The Changing Nature of Work

Although there is great debate about how work is changing, there is a clear consensus that changes are fundamental and ongoing. The Changing Nature of Work examines the evidence for change in the world of work. The committee provides a clearly illustrated framework for understanding changes in work and these implications for analyzing the structure of occupations in both the civilian and military sectors. This volume explores the increasing demographic diversity of the workforce, the fluidity of boundaries between lines of work, the interdependent choices for how work is structured-and ultimately, the need for an integrated systematic approach to understanding how work is changing. The book offers a rich array of data and highlighted examples on: Markets, technology, and many other external conditions affecting the nature of work. Research findings on American workers and how they feel about work. Downsizing and the trend toward flatter organizational hierarchies. Autonomy, complexity, and other aspects of work structure. The committee reviews the evolution of occupational analysis and examines the effectiveness of the latest systems in characterizing current and projected changes in civilian and military work. The occupational structure and changing work requirements in the Army are presented as a case study. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 The External Contexts of Work 3 Changes in the Organizational Contexts of Work 4 Changes in the Structure and Content of Work 5 Implications for Occupational Analysis Systems 6 Army Work and Approaches to Occupational Analysis 7 Conclusions and Implications References Appendix A: Prototype Evaluation Appendix B: Current Occupational Analysis Systems Appendix C: Biographical Sketches Index