Technology as a means to facilitate the production of goods and services has always been with us. Technology describes systems of production on which all human beings depend, to a greater or lesser extent. These systems range on a continuum from the very primitive basic tools to the very sophisticated micro-electronics.

Our focus in this course is on technology and technological change during the twentieth century within industrialised societies. We look at the dominant production systems and their effects upon people who work with them. In particular, we examine some of the debates concerning the major twentieth century technological development within the workplace. This is the system of mass production, or extreme specialisation, and its implications for workforce and management. We look at the technological developments which may supersede mass production and the controversies concerning these developments.

We start with the problem of definition and then move on to a consideration of Fordism. We look at the concept of alienation in relation to technology and the important contribution of the American researcher, Blauner. We then go on to deal with post-Fordism and flexible specialisation. Finally, we examine new technology and its impact upon manufacturing and the office.

After participating in this course, you should be able to:

• define technology and identify different types of mechanisation.
• identify some of reasons for technological change.
• describe what Durkheim identified as the fundamental differences in technological and social organisation between a pre-industrial and an industrial society.
• describe the impact of division of labour upon an industrial society.
• define Fordism and outline its production system.
• identify the advantages, drawbacks and limitations of Fordism.
• relate Marx's concept of alienation to work in modern technological settings.
• describe the work and conclusions of Blauner on alienation, along with some assumptions and limitations of technological determinism.
• explain the relationship between control, de-skilling and technological change in labour process theory, and identify some of the theory's limitations.
• identify in a contemporary industrial example the characteristics of post- Fordism.
• describe how work and technology are developing in the view of flexibility theorists, the reasons they see for this, and the likely effects for employees and organisational management.
• describe some criticisms of flexibility theory and outline some of the drawbacks and limits to flexibility.
• describe the characteristic features of new technology.
• explain how new technology can increase skill requirements and improve the quality of working life.
• describe convergence theory and its implications in basic terms.

Introduction

Objectives

Section 1: Technology at Work and Technological Change

Technology: definitions and perspectives

Imperatives of technology

Division of labour

Scientific management: contributions of Adam Smith and Charles Babbage

Contribution of F W Taylor

Section 2: Emergence of Fordism

Henry Ford's system

Section 3: Alienation and De-skilling

Marx and alienation

Alienation after Marx

Technology and alienation: the Blauner study

De-skilling: technological development as a means of control

Section 4: After Fordism

Post-Fordism

Flexible specialisation examined

The flexible firm

Criticisms and evaluation of theories of flexibility

Further evidence on flexible labour approaches

Limits to flexibility

Flexibility: the future - a review of the post-Fordist debate

Section 5: New Technology and Work Organisation

Evolution of new work technology

Information technology and its uses

Replacement or compensation

Impact of new technology upon manufacturing

Impact of new technology in the office

Summary

Tutor-marked Question Paper

Qualification 1: Technology and Flexibility (Byte Size) Certificate

Technology and Flexibility (Byte Size) Certificate issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, entitling you to use the letters SAC Cert after your name.

In order to offer our students the most convenient and flexible distance learning courses, Stonebridge Associated College offers you the option to study for your course via two methods:

• 1. Via the traditional paper-based method.
• 2. Through the online method via ElearnUK.

When you study through ElearnUK you can quickly access your course material online and submit all of your question papers to your tutor online, using your unique student account. You have access to all of your course material immediately, and when you submit question papers, your tutor sends you an email containing your results and feedback.

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 20 hrs.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

What's Included

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support

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