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Strategy or Structure? Capital, Labour and Control

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  • Richard Hyman

    (Industrial Relations Research Unit School of Industrial & Business Studies University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL)

Abstract

The literature on and for management makes increasing use of notions of strategy. Is such an approach compatible with analyses of capitalism as structurally determined? The first part of the paper argues that contradictions within capitalist enterprise both create openings for strategic choice, and entail that no strategy will prove successful. The second part examines, in the context of six distinct managerial functions, the extent to which the control of labour can be regarded as a dominant management strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Hyman, 1987. "Strategy or Structure? Capital, Labour and Control," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 1(1), pages 25-55, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:1:y:1987:i:1:p:25-55
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017087001001004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lazonick, William, 1979. "Industrial Relations and Technical Change: The Case of the Self-Acting Mule," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 3(3), pages 231-262, September.
    2. Rubery, Jill, 1978. "Structured Labour Markets, Worker Organisation and Low Pay," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 2(1), pages 17-36, March.
    3. John Purcell, 1981. "The Structure of Good Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Good Industrial Relations, chapter 1, pages 3-28, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. John Purcell, 1981. "The Processes of Good Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Good Industrial Relations, chapter 2, pages 29-59, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. John Purcell, 1981. "The Structure of Good Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Good Industrial Relations, chapter 1, pages 3-28, Palgrave Macmillan.
    6. John Purcell, 1981. "Good Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-07101-2.
    7. John Purcell, 1981. "Good Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-04503-7.
    8. John Purcell, 1981. "The Processes of Good Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Good Industrial Relations, chapter 2, pages 29-59, Palgrave Macmillan.
    9. John Purcell, 1979. "A Strategy for Management Control in Industrial Relations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: John Purcell & Robin Smith (ed.), The Control of Work, chapter 2, pages 27-58, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Milner & Edward Richards, 1991. "Determinants of Union Recognition and Employee Involvement: Evidence from London Docklands," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 29(3), pages 377-390, September.
    2. McGovern, Patrick, 2014. "Contradictions at work: a critical review," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 45188, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Paul S. Adler, 2001. "Market, Hierarchy, and Trust: The Knowledge Economy and the Future of Capitalism," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 215-234, April.
    4. George Kandathil & Jerome Joseph, 2019. "Normative Underpinnings of Direct Employee Participation Studies and Implications for Developing Ethical Reflexivity: A Multidisciplinary Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 685-697, July.
    5. Ingrid Artus, 2013. "Special Issue. Edited by: Gregor Murray, Christian Lévesque, Christian Dufour and Adelheid Hege," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 409-424, July.
    6. André Cieplinski, 2017. "Employee Control, Work Content and Wages," Department of Economics University of Siena 775, Department of Economics, University of Siena.

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