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Very Short Introductions #337
Work: A Very Short Introduction
The image of a job captures our imagination from an early age, usually prompted by the question 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'. Work -- paid, unpaid, voluntary, or obligatory -- is woven into the fabric of all human societies. For many of us, it becomes part of our identity. For others it is a tedious necessity. Living is problematic without paid work, and for many it is catastrophic.
Steve Fineman tells the fascinating story of work - how we strive for security, reward, and often, meaning. Looking at how we classify 'work'; the cultural and social factors that influence the way we work; the ethics of certain types of work; and the factors that will affect the future of work, from globalization to technology, this Very Short Introduction considers work as a concept and as a practical experience, drawing upon ideas from psychology, sociology, management, and social history.
Steve Fineman tells the fascinating story of work - how we strive for security, reward, and often, meaning. Looking at how we classify 'work'; the cultural and social factors that influence the way we work; the ethics of certain types of work; and the factors that will affect the future of work, from globalization to technology, this Very Short Introduction considers work as a concept and as a practical experience, drawing upon ideas from psychology, sociology, management, and social history.
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2012
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346 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 8, 2013
Work seems to be one of the most important aspects of most of our lives, and we spend many years preparing for it, doing it, and stressing over it. However, most of us don’t get to reflect on what is the nature of work in its own right, and it may be surprising to realize that the regimented work and work schedule that we take for granted today is quite an exceptional and recent historical development.
This short introduction tries to put the notion of work in a broader historical and social context. The book covers several aspects of modern work environment, and shows how we’ve gotten to this point in the long history of work. It also covers some recent changes in the nature of work (telecommuting for instance), and it anticipates a few further developments in the upcoming years.
Unfortunately, this book is written from a very academic standpoint, and most of it is not even presented from the “soft” social science perspective. It is mostly based on pseudo-humanistic analysis that is so prevalent in the modern academia. It relies too much on neo-Marxism and cultural Marxism for the analysis and interpretation. Most of it is implicit, but there are a few very explicit invocation of Marxist terms and rhetoric. Aside from being very ideologically skewed, this approach has a concomitant problem of not being very useful. It approaches work and the work environment from the perspective of an ever-increasing field of complaints grievances, and victimhoods. Essentially you are being exploited, abused, or alienated if you are looking for work, not looking for work, not being able to find work, working, being underworked, being overworked, being under qualified, being overqualified, working in the office, working form home, working full time, working part time, if you are a woman, if you are a minority, and if you are retired. The 99% of us are victims (something that is stated quite explicitly in the closing pages of the book), work sucks, and it’s only probably going to get worse. I couldn’t have thought of a more depressing book and message on work. I would discourage anyone from reading this book, lest your whole attitude to work becomes irrevocably gloom and desperate. It’s not a good read, and it’s not even all that scholarly. I would have expected much better form the Oxford University Press.
This short introduction tries to put the notion of work in a broader historical and social context. The book covers several aspects of modern work environment, and shows how we’ve gotten to this point in the long history of work. It also covers some recent changes in the nature of work (telecommuting for instance), and it anticipates a few further developments in the upcoming years.
Unfortunately, this book is written from a very academic standpoint, and most of it is not even presented from the “soft” social science perspective. It is mostly based on pseudo-humanistic analysis that is so prevalent in the modern academia. It relies too much on neo-Marxism and cultural Marxism for the analysis and interpretation. Most of it is implicit, but there are a few very explicit invocation of Marxist terms and rhetoric. Aside from being very ideologically skewed, this approach has a concomitant problem of not being very useful. It approaches work and the work environment from the perspective of an ever-increasing field of complaints grievances, and victimhoods. Essentially you are being exploited, abused, or alienated if you are looking for work, not looking for work, not being able to find work, working, being underworked, being overworked, being under qualified, being overqualified, working in the office, working form home, working full time, working part time, if you are a woman, if you are a minority, and if you are retired. The 99% of us are victims (something that is stated quite explicitly in the closing pages of the book), work sucks, and it’s only probably going to get worse. I couldn’t have thought of a more depressing book and message on work. I would discourage anyone from reading this book, lest your whole attitude to work becomes irrevocably gloom and desperate. It’s not a good read, and it’s not even all that scholarly. I would have expected much better form the Oxford University Press.
December 8, 2023
This is the fifth book, I read in the OUP short introduction series.
And I read it mostly on my commute using Kindle (Mobile app)!
As with other books in this series, it is excellent bird's eye view of the world of work!
It is lucid and accessible literature review, written by expert/scholar in the field, but for the layman reader.
If you are HR, OB, or Career professional/counselor/coach, this is the book, you must read!
It covers the field nicely.
As a Organization behavior (OB) area faculty and student, I am curious to know - how do work shapes people? Work often considered drudgery, need to be punctuated by weekends, can it really elevate workers? Can it really deliver self-actualization (As Maslow said) or can it really transcend one to spiritual level, the way karma Yoga claim? From that perspective, this book does give one the wide survey of work domain, right from internship to retirement!
Though OB domain student, with interests in careers and work, surprisingly many concepts in the book were new! like Hikikomori, NEET, some aspects of women's work, divide of have's and have nots and it's influence on work!
I was familiar with some concepts, books - But I have now different perspective at them like Maverick (Ricardo Semler), Protestant work ethic (Weber), and I-deals.
Book does touches some current raging debates like working remotely or from office, 70 hour vs 40 hour, pay disparity, Unemployment and underemployment and so on.
Certainly, it is worth read for anyone interested in HR, Organization Behavior, or careers. I am contemplating of summarizing the contents. Do drop a message if you wish to read it!
And I read it mostly on my commute using Kindle (Mobile app)!
As with other books in this series, it is excellent bird's eye view of the world of work!
It is lucid and accessible literature review, written by expert/scholar in the field, but for the layman reader.
If you are HR, OB, or Career professional/counselor/coach, this is the book, you must read!
It covers the field nicely.
As a Organization behavior (OB) area faculty and student, I am curious to know - how do work shapes people? Work often considered drudgery, need to be punctuated by weekends, can it really elevate workers? Can it really deliver self-actualization (As Maslow said) or can it really transcend one to spiritual level, the way karma Yoga claim? From that perspective, this book does give one the wide survey of work domain, right from internship to retirement!
Though OB domain student, with interests in careers and work, surprisingly many concepts in the book were new! like Hikikomori, NEET, some aspects of women's work, divide of have's and have nots and it's influence on work!
I was familiar with some concepts, books - But I have now different perspective at them like Maverick (Ricardo Semler), Protestant work ethic (Weber), and I-deals.
Book does touches some current raging debates like working remotely or from office, 70 hour vs 40 hour, pay disparity, Unemployment and underemployment and so on.
Certainly, it is worth read for anyone interested in HR, Organization Behavior, or careers. I am contemplating of summarizing the contents. Do drop a message if you wish to read it!
September 29, 2019
A very brief history and observation about being a part of the economy. He writes about the proletariats, the capitalists, the communists, the socialists, and each of their impacts on society. He talks about when work started, why we work, to what ends we work. He doesn't give us any new observations beyond what we can already conceive, yet, his observations are unique only by his own voice. That is what made this book interesting.
October 30, 2018
Dull
It felt like reading a long, somewhat stream-of-conscious list of observations about work. Maybe this would be interesting new material for someone who hasn't ever worked, is oblivious to the economy, and never listens to or reads the news. Otherwise browsing a few Wikipedia pages might provide deeper insight.
It felt like reading a long, somewhat stream-of-conscious list of observations about work. Maybe this would be interesting new material for someone who hasn't ever worked, is oblivious to the economy, and never listens to or reads the news. Otherwise browsing a few Wikipedia pages might provide deeper insight.
July 28, 2024
This was good. Written in 2012, however, it seems in need of an update, given all the changes that occurred during the pandemic (remote work, etc.) and other economic and cultural shifts.
Aspects of this will be useful for a writing class I will be teaching on the theme of Meaningful Work this fall.
Aspects of this will be useful for a writing class I will be teaching on the theme of Meaningful Work this fall.
February 18, 2023
Started so goo but the it becomes more like talking than putting facts & info.
March 21, 2015
I took this book on holiday, which might not have been the brightest of ideas, but still, it was ok, it kept me interested, even though it didn't say anything groundbreakingly new. I was interested to discover that the role of emotion at work is a field of study - that has to be a good thing, and a challenge to prevailing cultures.
I am not sure exactly what I expected from it. It didn't turn out to be the book I was looking for - It is more of a social science overview of the practical experience of work in western society, whereas I think I am after something a bit more existential, but hoped that this little introduction would give me some pointers on current thinking, and on where I might find something that scratches where I itch. It had useful moments, and has a role to play out there, but it didn't take me personally where I wanted to go, nor any surprising alternate routes.
I am not sure exactly what I expected from it. It didn't turn out to be the book I was looking for - It is more of a social science overview of the practical experience of work in western society, whereas I think I am after something a bit more existential, but hoped that this little introduction would give me some pointers on current thinking, and on where I might find something that scratches where I itch. It had useful moments, and has a role to play out there, but it didn't take me personally where I wanted to go, nor any surprising alternate routes.
November 27, 2014
Engaging and lucid analysis of this sphere of human activity...
October 3, 2015
Very depressing and negative view of modern work, but well written, easy to understand and properly short.
August 26, 2016
Was expecting something more philosophical. Essentially a long encyclopedia entry.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews