Differences Between Fordist And Post-Fordist Work Essay Example

Differences Between Fordist And Post-Fordist Work Paper This essay will be examining the conceptual framework of both Fordism and Post Fordism alike. It will be examining how Fordism began, and how through many different changes, both within the industrial sector as well as Society as a whole, there was a switch to Post Fordism. It will incorporate my own experiences of working in retail, in order to demonstrate how I perceive the way in which Post Fordism is evident in the workplace, in addition to demonstrating that, Fordism has not been totally replaced and is still present in more ways than one. Fordism refers to the system of consumption and mass production characteristic of highly developed economies during the nineteen forties, right through until the nineteen sixties. Under Fordism, there was mass consumption combined with mass production, which produced sustained economic growth and widespread material advancement. The 1970s-1990s however have been a period of slower growth and increasing income inequality. During this period of time, the system of organisation of production and consumption has, almost, undergone a second transformation. This new system is often referred to as the flexible system of production or the Japanese management system. On the production side, the flexible system of production is characterised by remarkable reductions in information costs and expenses, total Quality Management, just-in-time inventory control, and leaderless work groups. On the consumption side: by the globalisation of consumer goods markets; faster product life cycles; far greater product/market segmentation and differentiation. Henry Ford, (born 1863- died 1947) founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. We will write a custom essay sample on Differences Between Fordist And Post-Fordist Work specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Differences Between Fordist And Post-Fordist Work specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Differences Between Fordist And Post-Fordist Work specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In 1908 the company initiated the production of the Model-T, of which the company sold 15million. It was the first car of its kind to built using a new type of production. Fordism involves the mass production of consumer durables, which are made on moving assembly line techniques operated with the semi-skilled labour of the mass worker. Before cars were produced by hand which was both time consuming and very expensive. The actual physical production of the car was also a problem due to numerous parts involved, the Model T took only 12. hours per car to be built from start to finish, a build time which would have been impossible to sustain on a continuous basis before. It was from this new process of the production line that Fordism took its name. Henry Ford had come up with a way of producing cars that broke the overall production process down into hundreds and sometimes thousands of small, individualised, highly-specialised, parts. By introducing a complex division of labour, Ford r easoned (correctly) that costs could be lowered and profits increased. The production was a new way of thinking and doing, helped made possible by new advances in machinery. Fordism, or Henry Fords new ideas of manufacturing, came about as a solution to a problem: that of how to increase the amount produced and decrease the time needed to produce it. He saw the existing methods of production as being slow, laborious and inefficient. Previously, workers had been highly skilled and because of these specialised skills, they were highly paid. This however, was all about to change. Fords main contributions to mass production/consumption were in the area of process engineering. The hallmark of his system was standardisation. Standardised components, standardised manufacturing processes, and a simple, easy to manufacture and repair, standard product. Ford had done this by employing a workforce that needed the minimal training, and had little skills. Fords first factory was at River rouge in Detroit. The management principals that were in place at that time were that of intensive work-planning and close supervision of the workers. The job involved very little training, and involved the employee to insert a car part into a machine, to which the machine carried out the work, not the employee. Ford regulated how the employees worked, in the sense that he would calculate the speed at which an employee took to carry out a particular task, and then a standard was set. He carried out Time and Motion studies in order to ensure that there was maximum efficiency on the production line, in order to minimise waste. Anyone who didnt comply or couldnt keep up with the times set was dismissed. Ford took great pleasure hiring and firing, often replacing older employees, with younger, faster, more efficient employees. He also had many rules, such as no talking and whispering with fellow employees, as he felt that this distracted them from their work. Others however believed that due to his paranoid nature, he did not want his employees conspiring against his work ethics. Because the job was so repetitive, and restrictive to the employee, morale was also low and the staff turnover was high. This prompted Henry Ford to introduce the Five Dollar a Day. This was a relatively high wage level, however it could only be obtained when the worker had worked for a continuous six months and complied with all the rules that were in place at that time. Henry Ford decided that this was the best way to get the workers to work at the speed, and in the way that he wanted. And so Fordism began. It basically meant that the workforce should be recognised as a valuable, integral part of the production of a product, rather that being treated as a commodity to be kept at arms length. If the workers feel valued and appreciated, then they are much more likely to work harder, with a lot more thought put into their work However, during the great depression in the States, during the nineteen twenties and thirties, there was very little disposable income. Therefore, this meant that there was no longer a great demand for the Ford car. Furthermore, people had become tired of owning the same car as their friends and neighbours, and longed for a change, and a break from the norm. After the depression, during the Long Boom (1945-1970+), the Fordism way of working was no longer seen as a way of treating employees, as well as a way of working and managing working production. After this period, the white collar professionals replaced the assembly line worker in totally new line of work. This was done through the introduction of hi-technology companies, and a great influx in communications and marketing. Scientists, academics and university graduates, who had the skills to invent new information technologies, took the power away from the industrialists and bureaucrats, who for so long had dominated with economic power. The post-Fordist division of the work-force between a skill-flexible core and a time-flexible periphery, which is now replacing the old manual/non-manual distinction, underlies a shift from the post-war vision of a one-nation mass consumption system to a two-nations model based on the affluent flexible worker plus a social security state (Jessop et al. 1987: 109-10) The period of Post-Ford has also witnessed the introduction of better-paid jobs, which, unlike Fordism, also hold better job security. Skilled workers were also better paid and as such a far greater amount of people were taking up places at university, where the end result of an Honours degree meant that many were employed by large companies to design and build robots, which would slowly take over the work of previous employees. Many Functionalists would say that this change, from Fordism to Post Fordism was a momentous step, in the sense that things are changing for employees, and employers for the better. Through perks at work such as work incentives, as well as extra pay for working unsociable hours etc, workers nowadays, in all lines of work, feel that they have received a better deal. From the bin man, who is now referred to as the refuse collector, to the shop worker, who is now referred to as a sales advisor, most would agree that not only standards in the workplace have went up, but also morale, and how people view their jobs. But is this the case? Through examining my own experiences of work, it is apparent that yes, things have changed for better, but also for worse. And that often, the unsuspecting employee is being exploited and demoralised by Post Fordism, all in the name of profits. Whilst working in Marks Spencer before beginning university, employees were subjected to both indirect as well as direct forms of conformity, in every aspect of work. From the first day of work, employees had details of themselves taken for Marks Spencers uses only. These included broad details of Address, and bank account, right through to personal details about health and fitness. At which, on receipt of these, the company knew practically every detail about the employee, and therefore could run checks etc. n them without their knowledge. Employees were then initiated into the company by means of videos, depicting other employees who were so appreciative to Marks Spencer for the conditions and perks that they have in their job. In addition to this was a video in which the Managing Director thanked the new employees for deciding to work for the company. They w ere also told that their work would be well valued and appreciated, and that anything positive they do within the company would go towards prolonging the quality of the company. New employees were then given new, identical uniforms to each other and sent down to work on the shop floor where the policy is The customer is always right, and after watching the videos and being in receipt of the numerous pep talks, each felt they owed a duty to the company.. The Sales Advisor job, to many, is a more sophisticated term for shop worker, however most employees take the term seriously. Contracts were given strictly on a temporary basis. In that there was never any job security, because, employees were employed under the agreement that they would receive a trial run, so-to-speak. And when the period of employment that they had worked was up, they would be graded accordingly, in terms of how they spoke to and listened to customers, and managers alike, the employees appearance and attitude to working, and also most importantly, how hard they worked. Most contracts were given for a maximum of 8 to 10 weeks, and in this time, any employee that had three days of absence was told that their contract would not be renewed, regardless of how they performed in the other criteria of how they worked, i. . timekeeping and appearance. As mentioned previously, the employees wear identical uniforms to each other; this is to suppress individuality and to promote a sense that everyone is equal. Managers however wear smart suits, and show their superiority over the shop floor workers, making them aware that although everyone is important in their own way, some are a lot more important than others, and therefore should receive more respect, in terms of how they are spoken to and treated. During the Marks Spencer revamp during 1998, it was customary for the top managers to come down to the shop floor to engage in conversations with the floor workers about what they thought of the overhaul, giving the impression that the floor workers opinions counted. When in actual fact, the plans had already been drawn up, and so basically, what the managers were doing was to try to boost staff morale, with little impact. New staffs were unable to join the Union as it was thought that they should be on a permanent contract before they joined up, therefore it was hard for someone to voice concern or a complaint. Sales advisors are kept under close guard, in the sense that, there were hi-Tec CCTV cameras, strategically placed around the store, with extra cameras placed in front and behind every till, to record every move. Talking to fellow employees was discouraged, and only permitted if it was work related and relevant to that particular point in time. Although employees were initially welcomed and made to feel like an asset to the company, very soon this appreciation, turned to suspicion and distrust. However, through the intervention of CCTV and Managers, employees and their actions are scrutinised at every move, without them realising it. Overall, this essay has aimed to explain how social relations within the workplace are a result of Fordism and also post Fordism. It is evident that although Fordism proved not to be an acceptable or effective way of treating employees, it wasnt totally off tract. Now days, where Post Fordism is evident almost everywhere, it is apparent that the conceptual framework of Fordism still plays a major role in the company policies of many workforces, from the corner shop, to the large corporations, where keeping the employee on their toes and scrutinising their every move ensures that profits and sales remain high. Employees are ideologically conditioned into believing that they are working for the good of a company, who respects and values what they do. In some cases this is true, but in most cases employees are there merely to boost profits, and are easily replaceable, as they are more than aware of.

Concept of Sustainable Buildings in the Modern Day Building Industry

Concept of Sustainable Buildings in the Modern Day Building Industry Introduction Over the years, building designs have been changing in an effort to address diverse social, economic, and environmental needs. For instance, the 20th century was characterized by the advent of the skyscraper, in which the steel framing technology was exploited in a bid to surmount the shortage of real estate in different cities in the United States (U.S. Department of energy 2008).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concept of Sustainable Buildings in the Modern Day Building Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All of a sudden, the booming real estate market gave rise to other problems such as congestion and pollution that we now have to contend with. As a result, the modern day building industry seems to have ushered in a new era of change whereby the main goal is to ensure that we reduce as much as possible the various forms of footprint including carbon, energy, as well as environmental foo tprint of both residential and commercial buildings (U.S Department of energy 2008). At the same time, there is a dire need to conserve and optimize scarce resources such as energy, water, land, and clean air. In an attempt to surmount these challenges, players in the building industry are now banking on transformative technologies. For this reason, developers, designers and owners are on the lookout for new ways to reduce the environmental consequences and operating costs of buildings and at the same time, ensure that such buildings appeal to the occupants. This is what has given rise to the concept of sustainable buildings. A sustainable building refers to a structure that has been constructed in a resource-efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Such practices should be implemented in the entire lifecycle of the building beginning with siting, designing, and the actual construction. The same practices should also be utilized when maintaining, renovating, or demolishing such a building (EPA, n.d.). For proper coordination of all these activities, there is need for the various professionals involved to cooperate at the various stages of the project. These professionals include the design team, engineers, architects, and the client (EPA, n. d.).Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The practice of sustainable/green building is an expansion of and a complement to the conventional design of buildings that appears to emphasize more on utility, economy, comfort, and durability (Mumovic Santamouris, 2009). Even with the constant development in new technologies aimed at complementing the existing practices, sustainable buildings are designed in such a manner as to reduce the possible overall impact that such buildings could have on the built environment, the natural environment, as well as on human health. This can be achieved by e nsuring that such resources as water and energy have been utilized efficiently. Another way of achieving sustainability is by improving employee productivity and ensuring that the health of the occupant of such buildings is protected. Also, there is need to reduce pollution, waste, and environmental degradation (Mumovic Santamouris, 2009). Sustainability involves the ability to fulfill the needs of the current generation while still ensuring that the needs of future generations have not been compromised (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). A report released by the U.S. General Services Administration in 2009 reveals that it would cost less to design, construct, operate, and maintain a sustainable building compared to a conventional building. Moreover, such buildings are also characterized by excellent energy performance. Moreover, occupants of such buildings expressed a lot of satisfaction in terms of the overall construction of the building, in comparison with their count erparts who occupied the conventional commercial buildings. Why we need to promote the concept of sustainable buildings Statistics show that today, the amount of energy consumed by the over 4.7 million commercial buildings and more than 114 million households in the United States is more than that which is consumed by the industry sectors.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concept of Sustainable Buildings in the Modern Day Building Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this case, the combined energy consumption by commercial and residential buildings in the United States is estimated at approximately 40 percent of the entire energy consumption in the country (U.S. Department of energy 2008). As such, the social, environmental, and financial benefits associated with the integration of renewable energy technologies, energy-efficient products and designs into both residential and commercial buildings are very evident. Nevertheless, up till now, in spite of increased consumer awareness on the benefits and significance of minimizing overall energy emission and consumption, Ellington 2004), there appears to be a very low uptake of the sustainable building concept. In the past few centuries, people who were interested in utilizing the earth’s resources to the fullest to support its progress and development were rarely questioned but in the 21st century, we continue to witness a significant and remarkable shift towards a more accountable approach. For instance, it is slowly dawning on developers, land owners, governments, the private sector, engineers and the general public that the earth’s resources are dwindling fast and for this reason, it is becoming increasingly important that all the parties involved make a concerted effort to ensuring that they preserve the environment so that future generations may also get a share of what mother nature has to offer. In addition, th ese parties are now fully aware of the importance of striking a balance between the environment, and their social and economic wellbeing for increased sustainability (Barr, 2004). That is why we are slowly witnessing a mushrooming of sustainable residential and commercial buildings that have been constructed in an eco-friendly manner. Even so, there is still need to create more awareness on the potential benefits of sustainable buildings if at all we are to witness profound improvements in the management of scarce natural resources and the associated negative effects once these resources are depleted.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As such, by embracing social, economically and environmentallys of renewable sources of energy that can be adopted in a sustainable building include solar power and wind power. The use of renewable sources of energy would therefore result in a major reduction in potential environmental impact on such buildings. In a bid to conserve energy, sustainable buildings should be constructed such that it is easily to identify and implement the various energy saving measures. Energy retrofits are by far more expensive compared to conservation and as such, a lot of effort should be dedicated to ensuring that we conserve energy. One of the strategies of ensuring that we have reduced our energy usage is by targeting those items that consume a lot of energy in the building (Allen Iano, 2008). For example, in a hotel, space conditioning (that is, cooling and heating) has been noted to utilize the most amount of energy. Therefore, in trying to conserve the energy consumption pattern of a hotel, a lot of efforts should be made to ensure that there is no heat transfer that takes place within the building. Other effective strategies that can also be adopted include decreasing infiltration, improving windows, insulating ductwork and exterior partitions, as well as retrofitting lighting fixtures. Another strategy that if implemented can lower costs is to ensure that during off peak times, electricity usage has been shifted (Allen Iano, 2008). The users of a sustainable building should form the habit of always saving energy. There is not much investment that goes into conservation measures and as such, they should be utilized more often. In terms of reducing operating costs, conservation measures have also proved to be the most cost-effective. Materials efficiency Certain building materials are considered as being sustainable. They include such renewable materials as straw, and bamboo, recycled metal, dimension stone, lumber obtained from certified forests, and recycled metals. O ther non-toxic, renewable, recyclable, and/or reusable materials that can also qualify as sustainable building materials include sheep wool, linoleum, truss, compressed earth block, baked earth, sand stone, flax linen, cork, wood fiber plates, and expanded clay grains, among others (EPA, n. d.). Other materials on the suggestion list of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for inclusion as sustainable building materials include foundry sand, coal combustion products, and demolition debris (EPA, n. d.). It is also recommended that building materials be extracted and produced closer to the site of the building as a way of reducing energy that would be expended upon their transit. Whenever possible, it is also recommended that the manufacturing of building material should take place off-site, after which they should then be delivered on-site. This is aimed at increasing benefits of off-site production, including reduction of recycling, reduced waste, less dust and noise, and high quality elements. Waste reduction Sustainable building is committed to ensuring that there is a drastic reduction in the wastage of building materials, energy, and water, among other vital resources. In addition, it is also important to ensure that water is not wasted when undertaking construction. Engineers involved in the construction stage of a sustainable building should ensure that they minimize the volume of materials that end up in landfills (Allen Iano, 2008). This way, it becomes easier to reduce the amount of materials in the landfill. Once the useful life of a building is over, most of them are demolished and the ensuing waste finds its way into landfills. Though deconstruction, such waste could be harvested and reclaimed to form useful building material (EPA, n. d.). We can also reduce wastes by extending the useful life of a building. Water Efficiency The concept of sustainable building is also concerned with activities aimed at ensuring that the protection of the qual ity of water is assured, and that the consumption of water has been minimized. One of the fundamental aspects of water consumption is that in certain areas, the supplying aquifer may not be able to sustain demand for water because its ability to self-replenish is slower (Mumovic Santamouris, 2009). For this reason, the personnel involved in the maintenance of such buildings should ensure that the water collected on-site has been put to good use by re-using it whenever possible. Protecting and conserving water in a building can be ensured by installing a dual plumbing design. This way, the occupants of a sustainable building can be assured throughout its entire lifetime. As a result, it becomes easier to recycle the water used to flush toilets, thereby ensuring water conservation. The use of water conserving fixtures like low-flow shower heads and ultra-low flush toilets can also help to reduce waste-water (Mumovic Santamouris, 2009). Also, the non-sewage water could also be put to better use, like for irrigation purposes instead of just letting it go to waste. This way, we can be able to reduce the demand for water from the local aquifer. Water conservation In order to minimize the overall water usage, efforts should be made to prevent pipes from leaking as this amount to wastage. How water pipes can also be insulated, and water meters installed. Water meters enable the collection of data on the consumption patterns of water. This way, one can easily establish specific water reductions goals with the intention of estimating the success of water conservation. Collecting rain water can also help to supplement piped water. In case the plumbing system within the building is leaking, it may result in over 10 dumping of water. In order to reduce such leaks, a concerted effort should be made to ensure that there is proper and regular maintenance of the plumbing system (Yan Stellios, 2006). Use should b made of low flow fixtures for they have that they are easy to install, not to mention that they are also cost comparable. The production of hot water should take place closer to the points of usage. This avoids wasting a lot of water and energy used to heat this water. One can save a lot of energy and water by increasing installing recirculating and pipe insulation units. Conclusion Sustainable buildings have gained a lot of popularity in recent years as it is starting to slowly dawn on us that our natural resources are dwindling very fast. For this reason, we need to ensure that we conserve energy, materials, and other resources such as water by adopting efficient and effective building principles. The main motivating factor for sustainable buildings is to ensure that the economic, social, and environmental concerns of a building are addressed. As such, sustainability buildings aim to ensure that the environmental impact of buildings is reduced as much as possible. Sustainable buildings often refer to those structures that have been designed in a resource-efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Such practices should be implemented in the entire lifecycle of the building starting with the basic step of site selection whereby the site selected for constructing the building should be environmentally friendly. Some of the common techniques applied in the design of sustainable buildings include proper site selection, optimizing the use of energy, use of environmentally friendly materials, improved indoor environmental quality, optimizing maintenance and operational activities, and improving the quality of the indoor environment. The entire building design should also emphasize on achieving an economic, social, and environmental balance. The same goes for the actual operation and construction. In addition, the maintenance, renovation or demolition of such a building should also follow these practices. The various professionals involved in the construction of a building need to cooperate so that all these activities can be properly coordinated. Reference List Allen, E, Iano, J. (2008). Fundamentals of building construction: materials and  methods. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Inc. Barr, S. (2004). Are we all environmentalists now? Rhetoric and reality in environmental  Action. Geoforum, 35, 231-249. California Sustainability Alliance (2011). Green Buildings. Retrieved from http://sustainca.org/programs/green_buildings_challenges Chang, K. (2000). Scientists Watch Cities Make Their Own Weather. Retrieved from http://nytimes.com/. EPA. (n.d.). What is a green building: Fundamental Principles of Green Building and Sustainable Site Design. Retrieved from http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/documents/pdf/12_8_what_is_green_GGGC.pdf Ellington, M. (2004). Energy hogs a new advertising campaign raises consumer awareness on saving energy. Retrieved from eere.energy.gov/state_energy_program/update/printer_friendly.cfm?volume=51 Mumovic, D., Santamouris, M. (2009). An Integrated Approach to En ergy, Health and  Operational Performance. London: Earthscan U.S Department of energy. (2008). Energy Efficiency Trends in Residential and Commercial Buildings. Retrieved from http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/corporate/bt_stateindustry.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). Green Building Basic Information. Retrieved from epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/about.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.(2010). Why build green? Retrieved from epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/whybuild.htm Yan, J., Stellios, P. (2006). Design for Sustainability. Beijing: China Architecture and Building Press.

The Kings Rhetorical Prowess Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Kings Rhetorical Prowess - Essay Example In accordance with the issues discussed in the paper although both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were eager to fight for the rights and freedom of African Americans, it was only the former who believed that this dream could be achieved through nonviolent means or by not troubling, disrupting, or angering the White people. Apparently, both speeches were powerful and persuasive. However, King’s speech was more persuasive because of the manner he presented his arguments; his was more charismatic than the speech of Malcolm X. King was diplomatic, whereas Malcolm X was exceptionally radical. King called for unity between the Black and White people, whereas Malcolm X strongly advocated complete independence from White supremacy, and a land for African Americans. King’s diplomatic tone is more suitable to the political and social environment of the 1960’s, which is a period marred by bitter racial conflicts. The 1960’s is the ultimate spin-off of the clas h between the Emancipation Proclamation and Jim Crow laws. However, despite the oppression and maltreatment experienced by the Black people in America, they chose to continue their struggle for freedom and dignity in a peaceful, compromising way. They detested bloodshed. In the tumultuous period of the 1960’s, civil rights advocates chose to exercise nonviolent means, such as lobbying, civil disobedience, rallies, and so on, to bring about their desired reforms. Opportunely, the federal government responded to these pressures by ratifying several major reforms such as the 1968 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This event alone attested to the fact that the fight for the freedom and rights of the Black people can be won through diplomacy; no bloodshed, no revolution, is needed. The strength of King’s speech rests in his stylistic techniques and rhetorical devices. In his speech, he effectively used metaphors, personifications, and euphemism. He used metap hors to highlight the African Americans’ historical plight and struggles, and the possibility of uniting two very different races. Some of the stirring metaphors he used were as follows: â€Å"This is not time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism† (King para 8); â€Å"Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice† (King para 10); â€Å"With this faith we [Black and White people] will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood†