Abstract
In this paper, the aim is to study how the work organization in one specific company for one specific trade has changed over time and with these changes, the presence and absence of alienation of employees in this trade. Blauner’s U-shaped alienation development trend has been a reference in discussions on alienation. It displays a connection between the degree of alienation and technological development. The findings from this study verify the trend and the connection in the case company. However, although the development trend may look similar to that of Blauner’s model, it is differently founded. Where previous studies highlight the production system, including technology, as crucial to the presence of alienation, this study documents that external conditions outside or partly outside the company’s control—such as digital information availability, product complexity, and quality requirements—will determine the presence of alienation. Thus, researchers should adjust the content of the concept of alienation accordingly.
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Notes
The large projects were divided into sub-products, which in themselves were large products. To maintain control and optimize the installation activity internally on the sub-product and between the sub-products, a need for extensive coordination is developed.
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Acknowledgements
The paper is written as part of the R&D project Competitive Flexibility funded by the Norwegian Research Council. I would like to take this opportunity to thank anonymous reviewers for their good and constructive feedback.
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Haga, T. Alienation in a digitalized world. AI & Soc 37, 801–814 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01381-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01381-z