Work organisation and control : dynamics of change in Hyundai motor

• Main Author: Woo, Lee Sang
• Published: University of Manchester 1997
• Subjects: 338.4
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.630927

In this thesis there has been a systematic analysis of the changes in technologies, work organisation and control that have been found in Hyundai Motor, Ulsan plant, over the last two decades. For this, current theoretical perspectives are divided into the following five categories ; labour process, efficiency bias, social action, the institutionalist, and political economy. Each perspective has its own merits and, in fact, to obtain a balanced view of events in the plant in terms of the key issues, all five theoretical perspectives will be used to construct the analysis. From the first two categories, management's two basic motives for changes are seen as the accumulation of capital through effective control of workers and the improvement of o~erall efficiency to provide the optimum conditions for market Success. ' Before 1987, technological changes were mostly intended to improve efficiency. But after 1987, when massive workers' resistance arose, they have been used for labour control purpose. Throughout the period there has been a gradual transformation from a rigid Fordism to flexible forms of technology In terms of work organisation and control, the elements of both labour control and the improvement of efficiency were always behind the changes. As far as the outcomes are concerned, Taylorism is central. But it did not stand alone, but with various other forms of control. Before 1987, it was combined with coercive management structure and style. But since that year changes have become more consent based. Alongside labour process and efficiency perspectives, the social action perspective also has to be used to explain workers' passivity in resistance, at least before 1987, which was caused by coercive management structure and style. Some sustaining as well as changing behaviour, even after 1987, and the emergence of political process in the changes to' work organisation and control can also be explained by it. But we must not rest here. The whole situation has to be understood in the wider context. Before 1987, all circumstances surrounding Hyundai were in favour of _. the management, who were able to do whatever they wanted. But structural changes after 1987 took the side of workers and a consent based management style has followed these changes. In this view, there can be no doubt that from the view-point of Korean society in general, and Hyundai in particular, the year 1987 was a turning point.