The Internet, Organizational Change and Labor

Description

The Internet and computer networks are dramatically reshaping the workplace as we devote more time at work and at home to using the Internet. We are better informed and can work more efficiently, yet there is anxiety about the security of our jobs. The Internet, Organizational Change and Labor examines what is happening to jobs, organizations and unions in the age of the Internet, revelaing both the opportunities and dangers for workers in the digital age. This book explores the Internet's impact on organizations and labor from complementary perspectives, considering how new digitial technologies shape cultural change. It also looks at the culmination of the development of the Internet, its impact upon jobs and the current prospects for unions. Overall, it concludes that the Internet reduces transaction costs and thereby aids profit making but also assists workers, consumers and citizens in challenging business practices. This is a balanced analysis of the Internet aided workplace. Unlike many enthusiasts of e-commerce, this book identifies dangers in the Internet-driven enterprise such as contingent employment, employee monitoring and job loss. It also explores the potential benefits for employees, proposing possible strategies for reforming the economy.