The development of alternatives to Taylorist production: The impact of labour market regulation

This dissertation explains the development of participative alternatives to the taylorist model of production, by reference to the conditions that prevail within the external labour market. This dissertation argues that restrictions on the terms and conditions of employment that firms can impose on their workforce favour the development of more participative alternatives to taylorism, while the absence of such restrictions favours the development of taylorist approaches to production. These terms and conditions of employment include issues related to wage levels, benefits, job descriptions, training and job security. This dissertation also argues that these terms and conditions of employment are largely determined by the political regulation of the external labour market and of the relationship between the firm and its employees. For the purposes of this argument, this dissertation reviews the evidence from three cases. Thus, by reviewing the experiences of Caterpillar USA, of Pratt & Whitney Canada, and of the flexible manufacturing systems which were developed in Czechoslovakia before the fall of communism, with different approaches to production, this dissertation shows a direct link between changes in the conditions of the external labour market and in the terms and conditions of employment at the firm level and at the industry level, and the development of these different approaches to production.