Technology and Work in German Industry

German industry in particular is a central focus for studying technical and organizational changes in industry due to its pivotal position in international markets, its technological sophistication and its well-established training systems.
Originally published in 1992, this study brings together contributions which contain both theoretical approaches and extensive empirical studies, on the manufacturing industry in Germany, including comparisons to other european countries. It looks at the developments of new technology, identifying trends in rationalization and the influences they have on organizational behaviour. As it discusses the relationships between technology and the work-force it includes discussion on flexible specialization, labour processes, union relations, small and large firms and training processes.

Multivolume collection by leading authors in the field

Part 1: Concepts 1. No End in Sight - Current Debates on the Future of Industrial Work Norbert Altmann, Christoph Köhler, Pamela Meil 2. Stranger in Paradise - An American's Perspective on German Industrial Sociology Pamela Meil 3. The Contradictions of Post-Tayloristic Rationalization and the Uncertain Future of Industrial Work Burkart Lutz 4. Systematic Rationalization and Inter-Company Divisions of Labour Dieter Sauer, Manfred Deiß, Volker Döhl, Daniel Bieber, Norbert Altmann 5. Part 2: Development and Application of New Technologies On the HIstory of NC-Technology - Different Paths of Development Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen 6. The Role of Manufacturing Technology Markets in Systematic Rationalization Processes Volker Döhl 7. Thinking Machines, Dreaming Engineers? Towards Applied Expert System Technology Manfred Moldaschl 8. Computerized Manufacturing and Sensory Perception- New Demands on the Analysis of Work Fritz Böhle , Brigitte Milkau, Helmuth Rose Part 3: CIM and Organizational Change in the Mechanical Engineering Industries 9. Diffusion of CIM-Technologies - Dynamic Dissemination and Alternative Paths of Innovation Rainer Schultz-Wild 10. Technological Innovation - Organizational Conservatism? Christoph Köhler, Christoph Nuber, Rainer Schultz-Wild 12. Bringing Skills Back to the Process Rainer Schultz-Wild Part 4: Restructuring of Work in Mass Production Industries 13. Work Structuring and Company Performance Policies Norbert Altmann, Peter Binkelmann, Klaus Düll 15. Towards a Polarization of Skill Structures Manfred Deiß Part 5: Job Structures and Skill Formation 16. Vocational Training, Job Structures and the Labour Market - An International Perspective Werner Sengenberger 17. Education and Job Hierarchies - Contrasting Evidence from France and Germany Burkart Lutz 18. Mechanical Engineer versus Computer Scientist - Different Roads to CIM in France and Germany Burkart Lutz, Pierre Veltz 19. New Production Structures à l'Italiano? - Similarities and Differences in the West German and Italian Steel Industries Ingrid Drexel Part 6: Large and Small Firms 20. The Development and Structure of Small-Scale Firms Stefanie Weimer 21. Small Supplier Frims at the Crossroads - Meeting New Challenges Through Cooperative Retraining Schemes Hans Gerhard Mendius, Stefanie Weimer 22. Small Firms in Big Subcontracting Klaus Semlinger Part 7: New Technologies and Industrial Relations 23. Unions' Policies Towards new Technologies in the 1980s - An Example from the Metal Industry Norbert Altmann 24. Rationalization Straegies and Representation of Worker Interests Norbert Altmann