Study Notes PYC1502
, WORK
THE CONCEPT OF WORK
The socio-political (combination or interaction of socio-political factors) circumstances
determines how people view work.
The notion of work evolved along with the development of activities that people performed to
meet the demands of their circumstances and environment. This development can be
traced through four successive phases:
The hunter gather phase – all food is obtained from wild plants and animals. Individuals
mastered using the tools (which they viewed as an extension of their bodies) they had
created for the purpose of surviving. Work already characterised by skilful action, purpose
and social role.
The agricultural phase – agriculture and settlements, crop cultivation, small villages.
Notion of tools was broadened, they were seen as replacing the body altogether and being
mediators of work i.e. they didn’t always have to do the tasks themselves. Animals were
domesticated to do some tasks and humans started working for other people as well.
Settled communities fought wars to retain the natural resources, those that lost the battle
were taken as slaves. The process of managing resources arose.
The industrial development phase – improvement in human development, societies,
resources, health, energy usage. Work mediation tools replaced humans. Products
manufactured in factories and distributed by steam engines. Hierarchy of work established,
with managers necessary to oversee work. Brought the distinction between production and
the management of production. Notions such as qualification, job description, selection,
training and management were brought into being. Industrial age was encouraged by our
need for physical capacity.
The information processing phase – characterised by our need for intellectual power.
Computer technology is the tool of this phase and it brings together the industrial processes
of countries to form a global economy. The hierarchical structures are flatter, permanent
jobs have been replaced by temporary work, requiring multi-skilling. Notions such as the
project team, continuous training and development , CVs, personal management and being
multiskilled began in this phase.
,THE ETHIC OF WORK
Work ethic is the principles of what is right and wrong in the work environment. Includes:
What people feel are their duties and obligations Function of socio-
Nature of the relationship between employer and employee political circumstance &
Amount of freedom of choice they have psychological make up
Socio-politics of work ethic:
1. Feudal work ethic – Resources belonged to the leader (king), including the people,
work was assigned to people. Soldiers played a big part in society.
2. Market work ethic – increased trade amongst kingdoms and city states. People
learnt to buy and sell and make profit. Freed people from agriculture and weakened
hold of kingship.
3. Freedom work ethic – economic freedom and greater levels of literacy brought a
cultural and social revival in Europe. People started make their own decisions and to
measure their worth by personal achievement and wealth. Notion of freedom
conflicted with doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Conflict came to a head with
Protestant Reformation by Martin Luther in 1530.
4. Protestant work ethic – Protestants believed in goodness of work. One earned
goodness through working for the glory of God. Played an important role in
development of modern economic systems – WHY?
a. People should not be idle – use their time to work, because work is good
b. One must earn what one wants to use. Not entitled to anything unless you
worked for it.
c. One should continually improve their skills so as to work better
d. People should not waste and consume more than needed to satisfy basic
needs. Surplus to be saved, or ploughed back to improve people’s
circumstances.
Modern good economic principles
5. Mechanistic work ethic – World seen as a giant machine, where everything,
including people fitted together like cogs of the machine. Scientific advances
supported industrial development. Characteristic of work become:
a. People being slotted into pre-defined jobs
b. Performance was monitored and managed in hierarchical control structures
, c. Power and decision making with top management, communicated downwards
d. Planning to reach goals
Was successful from production view, but negated the individualism and
psychological needs of people.
6. Post industrial work ethic – encouraged personal freedom. Based on the notion
that the world is a system, made up of other systems (subsystems) . Humans
function as living organisms, which change dynamically and evolve in response to
their environment.
7. Self development work ethic. Shift from people as machines to people as living,
evolving systems is a shift from dependency to autonomy. It is a shift from self-
agency, to greater self-reliance. Change from:
a. Authoritarian environment – participatory management
b. Hierarchically managed workers – self determining work teams
c. Pre-described jobs – dynamic work roles
d. Rigid implementation and pre-defined policies – flexible and adaptable work
procedures
, WORK
THE CONCEPT OF WORK
The socio-political (combination or interaction of socio-political factors) circumstances
determines how people view work.
The notion of work evolved along with the development of activities that people performed to
meet the demands of their circumstances and environment. This development can be
traced through four successive phases:
The hunter gather phase – all food is obtained from wild plants and animals. Individuals
mastered using the tools (which they viewed as an extension of their bodies) they had
created for the purpose of surviving. Work already characterised by skilful action, purpose
and social role.
The agricultural phase – agriculture and settlements, crop cultivation, small villages.
Notion of tools was broadened, they were seen as replacing the body altogether and being
mediators of work i.e. they didn’t always have to do the tasks themselves. Animals were
domesticated to do some tasks and humans started working for other people as well.
Settled communities fought wars to retain the natural resources, those that lost the battle
were taken as slaves. The process of managing resources arose.
The industrial development phase – improvement in human development, societies,
resources, health, energy usage. Work mediation tools replaced humans. Products
manufactured in factories and distributed by steam engines. Hierarchy of work established,
with managers necessary to oversee work. Brought the distinction between production and
the management of production. Notions such as qualification, job description, selection,
training and management were brought into being. Industrial age was encouraged by our
need for physical capacity.
The information processing phase – characterised by our need for intellectual power.
Computer technology is the tool of this phase and it brings together the industrial processes
of countries to form a global economy. The hierarchical structures are flatter, permanent
jobs have been replaced by temporary work, requiring multi-skilling. Notions such as the
project team, continuous training and development , CVs, personal management and being
multiskilled began in this phase.
,THE ETHIC OF WORK
Work ethic is the principles of what is right and wrong in the work environment. Includes:
What people feel are their duties and obligations Function of socio-
Nature of the relationship between employer and employee political circumstance &
Amount of freedom of choice they have psychological make up
Socio-politics of work ethic:
1. Feudal work ethic – Resources belonged to the leader (king), including the people,
work was assigned to people. Soldiers played a big part in society.
2. Market work ethic – increased trade amongst kingdoms and city states. People
learnt to buy and sell and make profit. Freed people from agriculture and weakened
hold of kingship.
3. Freedom work ethic – economic freedom and greater levels of literacy brought a
cultural and social revival in Europe. People started make their own decisions and to
measure their worth by personal achievement and wealth. Notion of freedom
conflicted with doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Conflict came to a head with
Protestant Reformation by Martin Luther in 1530.
4. Protestant work ethic – Protestants believed in goodness of work. One earned
goodness through working for the glory of God. Played an important role in
development of modern economic systems – WHY?
a. People should not be idle – use their time to work, because work is good
b. One must earn what one wants to use. Not entitled to anything unless you
worked for it.
c. One should continually improve their skills so as to work better
d. People should not waste and consume more than needed to satisfy basic
needs. Surplus to be saved, or ploughed back to improve people’s
circumstances.
Modern good economic principles
5. Mechanistic work ethic – World seen as a giant machine, where everything,
including people fitted together like cogs of the machine. Scientific advances
supported industrial development. Characteristic of work become:
a. People being slotted into pre-defined jobs
b. Performance was monitored and managed in hierarchical control structures
, c. Power and decision making with top management, communicated downwards
d. Planning to reach goals
Was successful from production view, but negated the individualism and
psychological needs of people.
6. Post industrial work ethic – encouraged personal freedom. Based on the notion
that the world is a system, made up of other systems (subsystems) . Humans
function as living organisms, which change dynamically and evolve in response to
their environment.
7. Self development work ethic. Shift from people as machines to people as living,
evolving systems is a shift from dependency to autonomy. It is a shift from self-
agency, to greater self-reliance. Change from:
a. Authoritarian environment – participatory management
b. Hierarchically managed workers – self determining work teams
c. Pre-described jobs – dynamic work roles
d. Rigid implementation and pre-defined policies – flexible and adaptable work
procedures
