Strategic Management and the Politics of Production in the Development of Work. A Case Study in a Danish Manufacturing Plant

A materialistic concept of culture, 'the social constitution of the company', is presented. The concept is used as a basis for in-depth case study of the processes of social change connected with the introduction of semi-autonomous working groups in a Danish electronic manufacturing plant. It is shown that the 'social constitution' of this plant implies profound ambivalent attitudes among management as well as workers towards changes of work content and organization. Finally, implications for strategic management for the development of work at company level are discussed.