Why Do Workers Work? Neo-Marxist and Neo-Durkheimian Explanations

Organization theory has been put on a new basis by O. E. Williamson's transaction-cost approach (1995) & by agency theory. Both approaches start from the assumption that members of organizations behave, in principle, opportunistically. Similarly, the neo-Marxist theory of the firm assumes t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Zeitschrift für Soziologie 1995-12, Vol.24 (6), p.407-421
Main Author: Berger, Johannes
Format: Article
Language:ger
Subjects:
Durkheim, Emile
Marxist Analysis
Motivation
Organization Theory
Organizational Behavior
Workers
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Summary:Organization theory has been put on a new basis by O. E. Williamson's transaction-cost approach (1995) & by agency theory. Both approaches start from the assumption that members of organizations behave, in principle, opportunistically. Similarly, the neo-Marxist theory of the firm assumes that employees do not act voluntarily in the interest of the firm. The main problem of organization is, therefore, how to restrict opportunism. By way of discussing the neo-Marxist theory of the firm, it is demonstrated how capital-labor accord cannot be achieved solely by material incentives or through monitoring & punishing. Apart from these mechanisms, moral integration into the firm is an important instrument for securing work motivation. However, morality is possibly not a very stable resource, & it cannot be disposed of, at any time at will. Both organizational & societal factors have an effect on the extent to which this resource is available. Therefore, its level can be governed only partially by reorganizing the firm. 45 References. Adapted from the source document.
ISSN:0340-1804