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The rise of the ‘network organisation’ and the decline of discretion
Grugulis, C. Irena Vincent, S. Hebson, G.
Grugulis, C. Irena
Vincent, S.
Hebson, G.
Publication Date
2003
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© 2003 Blackwell Publishing. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.
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Abstract
This article explores the implications of `networked¿ and `flexible¿ organisations for the work and skills of professionals. Drawing on material from four different case studies it reviews work that is out-sourced (IT professionals and housing benefit caseworkers), work done by teachers contracted to a temporary employment agency and work done through an inter-firm network (chemical production workers). In each of these cases work that was out-sourced was managed very differently to that which was undertaken in-house, with managerial monitoring replacing and reducing employees¿ discretion. New staff in these networks had fewer skills when hired and were given access to a narrower range of skills than their predecessors. By contrast, the production staff employed on permanent contracts in the inter-firm network were given (and took) significant amounts of responsibility, with positive results for both their skills and the work processes. Despite these results, out-sourcing and sub-contracting are a far more common means of securing flexibility than organisational collaboration and the implications of this for skills is considered.
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Citation
Grugulis C I, Vincent S and Hebson G (2003) The rise of the ‘network organisation’ and the decline of discretion. Human Resource Management Journal. 13( 2): 45-59.
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