Strange days indeed

understanding the productivity paradox when firms close

Document identifier: oai:dalea.du.se:2089
Publication year: 2006
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Abstract:

Both the public and private sectors have since the 1980s relentlessly cut the size of their workforces. The downsizing has regularly been reported to lead to closure of a whole or a part of a corporation or organization. Some studies which have analysed the closure process have reported remarkable, counterintuitive improvements in labor productivity during the period between the closure announcement and the final working day. Testing an elaborated cybernetic model on a Swedish case study, and on an exploratory basis, this paper proposes a holistic approach to generate a better understanding of this phenomenon. The main holistic pattern is a new order where management control is replaced by more “Self-management” on the plant level, and very strong psychological reactions based on feelings of unfairness.

Authors

Rune Wigblad

Högskolan Dalarna; Företagsekonomi
Other publications >>

John Lewer

Other publications >>

Magnus Hansson

Other publications >>

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        identifier: oai:dalea.du.se:2089
        datestamp: 2021-04-15T12:35:49Z
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                recordCreationDate: 2006-04-18
            identifier: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-2089
            titleInfo: 
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                    lang: eng
                title: Strange days indeed
                subTitle: understanding the productivity paradox when firms close
            abstract: 
Both the public and private sectors have since the 1980s relentlessly cut the size of their workforces. The downsizing has regularly been reported to lead to closure of a whole or a part of a corporation or organization. Some studies which have analysed the closure process have reported remarkable counterintuitive improvements in labor productivity during the period between the closure announcement and the final working day. Testing an elaborated cybernetic model on a Swedish case study and on an exploratory basis this paper proposes a holistic approach to generate a better understanding of this phenomenon. The main holistic pattern is a new order where management control is replaced by more “Self-management” on the plant level and very strong psychological reactions based on feelings of unfairness.

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                languageTerm: eng
            genre: 
                conference/other
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                Published
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                        type: personal
                        authority: du
                    namePart: 
                        Wigblad
                        Rune
                    role: 
                        roleTerm: aut
                    affiliation: 
                        Högskolan Dalarna
                        Företagsekonomi
                    nameIdentifier: rwi
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                        type: personal
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                        Lewer
                        John
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                        roleTerm: aut
                    @attributes: 
                        type: personal
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                        Hansson
                        Magnus
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                        roleTerm: aut
            originInfo: 
                dateIssued: 2006
                place: 
                    placeTerm: Glenelg South Australia
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                titleInfo: 
                    title: 21st century work: high road or low road? Proceedings of the 20th Conference of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand. Volume 1
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                        start: 565
                        end: 576
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