Impacts of a Changing Global Economy on Work Organizations: A Neo and Post-Fordist Look at General Motors and Google Inc.

Dr. Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University

Abstract

Work is a very important part of our everyday lives. Furthermore, the landscape of work in the U.S. has changed dramatically over the past 15-20 years in response to economic shifts and an increasingly global economy. This article briefly reviews the origins of two contrasting management paradigms of work, Neo-Fordism and Post-Fordism. Additionally, this article looks at recent changes in job characteristics implications for worker job satisfaction by applying the Neo and Post-Fordist frameworks to two short case studies: General Motors and Google Corporation. From preliminary evidence in the brief case studies, it is concluded that both the Neo and Post-Fordist frameworks are useful in understanding differing extrinsic and intrinsic job characteristics that drive worker satisfaction.