Question

Compare Clegg's characteristics of post-modern workers in organizations with traditional ideas of task specialization, mass consumption, and bureaucracy. Write in your own words.

Answer 1

Clegg's characteristics of post-modern workers in organizations with traditional ideas of task specialization, mass consumption, and bureaucracy are different. As per the post modernistic phenomenon advised by Clegg, post modern organizations are more flexible, there is focus on speed and customization. The post modern organizations are flat and decentralised. There is differentiation in services to the customers and de-differentiation of processes for multiple uses and efficiency as a result the workers are preferred to be knowledge driven and multi skilled. There is a culture of information sharing, open communication, social and ethical consciousness. The focus is more on rationalisation and sustainability and performance is evaluated against key areas and performance indicators.

The traditional ideas of task specialization, mass consumption and bureaucracy are characteristics of modern organizations. The organizations are driven by a culture of regulations and control. The structures are hierarchical and centralized. The approach is more profit driven and capital based. Economies of scale and mass production systems are used for growth orientation. The work managers had more supervisory roles and workers had simple jobs. The benefits and compensation structures are fixed and based on collective negotiations. The management is done based on rules and policies and processes are inflexible for ease of management. The workers roles are clearly defined and measurable.