Work Design

Work Design• China has a large and diverse workforce• Many sectors

Examples: • High Tech• Internet• Industrial• Manufacturing

• Industrial and manufacturing are prominent:• > 44% of China’s GDP• > 120 Million migrant workers

• Traditional structure and hierarchy• Narrow Tasks• Unskilled labor• Fordism

Work DesignBefore look at the work design, need to understand:Hierarchy and interpersonal relationships entrenched in cultureWu Lun – 5 relationship principles outlined in Confucianism• Emperor-Subject• Father-Son• Husband-Wife• Elder-Younger• Friend-Friend

• Workplace relationships in today’s workforce are defined by job roles and titles

“Knowing your place” Harmonious relationships between roles

Work DesignChinese white collar jobs• Guanxi• Workers form close relationships with each other• Important in how they treat co-workers

•But… remember Wu Lun? Relationships are defined and sub-ordinate to roles/titles

• Traditionally “Hierarchal” system• Top-level managers exercise most decision making control

• Analogous to the emperor-subject relationship• Senior managers may attempt to get on boss’ “good side”• Personal relationship tied very closely with work life and vice versa

Work DesignBut things are changing…• Younger generation of workers• Better educated• Less willing to adhere to old hierarchy tradition

• Friction with old-school managers• Separate work and personal relationships

• Take the emotion out of work context“it’s just business”

In short… resembling western workplaces

Work DesignManufacturing Factory production• Assembly line production• Menial work• Low wages• Long hours• Poor working conditions• Unenforced labor

standards• Unskilled labor• Many uneducated

migrant or rural workers

Work DesignLet’s visit Foxconn, a Chinese electronics manufacturing factory:• 8 am – 5 pm officially, overtime from 6 pm – 8 pm (or when production quota reached)• 1 – 4 “off” days a month• Work training = indoctrination• Company culture, obedience demanded, “cogs in a machine”

• Many people, but work is solitary• No talking, must have permission to leave post

Work Design• Routine and mundane tasks• E.g. connecting wires, inserting screws

• Overtime and overwork• Cases of insufficient pay or above 36 hrs/month limit• Unpaid ½ hour at beginning of workday

• Little compensation• Entry-level wage equates to roughly $ 0.86 USD / day

• Workers insulted and possibly abused by supervisors• Employees fined if they don’t finish eating lunch

Work DesignBut…• Government initiatives to improve the education and skill base for workers• Increasing availability of of primary and middle school education• Development of adult education opportunities

• Vocational training programs• Increasing labor skills training and apprenticeship• Pre- employment training• Work specific training programs

Referenceshttp://www.chinatechnews.com/2006/02/21/3447-279-chinese-high-tech-companies-exported-over-us100-millionhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/30034727http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_40/b3701119.htmhttp://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011001.htmhttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/26/content_326356.htmhttp://www.chinasmack.com/stories/beijing-life-tile-worker-pictures/http://www.businessinsider.com/life-inside-a-chinese-gadget-factory-2009-7http://daltonstate.academia.edu/BaogangGuo/Papers/74184/China’s-Labor-Standards---Myths-and-Realities-http://www.emsnow.com/npps/story.cfm?id=31932

Starmasshttp://www.starmass.com/china_review/economy_overview/china_gdp_by_industry.htmChina Dailyhttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-09/21/content_479492.htmAsia Sentinelhttp://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1077&Itemid=158Business week:http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/feb2010/gb20100216_566561.htm