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The Sociology of Work

Structures and Inequalities

Steven P. Vallas, William Finlay, and Amy S. Wharton

The Sociology of Work: Structures and Inequalities answers the need for a clear, engaging--and affordable--introduction to the basic concepts used by sociologists of work. Throughout, the text links the most up-to-date research and scholarship on work and occupations with their underlying sociological principles. Beginning with a thorough discussion of these core concepts, it goes on to show the historical developments of labor processes, thus allowing students to draw modern, real-world connections. The book also examines the contemporary work scene (both domestic and global), its concurrent occupational structures, and, all too often, its resultant inequalities.

$119.99

Paperback

Published: 15 January 2009

384 Pages | 7 lines

7 1/2 X 9 1/4 inches

ISBN: 9780195381726

Bookseller Code (04)

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The Sociology of Work

Structures and Inequalities

Steven P. Vallas, William Finlay, and Amy S. Wharton

Description

Understanding the world of work is often difficult for students--particularly undergraduates--to grasp. The Sociology of Work: Structures and Inequalities answers the need for a clear, engaging--and affordable--introduction to the basic concepts used by sociologists of work. Throughout, the text links the most up-to-date research and scholarship on work and occupations with their underlying sociological principles. Beginning with a thorough discussion of these core concepts, it goes on to show the historical developments of labor processes, thus allowing students to draw modern, real-world connections. The book also examines the contemporary work scene (both domestic and global), its concurrent occupational structures, and, all too often, its resultant inequalities.

While remarkably accessible, The Sociology of Work does not shy away from challenging students with weightier sociological concepts, theories, and methodological issues, as well as less commonly discussed topics like Luddism, the role of gender in the industrial revolution, and the rise and decline of the workers' movement.

Comprehensive and versatile, The Sociology of Work: Structures and Inequalities is ideal for courses in the sociology of work and occupations, and the sociology of organizations and corporations, as well as labor studies and human resource management.

Features
* Incorporates issues of gender and race throughout
* Also includes separate and unique chapters on gender (Chapter 11), diversity (Chapter 12), immigration (Chapter 13), and globalization (Chapter 16)
* Emphasizes the continuing importance of social theory, both classical and contemporary
* Devotes an entire chapter to research methods and data sources

The Sociology of Work

Structures and Inequalities

Steven P. Vallas, William Finlay, and Amy S. Wharton

Preface
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. The Sociology of Work: An Invitation
The Primacy-of-Production Thesis
The Sociology of Work: Core Principles
Conclusion
2. Theoretical Traditions in the Sociology of Work
Classical Perspectives on Work and Society
Contemporary Perspectives on Work and Society
Perspectives on Work: Present Realities and Future Perspectives
3. Studying Workers and Work: Research Methods in the Field
Methods for Studying Work and Workers
Official Statistics
Surveys and Interviews
Ethnographies
Experiments
Summary and Conclusion
PART II: THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF WORK
4. The Industrial Revolution and Beyond: Culture, Work, and Social Change
Understanding the Industrial Revolution
The Meaning of Work in Preindustrial Societies
The Rise of the Factory System
Gender, Family, and the Factory System: The Rise of the Male Breadwinner Norm
Conclusion
5. The Second Industrial Revolution: Mass Production and Labor Management
The Rise of Mass Production
How Workers Responded to Mass Production
The Invention of Personnel Management
The Hawthorne Research: The Discovery of the Work Group
Summary
PART III: OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURES
6. Blue-Collar Workers and the Hidden World of Work
The Skills of Blue-Collar Workers
How Work Gets Done: Informal Work Practices
Good Citizenship in the Workplace
Summary
7. Managers: Careers at Work
The Managerial Occupation
What Do Managers Do?
Managers' Careers
Gender and Racial Differences in Access to Power and Authority
The Future of Management
Summary
8. The Professions: Power and Status in the Workplace
Characteristics of the Professions
Controlling Professional Work: The Professional Ethic
Professional Careers
Summary
9. Service Jobs: Close Encounters with Customers
Defining Service
Service Industries and Service Occupations
Characteristics of Service Jobs
Control, Routinization, and Technology in Service Work
Doing Deference: Personal Service Work
Conclusion: Beyond the Service Economy
PART IV: INEQUALITIES
10. Unions in America: The Struggles of the Labor Movement
The Glory Years of Industrial Unionism: 1933-1945
The Decline of Unions After World War II
The Costs of Union Decline
The Future of Unions
Summary
11. Gender and Work
The Rise in Women's Labor Force Participation
The Sex Segregation of Jobs and Occupations
Maintaining Barriers Between "Women's" and "Men's" Jobs
The Gender Pay Gap and the Worth of Jobs
The Future of Gender Inequality at Work
Conclusion
12. Managing Diversity: Racial and Ethnic Divisions at Work
Race, Ethnicity, and the Sociology of Work
Government Efforts to Uproot Racial and Ethnic Disparities
Conclusion
13. Immigrant Workers: Marginal Work, Networks, and Entrepreneurship
Migration of the Poor: Mexicans, Central Americans, and Filipinos
Immigrant Hiring: Networks and Gateways
Immigrants and Entrepreneurship
Summary
PART V: THE FUTURE OF WORK: KEY ISSUES AND SOCIAL CHOICES
14. Work and Family
The Rise of Domesticity
Work Time, Family Time, and Work-Family Conflict
Cross-National Differences in Work and Family
The Growth of Nonstandard Employment Contracts and the "24/7" Economy
Conclusion
15. The New American Workplace
Trends in Occupational Growth: Some Evidence
The Changing Employment Relationship
The Participatory Management Movement
Conclusion
16. Globalization and the American Workplace
Dimensions of Globalization
The Meaning of Globalization for the American Worker
Conclusions: Shaping Globalization
References
Index