Work in a changing economy
How people work has changed enormously, from farms to factories to offices and apps.
From industrial to post-industrial work
In the twentieth century, many workers held stable factory jobs with unions and pensions. Deindustrialisation, the decline of manufacturing in wealthy countries, moved employment toward services, from healthcare to retail. Many service jobs are low-paid, while knowledge jobs in technology and finance pay well but require advanced education.
The dual labour market and the gig economy
Sociologists describe a primary labour market of secure, well-paid jobs with benefits, and a secondary labour market of low-paid, unstable jobs. The gig economy, in which people work short tasks through apps, offers flexibility but often lacks benefits, job security, and protections that traditional employment provides.
Unions and automation
Labour unions bargain collectively for wages and conditions; their membership has declined in many countries. Automation and artificial intelligence are changing which tasks people do. Sociologists study who gains and who loses from technological change and how societies might adapt, through retraining, education, or new policies.
Flashcard
The decline of manufacturing employment
Check your understanding
A driver who takes ride requests through an app, with no paid leave or health insurance from the company, works in the: