The Nylon Spinners

First published in 1971 The Nylon Spinners presents one of the few detailed and firsthand studies of the impact of productivity bargaining on the shop floor and makes an important contribution to the social and psychological understanding of human behaviour. Productivity bargaining has moved far beyond its earlier preoccupation with the wage-effort bargain. It is becoming increasingly apparent that it may have profound direct effects on the attitudes and expertise of managers, on the institutions and climate of industrial relations, and on the motivations and satisfactions of operatives. The problems of industrial relations are not the primary focus of this study. But the growing recognition of the gap between the formal and informal systems on the shop floor, and of the limitations of managerial control, emphasizes the importance of a deeper understanding of industrial behaviour. What motivates men not simply to go to work but to work to the best of their ability? This book is essential for students of the behavioral sciences, industrial relations, labour economics and economics in general.

Stephen Cotgrove, Jack Dunham, Clive Vamplew

Preface 1. Productivity Bargain 2. Men and Machines 3. The Agreement 4. The Context of Work 5. The Job Content 6. The Supervisors 7. Attitudes to Change 8. The Impact on Productivity and Morale 9. Conclusion and Discussion Appendix Index