The Fissured Workplace Why Work Became So Bad For So Many And What Can Be Done To Improve It

Synopsis

In the twentieth century, large companies employing many workers formed the bedrock of the U.S. economy. Today, on the list of big business's priorities, sustaining the employer-worker relationship ranks far below building a devoted customer base and delivering value to investors. As David Weil's groundbreaking analysis shows, large corporations have shed their role as direct employers of the people responsible for their products, in favor of outsourcing work to small companies that compete fiercely with one another. The result has been declining wages, eroding benefits, inadequate health and safety protections, and ever-widening income inequality.

From the perspectives of CEOs and investors, fissuring--splitting off functions that were once managed internally--has been phenomenally successful. Despite giving up direct control to subcontractors and franchises, these large companies have figured out how to maintain the quality of brand-name products and services, without the cost of maintaining an expensive workforce. But from the perspective of workers, this strategy has meant stagnation in wages and benefits and a lower standard of living. Weil proposes ways to modernize regulatory policies so that employers can meet their obligations to workers while allowing companies to keep the beneficial aspects of this business strategy.

Book details

Author:

David Weil

ISBN:

9780674725447

Publisher:

Harvard University Press

Pages:

N/A

Reading age:

Not specified

Includes images:

Yes

Date of addition:

2018-07-13

Usage restrictions:

Copyright

Copyright date:

2014

Copyright by:

Harvard University Press 

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Categories:

Business and Finance, Nonfiction, Politics and Government