w/ the corresponding issues that are open to negotiation at the various levels of wkr participation   
  At the low end of the wkr participation spectrum, wkrs are involved only in decisions about how to improve product qual & efficiency   
  At the strong end of the wkr participation spectrum, wkrs are involved in investment decisions about when & where to build new factories & what new endeavors to pursue   
 
 Figure:  Employee Participation Continuum 

 

The Figure:  Employee Participation Continuum demonstrates a wide range of the forms of participation of a spectrum of high to low, including:  wkr ownership & coops, wkr's councils & ESOPs, Jt Union Mgt Progs, Employee Directed Job Redesign, Wkr Rep in Unions, QCCs, HR Supervisory Style, the Suggestion Box, & Scientific Mgt 

 
 
 Wkrs have shown themselves able to participate effectively in decisions about their own wking conditions about investment 
 
  All form of wkr participation are important, all have been proven to be effective in some circumstances, & all have problems 
 
  No one form or level of participation is right for all circumstances   
  In industries w/ rapidly changing tech, wkr participation is job redesign may be most important   
                   In industries w/ rapidly changing mkt situations, wkr participation in investment decisions may be essential for continued econ viability                    
  WKR PARTICIPATION IS MOVING FROM BECOMING THE EXCEPTION IN THE WKPLACE TO BECOMING THE NORM IN THE WKPLACE   
  The persistence of enthusiasm for wkr participation & job redesign demonstrates that these progs are here to stay   
  Wkr participation progs are precursors to the new sys of industrial relations that will characterize a significant share of wkr positions in the 21st C   

 
Internal
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 Outline on Work Teams & Innovation
External
Links
  WK GRPS ARE SMALL GRPS OF 8 TO 12 WKRS WHO ARE GIVEN COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A TASK 
 
  Wk grps are one important form of wkr participation where small wk grps of 8 to 12 wkrs are given collective responsibility for a task   
  Wk grps offer an important venue for wkr participation although they often limit the topics of discussion to product quality or to minor aspects of the wk env   
  Wk grps are also important for improving the quality of work life; however, they can also be used by mgt to intensify wk & heighten pressures on the job   
  Team sys of production based on self mgt by wk grps have greater importance today; however, they have a long history in the wkplace   
  Soldiers, miners, seafarers, & other skilled trades have long relied on teams to coordinate wk in situations involving complex, difficult, or dangerous wk   
 
 Teams are becoming more common b/c of increased skill demands assoc w/ new tech, new mgt theories about how to best organize production, & wkr demands for increased voice at the wkplace 
 
  The tying of wkrs & firms together in a lifelong partnership encourages wkrs to use their skills to improve productivity & thus ensure the firm's future   
 
 JAPANESE FIRMS  HAVE  LED THE WAY TOWARD INCREASED UTILIZATION OF TEAM BASED PRODUCTION SYS
 
  In Japan, team production is often organized in Quality Control Circles which are ever vigilant for opportunities to wk more effectively identifying, & eliminating under utilization of time & resources   
  The Japanese team utilization ties the wkr to the firm through lifetime employment & through finely graded sys of seniority based pay   
 
 There is evidence that Japanese wkrs are not enthusiastic about involvement in team based production, seeing participation in Quality Control Circles & related team activities as a requirement for the econ success of their firm   
  Japanese wkrs participate in problem solving activities w/ honesty & candor but generally not w/ great enthusiasm or a sense of  personal gratification   
  In many wkplaces, Japanese style teams are assoc w/ work intensification, increased pressure for production, wkr monitoring of peers, & anti union campaigns   
  Mgrs & supervisors are not always eliminated in team production b/c some front line supervisors continue to play an active role in controlling & evaluating wkrs   
  In many ways, wkrs are more tightly controlled in team settings than in traditional supervisory settings   
  The power of the supervisor is not removed; it is extended through allocating addl supervisory functions to the team as a whole   
  Team orgs of wk are well estb as a source of innovation, creativity, & heightened productivity   
  When combined w/ a plan that allows wkrs a share in the benefits of their heightened efforts, they can be a powerful tool for orgl success   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Codetermination & Joint Union Mgt Programs & Innovation 
External
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  CODETERMINATION IS THE ACT OF COMING TO A DECISION OR SETTING A PURPOSE THROUGH COOPERATION BTWN MGT & LABOR UNION(S)
 
  Wkr participation can occur through codetermination & joint union mgt programs which consists of formal consultation w/ wkrs at all levels of the org, from the shop floor to the boardroom   
  In western Euro, various forms of employee participation are widespread   
  Forms of employee participation in w Euro include wkrs' councils in Germany, which act as an autonomous board to review mgt policy, & tech stewards in Norway, who review & advise on tech change   
  Join union mgt programs are  based on explicit collectively negotiated agreements btwn unions & mgt to jointly sponsor programs that include employee involvement   
  In the UK employee involvement programs are commonplace across a wide range of industries   
 
 In No Am, wkr involvement programs are concentrated in the auto & telecom industries 
 
  In No Am, other well estb programs exist  in steel, construction, & the public sector 
 
  The key focus of many wkr involvement programs is on improved training to meet the challenges of  automation & global competition   
  In joint union mgt programs, the issues are not necessarily restricted to mgt defined agendas   
  Wkrs in the auto industry have bargained for forms of accelerated training under joint union mgt prog & voice a great deal of satisfaction w/ these programs   
  Wkrs receive addl training as part of an exchange for their greater involvement in the wkplace & their increased contributions to productivity 
 
  Programs can involve supplemental training both on & off firm time 
 
  Joint union mgt prog typically include a consideration of wkrs & their rts & interests rather than focusing solely on production related issues as is typical of Japanese Quality Control Circles 
 
  CODETERMINATION SHOULD INCREASE COOPERATION BTWN MGT & WKRS ORGANIZED IN UNIONS AT ALL LEVELS OF THE FIRM  
  Wkrs in joint union mgt prog are included in purchasing & sales trips previously reserved for mgt & sales personnel   
  Wkrs in joint union mgt prog provide valuable hands on info in negotiations to secure the best components & new tech   
  W/ joint labor mgt programs wkrs work directly w/ customers to learn how to improve quality & meet customer needs   
  The new knowledge & flexibility generated by codetermination programs provide wkrs w/ opportunities to develop better relationships w/ their cowkrs & w/ wkrs up & down the production chain   
  The opportunities provided by joint labor mgt programs encourage wkrs to construct their orgl roles more actively   
  The 'active wkr orientation' of joint labor mgt programs generate new roles & new ideas that are often missing when wk roles are unilaterally mandated by mgt   
  Wkrs have been very enthusiastic about joint union mgt prog & about participating in decision mking processes historically reserved for mgt   
  CODETERMINATIVE DECISIONS HAVE MORE LEGITIMACY & ACCEPTANCE AMONG WKRS   
  The bilateral nature of joint initiatives provides a legitimacy to these progs that is sometimes missing when prog are initiated unilaterally by mgt   
  The legitimacy of wkr participation prog is an important quality for the success of joint union mgt prog in stimulating productivity & improving wking conditions   
  Initiatives emerging from join union mgt programs are also often more complementary w/ the public purpose than unilateral mgt initiatives b/c they include a focus on the preservation of jobs & on the quality of work as well as on increased profits   

 
Internal
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Top
 Outline on  Employee Ownership & Innovation 
External
Links
  EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP ESTBS THE POSITION FOR THE WKR OF NOT ONLY A PROFESSIONAL, BUT ALSO AN OWNER
 
  Employee ownership is another form of wkr participation   
  Wkr ownership can be either total or partial through employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs)   
  In 2000, 13 mm US wkrs or about 10 % of the labor force participated in ESOPs   
  Employee ownership generally results in improved productivity & improved employee satisfaction   
  The underlying reason for the improvements in both productivity & wkr satisfaction w/ an ESOP is that the wkr owned enterprises are simply more concerned w/ the well being of their wkrs than orgs owned by outside shareholders & this results in wkrs doing a better job   
 
 They are able to solicit high levels of wkr involvement & participation b/c of the genuine overlap btwn the goals of the enterprise & those of the wkrs 
 
  Improved communication, teamwork, & participation are important underpinnings for the success of wkr own firms 
 
                  The greatest participation occurs in wkr owned coops in which wkrs not only own the firm but also actively manage its day to day affairs                    
  EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP CAN BE USED TO TURN AROUND FAILING FIRMS BUT IT CAN ALSO BE MISUSED IF WKRS END UP BUYING OUT A FAILING FIRM THAT CANNOT BE TURNED AROUND   
  Wkr buyouts of existing firms have been initiated in an effort to preserve jobs   
  Wkr owned firms often fact precarious circumstances b/c of external factors   
  Wkr ownership often results from a wkr buyout of a plant in a last ditch effort to save the plant & the jobs it presents   
  In buyout situations, mkt forces may already be wking against the firm   
  The mkt niche it serves may be shrinking or its tech & equip may be outdated   
  Wkr buyouts often fact a precarious future b/c of the circumstances of their birth   
  Wkr ownership offers no necessary panacea to troubled firms, but even test in this harsh env, it has a good record of success   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Job Security & Innovation
External
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  JOB SECURITY HAS BEEN DECLINING SINCE THE 80s WHEN REAGANISM & GLOBALIZATION PREDOMINATED, BUT INNOVATIVE FIRMS W/ WKR PARTICIPATION RECOGNIZE THAT JOB SECURITY IS A CRUCIAL FACTOR FOR A COMMITTED, EFFECTIVE WKFORCE 
 
  An essential foundation for all forms of heightened wkr participation is job security   
  W/o job guarantees, both on paper & in a history of commitment, wkrs are reluctant to give their best efforts to increasing productivity   
  The reluctance of wkrs to give their best is strong in areas of active tech change, where the possibility of displacement for large numbers of wkrs is very real   
  Only when there is a strong commitment by the org to maintain job levels will wkrs give their full support to overcoming the inevitable problems assoc w/ tech & orgl innovations   
  Loyalty by the firm to its wkrs is thus an essential precondition for the realization of the full benefits of wkr participation   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Training & Innovation
External
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  IN THE MODERN WKPLACE, ED IS NO LONGER A ONE TIME EVENT, CONTINUOUS TRAINING IS NECESSARY TO KEEP A WKFORCE UP TO DATE W/ NEW PHYSICAL & ORGL INNOVATION 
 
  Training programs for wkrs are essential if they are to have the knowledge necessary to take a leading role in a more innovative wkplace   
  Wkr ed programs have grown dramatically in the 21st C in community colleges & training instits around the nation   
  Community colleges provide flexible course sequences tailored to the needs for local industry   
  There has been increased interest in traditional apprenticeship programs for the skilled trades   
  US apprenticeship programs are weak compared to the more developed German sys, which many observers credit w/ making German products world renowned for their quality   
 
 In house training prog have been expanding as wkrs & unions seek to expand the skills for wkrs as a means of increasing productivity, saving jobs, & increasing profits 
 
  Training prog create an env for continuous learning for an org's wkforce 
 

 
Internal
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Top
 Outline on  Distributing Profits & Innovation
External
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  PROFIT SHARING IS ANOTHER COMPONENT OF ESTBING A RELATIONSHIP W/ WKRS OF  PROFESSIONALISM & OWNERSHIP WHICH FOSTERS COMMITTED & EFFECTIVE WKRS 
 
  Distributing profits is key to successful job redesign   
  A mechanism for distributing some of the profits of innovation is complex in order to deal w/ the many levels of participation & innovation in any firm   
  The redistribution of profits is important for maintaining wkr enthusiasm & commitment   
  The most innovative orgs are aware that profit distribution is linked to wkr satisfaction & productivity & have developed various means to redistribute increased earning to wkrs   
  The distribution of profits includes higher pay, production bonuses, profit  sharing, stock distributions, & other mechanisms   
  WKRS WHO ARE PERIPHERAL, IGNORED, OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ARE MORE LIKELY TO ADVANCE IN INNOVATIVE FIRMS W/ PROFIT SHARING B/C IT REDUCES WAGE DISCRIMINATION  
  Increased attn to wkrs' needs in innovative orgs may result in an improvement in women's relative position in this sector   
  B/c of reduced discrimination & less traditional career choices on the part of women, female wkrs may increasingly move into traditionally male typed jobs, which are more likely to be in the innovative sector   
  The greater flexibility of women in their career choices as a result of lessened child rearing duties may further facilitate the trend of women moving into traditionally male occupations   

 
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 Outline on  Barriers to Innovative Job Redesign
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  CHANGE & JOB REDESIGN BECOMES THE NORM IN THE FUTURE, INNOVATIVE WKPLACE 
 
  Job redesign also faces barriers that limit its effectiveness   
  Chief among these is the problem of limited commitment by large corps to their wkrs   
  Wkr participation programs in the US have often been superficial & have been accused of being more window dressing than substance   
  US corps acted as if proclaiming their allegiance to wkr participation somehow constitutes an adequate solution to lagging productivity & to lack of mgt loyalty & commitment to their wkrs  
  Developing progs that actually incorporate wkrs in active roles at all levels of decision mking & becoming committed to the long term interests of  wkrs requires more than just a public relations announcement   
 
 Large orgs may experiment w/ job redesign in one plant w/ great success only to cancel the experiment b/c of changes in the orgl strat initiated from the top 
 
  WK PARTICIPATION MAY CREATE THE NEED FOR JOB REDESIGN WHICH ELIMINATES MID MGT JOBS  
  A potential pt of  conflict  can arise b/c increased wkr participation often reduces the need for mgrs by incorporating mgrl & supervisory activities w/in shop floor grps   
  Wkrs may be asked to evaluate their mgr's performance   
  Changes in job design of the future may threaten the jobs of supervisors & mid level mgrs & may stimulate resistance on their part   
  When combined w/ agendas of corp restructuring & theories of 'lean production' that stress down sizing, job redesign progs put mid mgrs at significant risk of being laid off   
  Mid level mgrs are well positioned to either facilitate job redesign progs or to sabotage them through subtle noncompliance & other tactics that wkrs themselves occasionally use w/ great effectiveness   

 
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 Outline on the  Innovative Sector:  Google
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  GOOGLE BEGAN AS A SEARCH ENGINE WHICH NO ONE UNDERSTOOD COULD BE PROFITABLE; TODAY THEY HAVE DIVERSIFIED INTO MANY OTHER TECH SERVICES & ARE INVOLVED IN LONG TERM 'MOON SHOTS,' IE PROJECTS WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT PAY OFF 
 
  Powered by brilliant engineers, mathematicians, & tech visionaries, Google Inc pushes the limits of everything it undertakes   
  Google's goal is to organize all the world's info & make it universally accessible   
  W/ a wkforce of 4000, Google maintains the pace of innovation by continuing to work in teams of 3 to 5, no matter how big the undertaking   
  Google has created a new kind of wk env for its wkrs, known as Googler:  it provides a range of  benefits & services unprecedented in human work history so that its wkrs may be less constrained by the tasks of everyday life, & more able to focus their creative forces on the tasks at hand   
  Google serves three free meals a day to wkrs, known as Googlers, so that they can remain on site & spend more time wking   
  Google gives wkrs free on site medical & dental care & haircuts, as well as washers & dryers   
 
 Google charters buses w/ wireless Web access btwn San Francisco & Silicon Valley so wkrs can toil en route to the office 
 
  To encourage innovation, Google gives wkrs 1 day a week to work on anything that interests them 
 
  To eliminate the distinction btwn wk & play, & to keep the Googlers happy at the Googleplex, they have volleyball, foosball, puzzles, free drinks & snacks, vibrating massage chairs, & a culture encouraging Googlers to bring their dogs to wk   
  Googlers spend countless hrs tweaking Google's hardware & software to reliably deliver search results in a fraction of a second  

 
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 Outline on the  Marginal Sector 
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  THE MARGINAL SECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS THE SECTOR WHERE THERE IS:  NO INNOVATION OCCURRING AT THE HANDS OF THE WKRS, MINIMUM OR LOW WAGES, LITTLE CHANCE FOR ADVANCEMENT, HIGH TURNOVER, LOW JOB SECURITY, NO AUTONOMY, NO PARTICIPATION, & MORE 
 
  In the econ of the 21st C, it is likely that a large sector of marginal jobs / careers will exist, as they do today   
  The existence of the marginal sector alongside the highly innovative sectors w/ increased wkr participation suggests a more divergent econ structure in the next century   
  The marginal sector is likely to grow b/c of the drive to lower wages as one possible response to competition   
  By cutting wages, firms can remain competitive, at least for a time, until a lower wage competitor enters the business env   
  In sectors where tech change is slow, such as services, a low wage strat may appear more attractive than strats for increasing productivity   
 
 The marginal sectors has fundamental, common characteristics including: 
 
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          -  low pay & few benefits  
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          -  modern sweatshops   
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          -  an absence of employee commitment   
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          -  the continuing disadvantages for female & minority wkrs  

 
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 Outline on  Low Pay & Few Benefits
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  GROWTH OF THE MARGINAL SECTOR WOULD INCREASE SOCIAL PROBLEMS & REDUCE CONSUMER DEMAND, HARMING THE ECON 
 
  An increase in the marginal sector would cause an intensification of current social problems including:  crime, spouse abuse, child abuse, drug & alcohol abuse, suicide, racism, & more   
  More wkrs in the marginal sector would have reduced buying power, thus limiting the demand for the goods produced by other wkrs & slowing the growth of the econ as a whole   
  The growth of marginalized jobs is deeply implicated in increasing inequality in the US since the 1980s, ie the start of the Reagan Admin, except for a 2 yr period of wage growth during the last 2 yrs of the Clinton Admin   
                  Continued expansion of the marginal sector would further increase poverty & homelessness                    
  A MARGINALIZED WKFORCE LOSES ALL THE QUALITIES OF WORK & LIFE WHICH CREATE THE MIDDLE CLASS STANDARD OF LIVING   
  Work in the marginal sector of the future will be absent of most aspects of long term stable employment   
  Pay will be low & part time & temp work will be common in the marginal sector   
  The marginal sector will be typified by extensive subcontracting & frequent use of  temp wkrs   
  Firms will have little interest in or commitment to their wkrs   
  Probationary periods of employment w/ reduced rts will also be common   
  Two tier pay scales /w lower pay for new wkrs will be used to bring in lower wage levels, w/ senior wkrs on the higher scale being rapidly phased out   
  Wkrs in the informal econ of unreported & untaxed wk will be  part of this expanded marginal sector   
  Basic benefits & employment security will largely be missing for the marginal employment sector   

 
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 Outline on  Modern Sweatshops
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  MARGINAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT IN ITS WORST FORM WILL BE MODERN SWEATSHOPS OPERATING SOMETIMES W/IN THE LAW, SOMETIMES OUTSIDE THE LAW, AS THEY DO TODAY 
 
  Some aspects of work in the marginal sector of the 21st C will be similar to wk in the factories of the era of the early 19th C Ind Rev, but w/ some new characteristics   
  There will be fewer safeguards against hazardous wking conditions than in the innovative sector   
  Enthusiastic commitment to wk will be rare   
  Discontent, subtle forms of noncompliance, wkplace violence, & even sabotage will be relatively common   
  Many wkrs in this sector will be underemployed, & many others will experience periodic unemployment as temporary jobs come & go   
 
 Young people will have a particularly hard time locating permanent jobs & may spend an increasing portion of their wk lives in marginal jobs 
 
  Disregard of  min wage restrictions & the fair time & hrs standard will be all too common 
 
  Mandatory drug testing, electronic surveillance, & other forms  of monitoring may be widespread   
  Wkrs in the marginal sector will represent a transient underclass   
  It is an unfortunate but realistic projection that such an underclass may be a sizable component of the No Am wkforce in the 21st C   

 
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 Outline on an  Absence of Employee Commitment
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  LACK OF WKR PARTICIPATION & COMMITMENT IS LIKELY TO OCCUR IN NON UNIONIZED LOW TECH INDUSTRIES & SERVICE SECTORS 
 
  Marginal jobs, w/ unilateral mgt control & w/o the benefits of wkr participation, are more likely to occur in settings that are not unionized & that are technologically stagnant   
  In marginal industries, wkrs lack sufficient bargaining strength to demand participation in mgrl decisions, & tech & mkt forces allow low wage strats to replace hi productivity strategies   
  The marginal sector is likely to grow in the absence of organized wkr power & where there is limited competition based on tech change or foreign producers   
  Service industries, such as restaurants, & retail trade provide examples of situations of  the absence of organized wkr power  
  It is also possible that the marginal sector will grow where advanced tech is used to reduce the need for skilled wkrs   
  LOW WKR COMMITMENT IS THE RESULT OF LOW FIRM COMMITMENT TO WKRS AS SEEN IN:  LOW WAGES, NO BENEFITS, NO JOB SECURITY, JOB DESKILLING, & SO ON   
  W/o tech or mkt based competition, there is little reason to initiate job redesign & wkr participation   
  W/o organized wkr power, there is often inadequate reason for mgrs to respond to heightened competition w/ wkplace innovation rather than w/ lower wages & reduced company commitment to wkrs   
  In situations where there is little wkr power & little company commitment to their wkrs, it is likely that marginal jobs will increase   
  The conditions of low wkr power & low company commitment may represent a sizable or even majority share of new job positions in the econ of the 21st C   
  If the trend of lower wkr power & low company commitment continues for new areas of job growth to be outside traditional union strongholds & outside the trad professions, elements of marginality may typify many areas of new jobs   
  In areas of growing jobs, such as services & microprocessor mfring, marginality can be expected to increase   

 
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 Outline on  Continuingly Disadvantaged Wkrs:
Women, Minorities, LGBTs, Differently Abled, Immigrants, & Others 
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  CONTINUINGLY DISADVANTAGED WKRS HAVE, TO DATE, FOUND MORE EMPLOYMENT IN THE MARGINAL SECTOR THAN IN THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR 
 
  The fairness of pay & opportunity & the reduction of discrimination for jobs & careers for:  women, minorities, LGBTs, differently abled people, immigrants, & others in the future will be a function of many factors, most broadly whether the jobs & careers are in the innovative or the marginal sector   
  The recent past has seen improvements in wk conditions for female wkrs, but the situation for minority wkrs has been more mixed   
  If women's earnings continue to advance against men's earnings due to reduced discrimination in hiring & promotion & less traditional occupational choices by women, the prognosis for the future of women's employment is relatively good   
  If minority wkrs continue to make occupational advances into fields previously dominated by whites, the prognosis for minority employment is reasonably good   
  Any remaining prejudices & discrimination against women, minorities, & migrants will result in their disproportionate representation in the marginal wk sector of the 21st C   
 
 If the burden for child care continues to fall disproportionately on women & if the divorce rate continues at a high level or even increases, then pov assoc w/ family dissolution will continue to plague many women & will seriously constrain their employment options 
 
  The re emergence & growth of a black underclass reminds us that even if some minority wkrs have made progress in recent decades, many others have been left behind 
 
  IMMIGRANTS OFTEN WORK IN THE 'GRAY SECTOR' WHICH IS THAT PORTION OF THE MARGINALIZED SECTOR THAT OPERATES OUTSIDE OF THE LAW & WKPLACE REGULATIONS   
  Increased immigrant populations in many industrialized nations have added to the possibilities for sharply divided societies   
  New immigrants generally assimilate into a society w/in a few generations, but 'guest wkr' programs in Euro have contributed to the creation of a seemingly permanent underclass of wkrs w/o the benefits of full citizenship rts   
  Similar programs are also periodically discussed in the US, seemingly w/o full appreciation of their implications for creating a permanent underclass   
  THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE MARGINALIZED SECTOR IN THE ADVANCED NATIONS WILL CONSUME THE MID CLASS & CREATE A TWO CLASS STRUCTURE OF THE RICH & THE POOR, CHARACTERISTIC OF MANY LESS DEVELOPED NATIONS TODAY   
  There is a trend toward the emergence of an increasingly divided econ & society w/ large innovative & marginal sectors   
  The bifurcation of the job mkt into the innovative & marginal sectors could result in today's industrialized nations having class structures that more closely resemble those of less developed nations w/ extreme inequality btwn the rich & the poor   
  Soc & pol forces, many of which are outside the scope of individual action, or gov reg, will influence the relative size of the innovative & marginal employment sectors   
  The relative representation of minority grps & women in each sector will be contingent on the ability of these grps to further reduce discrimination through mass movements & legislative agendas   
  There are many relevant factors that will influence the relative development of these two sectors that we can consider   

 
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 Outline on  Marginal Employment in a Retail Distribution Center
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  MARGINAL EMPLOYMENT IS USING TECH TO SURVEIL & CONTROL WKRS TO AN EXTENT NEVER SEEN BEFORE 
 
  Wkrs in marginal jobs have little, or no, or even 'negative job security', in that mgt expects to frequently replace large %'s of their wkrs  
  B/c there is negative job security in the marginal sectors, wkrs implicitly understand that if mgt says 'show up to work, now' even in extreme conditions such as blizzards, crime scenes, floods, holidays, & more, for which salaried wkrs choose to stay home, they must show up, or start the search for a new job tomorrow   
  While Obamacare mandated that any full time job must provide health insurance, marginal employers have skirted as many fed regs as possible in all sectors of employment for decades by employing wkrs on a part time basis, ie at 39 or less hrs per week   
  Employers in the marginal sector avoid paying any time & a half overtime (OT) through convoluted scheduling of so called part time wkrs   
  Employers may legally avoid paying OT, while still effectively wking their wkrs in OT by scheduling wkrs for consecutive 12, 14, 16 or more hrs per day, for a consecutive 78 hrs, divided into 2 wk periods, w/ long periods of no wk in btwn   
 
 Security & surveillance at major retail distribution ctrs is impressive, monitoring wkrs nearly every minute of the wking day 
 
  Personal areas of the wkplace may have laser beam fencing or motion detectors that detect when a wkr or wkrs are 'in non productive status' so this time is deducted from time sheets, & thus pay 
 
  Wkrs may be locked inside of the wk place, w/ all exits monitored for emergency use only unless the wkr checks out   
  Video surveillance is omni present, requiring massive storage capabilities for storage of endless videos so that the firms can conduct spot checks of wkr activity, & if any deviance is found, such as wkrs alleviating their boredom by texting, web surfing, etc, then the wkr's activity may be completely reviewed over the last several months or even yrs for any & all 'wkplace deviance'   
  Security is often justified based on the cost of  the wkr robots & the reduction of  employee theft in the wkplace   

 
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 Outline on  Better 'Work' in the Future:  The Post Work Society
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  -  Supplement:  Thompson.  The World W/o Work.  2015 
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  SOME ECON FACTORS, SOME DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, SOME BUSINESS TACTICS, & SOME GOVT POLICIES WILL INCREASE EMPLOYMENT IN THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR, & SOME WILL INCREASE EMPLOYMENT IN THE MARGINAL SECTOR 
 
  The emergence of an econ divided btwn innovative & marginal sectors is not inevitable, but it is currently a powerful trend   
  The problem before society, including the wkrs, unions, firms, govt regulators, consumers, & others, is how to increase the size of the innovative sector & how to decrease the size & diminish the negative consequences of the marginal sector   
  As the wkplace exists today, the major tactics to increase the innovative sector include:   
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 -  organizational & mkt imperatives to increase innovation   
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 -  increased wkr power   
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 -  unions supporting wkrs voice & participation   
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 -  education & training   
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 -  wkplace experimentation   
  SOCIETY, WE HAVE A CHOICE:  FACE COMPETITION & THE FUTURE THROUGH INNOVATION, OR MARGINALIZATION  
  In the world of work in the 21st C, alt scenarios are available, but the choice among them depends on political & social actions we take today   
  The dilemmas of the future wkplace can be resolved in a positive manner   
  Wkrs & other members of society can pressure orgs to respond to competition by increasing innovation rather than by cutting wages & fostering marginality   
  Wkrs can pressure unions & other wkrs' assoc to adapt to the new conditions of a competitive env & to provide leadership in the areas of tech, orgl innovation, & wkr training   
  Society can pressure govt to enact laws & programs that foster innovative job creation, wkr involvement, expanded leisure, & a better qual of life for all   
  Advances on all dimensions are needed if we are to avoid an increasingly divided society in the 21st C   
  SOME BELIEVE THAT A GROWING ECON WILL CREATE EQUALITY WHILE OTHERS BELIEVE THAT INCREASING EQUALITY WILL GROW THE ECON B/C EQUALITY MEANS EQUAL ED & EQUAL HEALTH CARE, BOTH OF WHICH CREATE A MORE PRODUCTIVE WKFORCE   
  The 'traditional' challenges of the wkplace of the future include how to:  continue productivity improvement, best utilize tech, create a safer wkplace, reduce env harm, & more   
  Ind societies have the capacity to constantly increase productivity through tech & orgl innovation   
  The capacity for productivity improvement has never been greater than it is today   
  The greatest challenges of the wkplace of the future are not traditional, or typical & thus will require 'thinking outside the box' & new structural changes to society, ie the way we live every day   
  There is a tradl challenge of how to to dist the wealth, ie the products, services, & profit created by the econ sys, but since our current structure for dist has resulted in such lopsided outcomes, many social scientists note that a greater equality of outcomes would create not only a more satisfied society w/ lower levels of social problems, but also an even more productive society   
  The productivity capacity creates the dilemma of how to distribute available work when more & more goods & service can be produced by fewer & fewer wkrs   
  The distribution of work has not typically been an issue in the past, but as productivity increases, at some time in the future, less wk hrs by the global wkforce will be needed   
  The non tradl challenge of the future wkplace thus becomes how does society distribute the outcomes of the econ sys in a more productive manner, & parallel to that, how does society distribute work itself in a more productive manner   
  ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE POST WK SOCIETY IS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE MEANINGFUL LIVES W/ SUFFICIENT RESOURCES   
  The challenge for the future is to not only address the traditional wkplace challenges of productivity improvement, utilizing tech, creating a safer wkplace, reducing env harm, & so on, but also to address the new challenges of the post work workplace   
  The challenges of the post work workplace are different in the transition to the post work wkplace & in the the fully developed post work wkplace   
  The primary challenges of the fully developed post work workplace include developing meaningful, productive lives for societal members, & the distribution of income   
  The challenges of the developing post work workplace are w/ us today & include:  how to retrain wkrs who are displace by tech, & how to deal w/ a wkforce who has less work & thus must create income & estb a lifestyle outside of the tradl wkplace   
  POST WK SOCIETY WILL DEMONSTRATE GREATER DIFFERENCES THAN EXISTS BTWN PRE & POST INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES   
  In the future perhaps the 20th C will be seen as an era of almost religious devotion to overwork in a time of prosperity, eg see Weber & The Protestant Work Ethic & the Spirit of Capitalism   
  Weber, The Protestant Work Ethic & the Spirit of Capitalism   
  In the post work wkplace we will not equate income w/ self worth   
  The post wk society will in many ways return to the values, norms, culture, & social structures of the pre industrial era characterized by:  the artisan mid class as the center of society, the development of innovation & leisure, the creative communal society, & the new 'work' in the post work society   
  Entertainment will become more common & more people will both create & consume entertainment   
  A mere 200 yrs ago entertainment was limited for the upper class, & nearly non existent for the 90 % of the population in the peasant class   
  Community life, ie that life separate from homes & wkplaces, will displace the wkplace as the ctr of life   
  WE CAN IMAGINE A POST WORK SOCIETY WHERE WE ARE FREE TO PRODUCE OUR DREAMS / CALLING W/O COMPROMISE OR THE NEED TO 'HAVE A REAL JOB'   
  Today we all must compromise btwn pursuing our dream, our calling, & making a living   
  For a functional post wk society to exist, the compromise btwn work & a calling must disappear   
  W/ tech able to eliminate every task we now assoc w/ drudgery, we will be left to pursue our callings, our passions   
  Just as people learn when they are laid off, when they retire, when they are injured & must pursue a new career, when they achieve success & the ability to do whatever they want arises, when they learn how to make a meaningful life under any of these conditions, good & bad, so people in the post work society will learn to make a meaningful, rewarding life   

 
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 Outline on  Increasing Innovation 
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  FACTORS IMPACTING INNOVATION INCLUDE:  ED, SAFETY, HEALTHCARE, SUSTAINABILITY, WKPLACE SATISFACTION, PARTICIPATION, CONTINUOUS LEARNING, & MORE 
 
  Innovation is not spontaneous; innovation is the result of particular factors impacting:  the econ, culture, wkrs, unions, employers, govt regulators, consumers, & more   
  Wkrs in industrially advanced nations today are more highly educated than ever before in history   
  Wkrs in industrially advanced nations are also more interested in safety & health issues, in sustainable dev, & in more interesting & fulfilling wk   
  Wkrs in industrially advanced nations have come to have high expectations about the satisfactions & rewards that wk can provide   
  Wkrs' expectations are perhaps the most important pre conditions for the growth of a highly innovative sector based on heightened participation & continuous learning   
  THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR & THE DECLINE OF THE MARGINAL SECTOR IS IN THE HANDS OF:  FIRMS, THE GOVT, WKRS, UNIONS, PROF ASSOC, & OTHERS   
  To increase the innovative sector, the preconditions for the existence must be broadened   
  The preconditions for innovation include wkplace experimentation, increased wkr power, & tech innovation   
  Greater wkr power can come about either on an individual basis, through education, training & prof dev, or on a collective basis through increased rep in unions & prof assoc   
  Encouraging ed & unions fosters the growth of an innovative sector & decreases the prevalence of marginality   
  The impetus for these changes must come from:  wkrs, unions, prof assoc, firms, the govt, & other actors   
  Reforms to increase innovation are unlikely to occur unless wkrs & their orgs demand them, & work together to achieve them   

 
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 Outline on the  Organizational & Mkt Imperatives to Increase Innovation
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  ORGL & MKT IMPERATIVES FOR INNOVATION INCLUDE THOSE THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED, LIKE WKR TRAINING, & THOSE THAT ARE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL, LIKE WKFORCE CULTURE 
 
  Industries pursue a variety of strategies for a variety of reasons   
  B/c of cultural factors, tradition, orgl inertia, lack of knowledge, & more, many industries, or firms w/in industries fail to 'think outside the box,' & even consider innovative strats, as compared to marginal strats   
  Innovation in the wkplace includes several areas of innovation including the org of work practices or process, technology, R & D including materials & product development, financing   
  Innovation tends to emerge when both labor & mgt perceive a necessity for tech innovation & wkrs have the bargaining strength to demand participation in mgrl dec mking   
  When there is no or little competitive pressure, tech pressure, wkr pressure, or experience w/ innovation, firms often fail to even consider it as a solution   
  When the conditions for the dev of orgl or tech innovation are missing, or even opposed, wk practices will more closely resemble those of the mass production industries of the past or those of the marginal sector   
  RELYING SOLELY ON COMPETITION AS THE STRUCTURING FORCE IN THE WKPLACE CAN RESULT IN A RELIANCE ON SHORT TERM PLANNING, WHEREAS INNOVATION & COOPERATION OFTEN REQUIRE A LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE  
  Intensified competition provides an impetus to wkplace innovation, but the focus is more likely to be short term   
  Labor & mgt do not typically cooperate unless competitive pressures force them to do so   
  W/o these pressures, labor & mgt will be more likely to pursue their separate goals by engaging in adversarial bargaining over their respective shares of the econ pie   

 
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 Outline on  Increased Worker Power to Increase Innovation
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  THERE IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE IN THE WKPLACE BTWN MGT & WKRS / LABOR, OVER WHO HAS CONTROL OVER DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS & WHO HAS A SAY IN MID & LONG TERM DECISIONS 
 
  On the one hand, mgt wants wkrs to have the voice to correct errors & maximize operation of tech, on the other hand mgt would like to have as much control as possible b/c control is how they justify their existence   
  An important precondition for innovation is that wkrs have sufficient power to demand participation & innovation   
  Wkrs can demonstrate their need for participation / voice in the wkplace by demonstrating that in the complex wkplace, the people that can understand & operate the hi tech on the shop floor are the wkrs who spend each day there   
  When wkrs are unable to demand participation, mgrs may favor a strat of reducing wages, benefits, & job security in order to remain competitive rather than following the more uncertain, complex & demanding route of wkplace innovation   
  In the long run, the option of remaining competitive by reducing wages may be unrealistic in many industries, even ignoring the ethical hazards involved in such a strat   
  There is reason to hope that a significant portion of orgs in advanced nations will opt for wkplace innovation   
  Professional, semi prof, hi tech, & craft wkrs are in particularly good positions to leverage their scarce skills into higher levels of  participation, thus setting the stage for productivity enhancing innovations in these sectors   

 
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 Outline on the  Role of Unions to Increase Innovation 
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  IN INDUSTRIES OTHER THAN THE NEW TECH SECTOR, UNIONS HAVE SHOWN THEY ARE CRITICAL IN DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE ORGL STRUCTURES & UTILIZING INNOVATIVE TECH
 
  Wkr participation is most likely to take place in unionized firms   
  The concepts of direct wkr participation & cooperation w/ mgt are to some extent antithetical to tradl union approaches to industrial relations   
  On topics raging from wk rules to grievance procedures, unions have increased wkrs' rts by negotiating explicit rules & ensuring their enforcement   
  The tradl union / mgt adversarial approach has often translated into a formalistic & legalistic approach to wkplace issues   
  The tradl union / mgt adversarial approach can be stifling to innovation   
 
 The tradl union / mgt adversarial approach can best be adapted to increase innovation through both the participation of unions & mgt in streamlining & increasing flexibility in their relationship 
 
 
 Most of the tech sector in Silicon Valley & other similar econ sectors have been non unionized since their inception largely b/c historically it has been nearly impossible to organize prof wkrs b/c they have always had the best wkplace relations of any sector of the econ, ie they have high pay, autonomy, voice, independence, satisfying work, & so on 
 
  UNIONS HAVE ADVOCATED INNOVATION THAT IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR BOTH THE WKRS & THE FIRM   
  Unions are cautious in advocating innovative wkplace changes b/c such changes often alter the status quo & undermines their ability to deliver benefits & protections that have been their tradl offering to wkrs, & it is not replace or modified in any manner that benefits wkrs   
  Innovative wkplace changes have often reduced wkrs benefits & protections, but have not delivered any other benefits, except those to mgt   
  To survive in innovative settings, unions stop reacting to changing circumstances & take an active role in developing proposals for increased productivity   
  Union leaders are wise to recognize that unless properly structured through involvement by unions & wkrs, wkr participation programs may be a ruse to increase productivity & cut jobs   
  Thus the dilemma for unions, wkrs, & mgt is that you need wkr participation to structure wkr participation programs   
  Programs of wkr participation that are designed w/o only unions or wkrs or mgt are less likely to be effective in instituting innovation, & may actually harm the benefits or rts of any of the actors   
  Continuing to dismiss wkr participation by either unions or mgt will undermine the effectiveness & role of these actors in the future   
  INNOVATION IS CHANGE, & IS THUS THREATENING TO WKRS, FIRMS, UNIONS, COMMUNITIES, & OTHERS, & THUS UNIONS & MGT STRIVE TO MANAGE INNOVATION IN A PRODUCTIVE MANNER FOR THE MAX NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS   
  The emergence of joint labor mgt grps at various levels of the org is necessary to increase productivity in rapidly changing & highly competitive industries   
  If the innovative sector is to grow & prosper, it will have to include the unionized industries, but both unions & mgt will have to change to accommodate & promote innovation   
  These changes are threatening to estb unions practices & typical mgt strategies in many ways   
  Unions in the advanced Euro nation take a leading role in promoting increased wkr participation   
  VW has fought  in it's TN auto plant for union representation of wkrs, but they have been opposed not by the wkrs, who voted for the union, but by the TN state govt who wants to remain a state opposed to the Labor Mvmt   
  Unions & wkr participation are not inherently antithetical b/c they are dependent on each other   

 
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 Outline on  Education & Training to Increase Innovation
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  OUR PRIMARY & COLLEGE ED SYS IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD, BUT WE ARE BARELY IN THE TOP 20 WHEN IT COMES TO CONTINUING ED & THE RETRAINING OF WKRS 
 
  Educating the wkforce in the US is traditionally mostly a responsibility of the govt   
  Educating the wkforce for innovation requires an increased commitment not only to college ed, but also to vocational ed & to ongoing retraining for wkrs already in the labor force   
  An ed sys for innovation through college, vocational, & retraining ed requires the cooperation & coordination of govt, firms, & unions   
  Many Euro nations have programs for mid career retraining   
  Observers credit a substantial part of these nations' econ vitality to Euro's coordinated ed sys at the college, vocational, & retraining levels   
 
 No Am must move beyond its very limited retraining programs designed to address the needs of the currently unemployed 
 
  Programs such as the Comprehensive Employment Training Act & Job Training Partnership Act are minimalist programs compared to those of Euro & Japan 
 
  Although the Comprehensive Employment Training Act & Job Training Partnership Act & similar programs are an important safeguard for wkrs otherwise destined for wk in the marginal sector, they are largely inadequate for training the highly skilled labor force necessary for the innovative sector   
  Besides providing college for the mid classes & job training for the unemployed, No Am must provide its existing skilled wkrs w/ the ed & continuing training necessary to compete effectively in the global econ   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Workplace Experimentation to Increase Innovation 
External
Links
  THE INNOVATIVE SECTOR IS ONE OF NEW INVESTMENT, RISK TAKING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, & CHANGE
 
  Increased wkplace experimentation is needed to stimulate the growth of an innovative sector   
  Successful job redesign comes only from experimentation & cannot be fully specified in abstract formulas   
  Wkplace innovation requires a constant process of review & change   
  Sustained programs of experimentation in job redesign & wkr participation are not widespread in the US & Canada   
  Experimentation requires a culture of risk taking & a tolerance for failure by all the actors involved   
  In the US, traditionally experimentation has been both designed & implemented by the firm through its R & D & mgt structures   
  Experimentation for  innovation requires participation by wkrs, unions, mgt, the ed sys, govt, & other actors   
  Class analysis demonstrates that entrepreneurialism, risk taking, new investment, innovation & more are usually pursued by two classes:  the middle class via small business, & the new money of the upper class via start ups & takeovers of small business   
  Class analysis demonstrates that the old money of the upper class does not create new wealth; their primary interest is preserving the wealth they inherited   

 
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 Outline on the  Leisure Society: 
Robotic / AI Society:  The Paradox of Consumption & Leisure
External
Links
  -  Supplement:  Thompson.  The World W/o Work.  2015 
Link
  WHILE NOT HERE YET, & MAYBE NOT HERE FOR DECADES OR LONGER, WE CAN NOW SEE THAT WE WILL ENTER A ROBOTIC / AI SOCIETY, A 'POST WORK' SOCIETY OF LEISURE
 
  Work today is the means by which the econ produces goods & services, work is the means by which people earn income, & work is the activity that lends meaning or purpose to many people's lives   
  Today we conflate the 3 functions of work, ie production, income, & meaning, into one view of work, but in robotic society, the 3 functions will become independent both in practice, as well as in our culture   
  Social scientists & others who recognize the end of labor as we know it, who are called 'post workists,' may not be here yet, but it is coming   
  For post workists, society has an irrational belief in work for work's sake   
  Post workists believe that much work today has lost purpose, meaning, identity, fulfillment, creativity, autonomy b/c of tech, & at some pt wk will also lose the other two functions:  the need to produce goods & services & the need to generate income   
 
 And much work today is not considered to be work, as in the case of house work, raising children, caring for the sick, caring for the elderly, & more; this 'work' is work only if it is in the paid sector of the econ 
 
  IN LEISURE, POST WORK SOCIETY, EDUCATION WILL REFORM INTO CULTURAL CTRS WHERE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF THE PURSUIT OF LEARNING   
  Post workists predict & analyze the end of wage labor to allow a golden age of well being   
  Colleges could reemerge as culture centers rather than job prep instits   
  The word school comes from skhol, the Greek word for leisure   
  The first formal ed in ancient society taught people to be free, now we teach people to work   
  People will pursue knowledge & skills for reasons other than making money   
  One reason for continuing ed will be b/c of the love of learning & our insatiable curiosity   
  People will also purse education & skills for the reason that some things they would rather do for themselves, even if robots / AI could do it faster, better, or cheaper   
  THE LEISURE, OR THE OUT OF WORK PERIODS WE HAVE TODAY ARE NOT THE SAME AS HAVING LEISURE W/O THE NEED TO WORK BEHIND IT WHICH WILL BE TYPICAL IN THE FUTURE   
  Today the jobless don't spend their downtime socializing with friends or taking up new hobbies, instead, they watch TV or sleep   
  Time use surveys show that jobless prime age people dedicate some of the time once spent wking to cleaning & childcare, but men devote most of their free time to leisure, most of which is spent watching TV, browsing the Internet, & sleeping   
  Retired seniors watch about 50 hrs of television a week, according to Nielsen, which means they spend a majority of their lives either sleeping or watching TV   
  The unemployed theoretically have the most time to socialize, & yet studies show that they feel the most social isolation; it is surprisingly hard to replace the camaraderie of the wkplace   
  Most people want to work, and are miserable when they cannot   
  The ills of unemployment go well beyond the loss of income; people who lose their job are more likely to suffer from mental and physical ailments   
  THE TRANSITION TO A LEISURE / POST WORK SOCIETY WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR WORKERS WHO PRIMARILY VALUE THEMSELVES ON WHAT THEY EARN & WHAT THEY DO   
  The transition from labor force to leisure force will be particularly hard on the 'worker bees' who are wking more today than they did 30 yrs ago   
  Many post workists argue that we work so hard b/c our culture has conditioned us to feel guilty when we are not being 'productive,' which is usually defined as making money   
  It is also likely that people feel guilty when they are not working, not only b/c of culture labeling them as slackers, but b/c they know that they actually need more money to be secure   
  It a post work society it is possible that all types of not working guilt will dissipate over time as leisure becomes the norm, but currently this hypothesis is untestable   
  THE POST WORK FORM OF LEISURE IS DEVELOPING TODAY AMONG RETIREES WHO NOW LIVE LONGER & CAN HAVE AN ACTIVE POST WORK LIFE, AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE RESISTING THE PRESSURE TO BE WORKAHOLICS, AMONG THE PERMANENTLY DOWNSIZED WHO MUST FIND NEW FORMS OF 'WORK' & CREATIVE LEISURE TO MAKE A LIVING, & AMONG THE SUCCESSFUL OF THE UMC & UC WHO CAN SIMPLY AFFORD TO QUIT WKING   
  Less passive & more nourishing forms of mass leisure will develop, & in many ways they are already developing   
  The internet, social media, gaming, texting & others offer entertainment that are as easy to slip into as TV, but all are more purposeful & less isolating than TV   
  And since the 'health craze' of the 60s, more & more people are engaging in healthy pursuits such as healthy cooking, jogging, biking, hiking, & more   
  Extreme sports are growing each year; the recreational sector of the econ is growing every year   
  In many regions, recreation 'industry' has displace traditional work like natural resource extraction or mfring   
  College majors in the entertainment & recreational areas are growing each year   
  More & more people are finding purpose in volunteer work, & unless one makes the assumption that poverty will be eliminated when work is eliminated, there will still be a call for volunteerism   
  Volunteerism will also remain valuable for helping & improving the env & life in general; people will want to do some work themselves that robots / AI will be able to do   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Expanding Leisure 
External
Links
 
 -  Supplement:  Keynes.  The econ possibilities for our grandchildren.  1930 
Link
  -  Supplement:  NPR.  Keynes predicted we would be wking 15 hr weeks.  Why was he so wrong?  2015
Link
  -  Supplement:  The Guardian.  Whatever happened to Keynes' 15 hr wking week?  2008 
Link
  WE ARE NOT EXPANDING LEISURE:  IN THE US WKRS ARE WKING MORE HRS PER WEEK & NOT EVEN TAKING THE VACATION DAYS AVAILABLE TO THEM 
 
  In the transition to a leisure, post wk econ, expanded leisure hrs could make an important contributions to improving the qual of wk life & distributing available employment   
  The ave hrs wked per week dropped from near 70 in 1850 to about 40 by the 1930s   
  Starting in the 1970s the trend of a decline in hrs wked  began to reverse & the hrs wked started to increase   
  Fully employed US wkrs worked 5% more btwn 1970 & 2000 than they did in the prior period   
  Paid holidays & vacation days fell by 15%   
  Wkrs use only 77 % of their vacation days in 2013   
 
 The increase in the wk week occurred concurrently w/ rising unemployment 
 
  In the 21st C, full time work has become harder to get 
 
  Reducing the hrs of wk would be an effective way to distribute available employment in the period of rapidly increasing productivity & tech change   
  Reduced hrs of wk would also help prevent polarization of society btwn those w/ too much wk & those w/ inadequate wk or no wk at all   
  SOME SECTORS OF SOCIETY, ESP THE YOUNGEST WKRS & SEMI RETIRED WKRS, ARE WKING LESS & DEVELOPING LEISURE PASTIMES INSTEAD   
  People may combine wk, leisure, & ed throughout their lives rather than completing ed before starting wk & saving their leisure yrs for  retirement   
  A lifestyle of decreased wk & increased leisure would deviate from the so called normative career pattern   
  A career pattern w/ greater integration of work, ed, & leisure would include periodic breaks for retraining & renewal, breaks that would be extremely important for  sustaining an innovative spirit in wkrs   
  Lifestyles that allow a greater integration of wk, ed, & leisure across the life cycle would help resolve the dilemma of fewer wkrs being needed in core industries as tech based advances in productivity continue to accumulate, reducing the need for wkrs   

 
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 Outline on  Public Goods & Reduced Consumption Lifestyles 
External
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  IN A FUTURE POST WORK / LEISURE SOCIETY THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC GOODS WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT & MORE AVAILABLE THAN TODAY 
 
  Over the history of ind society, the provision of 'public goods' has  increased   
  Public goods are products or services to which the citizens or residents of a society are entitled w/o direct pmt or at a nominal fee   
  See Also:  Public Goods   
  Public goods include ed, clean air, public  parks, libraries, Social Security, retirement income, & increasingly:  health care   
  If the provision of pub goods expands, wkrs who remain in the marginal sector of employment will at least be spared some of the most debilitating consequences of poverty & marginality   
 
 The provision of  pub goods can be an important preventative against the reproduction of a marginal sector 
 
  The provision of  pub goods also creates jobs, providing addl escape routes from marginality 
 
  If the material of pub goods are provided only privately as parts of benefit packages restricted to the innovative sector on on a fee for service basis, many in society will have to do w/o them   
  HEALTH CARE MAY BECOME A PUBLIC GOOD IN THE US AS IS ALREADY IS IN ALL OTHER DEVELOPED NATIONS   
  One example of a good that is a private good in the US, but a public good in all other advanced nations, is health care   
  Many in the US are coming to see the provision health care as a right, a public good, a necessity for econ growth, & esp as leveling the competitive field btwn the US & other adv nations   
  High health care costs restrict the expansion of the innovative sector & limit employment growth in general   
  Hi health care benefits costs become part of the expenses of  businesses significantly reducing the competitiveness of many Am firms   
  Providing health care as a public good or otherwise constraining rising costs in health care is a powerful incentive to econ growth & innovation   
  SOME ANALYSTS PREDICT THAT AT LEAST THE MID CLASS HAS / OR WILL REACH THE END OF CONSUMERISM & WILL INSTEAD SEEK EXPERIENCES, SUCH AS TRAVEL, ED, ARTS, CRAFTS, PUBLIC SERVICE, & SO ON   
  Greater provision of pub goods also provides an alternative to the 'work & spend' treadmill that traps many Americans in a high wk, high consumption & high debt lifestyle   
  Average consumption expenditure for Am have doubled in the last 30 yrs   
  The effort of earning this much money, shopping to spend it, & then tending these goods leaves many mid income Am too exhausted to enjoy life   
  For many, high consumption patterns result in excessive debt, leading to bankruptcy & severe disruptions of personal & family lifestyles   
  THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC GOODS WILL DECREASE THE GAP BTWN THE POOR & THE MID CLASS   
  The provision of public goods & the training of wkrs for employment in the innovative sector are among the most important strats for avoiding a deeply class divided society in the 21st C & for providing a better qual of life for all   
  Whether we pursue innovative strats that close the income gap as a society depends on the importance we attach to the creation of a just & inclusive society   

 
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 Outline on the  Creative, Communal Society: 
Robotic / AI Society:
External
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  BEFORE INDUSTRIALIZATION SKILLED WKRS HAD THE BEST JOBS, & SO IT MAY BE IN POST WK SOCIETY 
 
  Artisans & skilled wkrs  made up the original American middle class   
  Before industrialization swept through the US econ, many people who didn't wk on farms were silversmiths, woodworkers, furniture makers, leather workers, & so on, & this type of crafts artisan industry is likely to reemerge in the future, post wk society   
  In Euro, in the mid ages the artisans & craft wkrs formed the 1st unions in the form of guilds   
  The artisans skilled wkrs of the pre industrial age were ground up by the machinery of mass production in the 20th C   
  Post workists see the next wave of automation returning society to an age of craftsmanship & artistry   
  THE POST WORK ECON WILL BE STRUCTURED AROUND CREATIVITY, NOT CONSUMPTION  
  The new artisan econ will be geared around self expression   
  The artisan econ is growing rapidly today in the small but growing number of industrial shops called 'maker spaces'   
  The Columbus Idea Foundry is the largest artisan space in the US   
  The Columbus Idea Foundry is a converted shoe factory stocked w/ industrial age machinery where hundreds of members pay a monthly fee to use its arsenal of machines to make gifts, jewelry, weld, finish, paint w/ machinist tools   
  Most of the people at the Columbus Idea Foundry would quit their 'real jobs' & 'work' full time at the Foundry if they could   
  IN THE POST WK ECON PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW THEIR CREATIVE INTERESTS TO PRODUCE GOODS & SERVICES FOR AN ARTISAN MKT  
  The artisan econ will express the beauty of an econ where 10s of millions of people make things they enjoy making, whether physical or digital, in bldings or online communities  
  People upload more than 400,000 hors of You Tube videos & 350 mm new Facebook photos every day   
  The demise of the work econ frees many would be artists, writers, & craftspeople to dedicate their time to creative interests; to live as cultural producers   
  An artisan econ offers what orgl theorists consider central to satisfaction at  work:  independence, the chance to develop master, a sense of purpose, the acclaim of peers, & more   

 
Internal
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 Outline on the  The Post Work 'Work' Society:
Robotic / AI Society
External
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  THERE ARE SOME QUALITIES OF THE POST WK SOCIETY OPERATING TODAY:  DOWN SIZED WKRS, RETIREES, PART TIME WKRS, HOME MAKERS, & SO ON 
 
  Today many people, who have lost their traditional jobs from the inexorable trends of deindustrialization & globalization which became prominent in the 60s, or b/c of the Bush recession of 2007, are living a post work life to a greater extent than at any time in history   
  There are more retirees today than at any time in history, & they too are living a post work life   
  It is true that some retirees, esp men, have a hard time adapting to the lack of structure that the post work life offers, but this is a small minority, & most do adjust over time   
  More & more people are not finding fulfillment at work, rather they have a hobby or pastime in which they find meaning   
  Finding meaning outside of work is done in 'occupations' including: artist, rock climber, writer, collector, & so much more, & people w/ this lifestyle often 'work to support their play habit'   
 
 The homemaker, which has traditionally been female, but is increasingly male, has always found meaning outside of work & today more couples are choosing to have one person be the homemaker while the other supports the family 
 
  The alternative to the full time homemaker is a couple who can juggle schedules, possibly w/ reduced work loads in order to estb a nearly full time homemaker presence of one partner or the other 
 
  B/c of the structure of our current wkplace, it is usually easier for a couple to have one full time wkr & one full time homemaker than it is to have both people working part time & homemaking part time                     
    SOME UNDER EMPLOYED, PART TIME, LAID OFF WKRS ARE ESTBING NEW LIFESTYLES W/ LESS WORK & MORE LEISURE                    
  Today most wkrs who cannot find full time wk, move from job to job to task to earn money, living a precarious existence, thus earning the class label precariat   
  The down sized, part time, under employed, re employed wkrs today typically have lost their former level of pay, labor rights, bargaining rights, job security, & more & thus are not a suitable model for the post wk society   
  A post wk society might transform the down sized into a living 'occupation' or pastime through some changes in our current wkplace structure   
  An example of transforming the down sized, under employed position into a lifestyle is that being sought by some Uber wkrs who want bargaining power to prevent Uber from flooding the mkt w/ Uber drivers & lowering income to an unsustainable level   
  The Uber case is currently in the courts   
  ENTREPRENEURIALISM WILL BE MORE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE W/ THE CREATIVE ITCH IN POST WK SOCIETY                   
  The post wk society will see more entrepreneurship where people work, invent, create, expand on a part time basis using tech to develop almost any entrepreneurial dream to be pursued   
  Today people often work in order to support their entrepreneurial enterprise, but in a post wk society people would be able to do the latter w/o the need for the former   
                  THERE ARE BUSINESSES IN THE 'GIG SECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT' THAT OFFER WKRS UNLIMITED PART TIME WK                    
  Examples of part time gigs that will be more prominent, & will come to be dominant in the post wk society include: 
-  Uber (for drivers) 
-  Seamless (for meal deliverers) 
-  Homejoy (for house  cleaners) 
-  TaskRabbit (for just about any odd job) 
-  Air B & B (for room or  home rental)		  
  Online mkts like Craigslist & eBay make it easier for people to take on small independent project such as furniture refurbishing   
  While the on demand econ is not a major part of the employment sector, the number of temporary help services wkrs has grown by 50 % since 2010 according to the Bureau of Labor Stats   
  The basic principle demonstrated here is that w/ a declining  number  of  full time jobs, splitting some of the remaining work up among many part time wkrs is a functional development   
  GIG EMPLOYMENT OFFERS AUTONOMY BUT LACKS JOB SECURITY & WKPLACE RTS   
  The critics of the gig econ, or the on demand econ, note that these relationships are often a case where the wkr gains employment & autonomy but  they give up job security & wkplace rights   
  The challenge for a post  wk econ is to retain 'employment' where wkrs want it, & gain autonomy, & yet maintain sufficient income security & wkplace rts   
  In a society where robots & AI can be harnessed to do almost any labor task, the post wk econ w/ 'employment,' autonomy, income security, & wkplace rts is possible   

 
Internal
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 Outline on  Reducing Marginal Employment 
External
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  BUSINESSES, GOVT, UNIONS, COMMUNITIES, & OTHERS CAN SET UP ROADBLOCKS TO MARGINALITY
 
  Beside supporting wkrs' abilities to demand tech innovation & competitiveness & providing a labor force educated to meet the challenge of innovation, society can also set up roadblocks against encroaching marginality   
  The roadblocks against marginality include a higher min wage, restrictions on mergers & plant closings, standardization of tax, labor & envl laws so states are not force to compete w/ one another by offering firms across the nation the most minimal employment standards   
  Higher min wages have significant positive  effects on employment stability & the acquisition of addl training w/o substantial negative effects on new hiring   
  Roadblocks to capital flight keep capital at home & in place where it can be used to foster innovation & increased productivity as preferred responses to competitive pressures   
  Programs encouraging wkr buyouts, ESOPs, & cooperatives can also reduce marginality   
 
 Banks could be encouraged to lessen their resistance to extending needed credit to wkr owned firms 
 
  WKR RETRAINING PROGRAMS IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WKFORCE, BUT THE US HAS A WEAK PROGRAM COMPARED TO EURO & JAPANESE PROG   
  Expanded wkr training programs are important not only for facilitating the spread of innovation but also for reducing marginal employment   
  The need for programs which enhance innovation as well as block marginality are increased by the accelerating pace of tech change   
  Fewer wkrs expect to wkr at just one job throughout their careers   
  W/ more rapid job changes, improved job placement & matching services become increasingly important if jobs are to be filled by qualified applicants, if wkrs' abilities are to be used effectively, & if wkrs are to avoid periods of marginality   
  Employment of the labor force at nearer its full potential would increase productivity & reduce welfare expenses immensely   
  REDUCING MARGINALITY WOULD STRENGTHEN THE ECON BY MAKING MORE WKRS MORE PRODUCTIVE   
  Reducing the marginal aspects of available jobs would help lessen underemployment, unstable employment, & blocked mobility   
  In conjunction w/ ed & training progs, & the expansion of the innovative sector, a reduction of marginal employment positions would facilitate the incorporation of all wkrs in the mainstream of society   
  The success of such agendas also depend on the vigorous enforcement of laws protecting the rts of wkrs   

 
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 Outline on the  Role of Govt in the Post Work Society
External
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  POST WORK SOCIETY WILL BE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT THAN LIFE TODAY 
 
  While the immediate effects of tech's elimination of jobs is the struggle to create new jobs, the long term effect is what happens to the distribution of the wealth created by robots & the consumer econ   
  The challenge is to ensure consumers will be able to continue to buy the goods created by tech in the post work econ   
  Tech progress that creates a post work econ will create social & cultural changes that are almost impossible to envision   
  Some dramatic changes might include whether the thousands of office buildings will still be useful, or whether people will even continue to live in cities   
  As people work less, rearing children could become less overwhelming   
 
 B/c job opportunities have spurred migration in the US & around the world, immigration should decline which might give way to more closely knitted clans 
 
  The decline of the labor force could make our politics more contentious b/c deciding how to tax profits & distribute income could become the most significant econ policy debate in world history 
 
  THE POST WK ECON WILL HAVE A FREE MKT ECON W/ MORE STATE INTERVENTION TO MANAGE GROWTH IN THE ECON & THE DIST OF WEALTH   
  In The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith used the term invisible hand to refer to the order & social benefits that arise from individuals' selfish actions   
  To preserve the consumer econ & the soc fabric, govts might have to embrace what Haruhiko Kuroda, the governor of the Bank of Japan, has called the visible hand of econ intervention   
  The free mkt econ would still reign, but w/o reforms, the distribution of wealth could become more problematic than it is today   
  LOCAL GOVT MIGHT TRY TO ESTB PROGRAMS & GOVT / COMMUNITY BLDGS TO INCREASE SOCIETAL COHESIVENESS  
  Local govt might create more community ctrs of other public spaces where residents can meet, learn skills, bond around sports or the arts & entertainment, & socialize   
  Two common effects of  unemployment are loneliness, on the individual level, & the hollowing out of community pride & participation   
  A national policy that directed money toward ctrs in distressed areas might remedy the maladies of idleness, & form the beginnings of a long term experiment on how to re engage people in their neighborhoods in the absence of full employment   
  GOVT WILL SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS MUCH AS IT DOES TODAY EXCEPT THAT THERE WILL BE MORE SMALL BUSINESSES   
  The govt  might do well to expand the Small Business Admin (SBA) b/c in the post work society, more people are going to be interested in starting a small business 'of their dreams'   
  It is likely that as the post work econ develops that US corps & the laws governing work might follow Germany's example today & create mechanisms for cutting all wkrs' hrs rather than laying off some of them   
  Job sharing is another possibility for a new work structure in the post wk econ, though not all jobs can easily be shared   
  Sharing jobs won't stop the total number  of jobs from declining, but it would allow more people to keep some work   
  Since in the future, wealth creation will become more dominated  by the owners of capital, ie who can afford robots, AI & other job replacing tech, the most direct solution is for govt to more heavily tax the growing share of income going to the owners of capital   
  THE GOVT MAY 'SEED' ORGS THAT EMPLOY PEOPLE IN MEANINGFUL 'WORK' SUCH AS SOCIAL WELFARE OR ENV ORIENTED WORK   
  The most direct solution to maintaining an equitable distribution of income would be for the govt to pay people to do something, rather than nothing   
  Though for some this make work strategy is discredited in many circles, as it did in the depression era, it might do the most to preserve virtues such as responsibility, agency, & industriousness   
  In the 30s, the Works Progress Admin (WPA) did more than rebuild the nation's infrastructure, it hired 40,000 artists & other cultural wkrs to produce music & theater, murals & paintings, state & regional travel guides, & surveys of state records   
  The WPA also did amazing amts of conservation wk, construction of infrastructure such as roads, estb of industries such as the TWA, & the expansion of needed regulators in food & drugs, the Forest Service, & more   

The End
 
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