ABSTRACT
In relation to the concepts of organisational design and labour relations as developed in this book, the labour process is seen as a product of a process of organisational design. Consequently any redesign of structures and mechanisms may lead to changes in the labour process and labour relations. A main concern of this chapter is, therefore, to consider the effects of redesign arising from the transition from the centralised model to the self-managed model. However, as explained in the Introduction, the concept of the labour process was elaborated by Braverman (1974) and since Braverman and some western writers have commented on the nature of the labour process in socialist countries these approaches are considered first and compared with some of the approaches adopted by social scientists in socialist countries. The labour process and the forms of organisation of work at the base are then discussed. The main comparison between the centralised and the self-management models is based on the core-periphery polarity, especially as developed by Burawoy (1985a) for his analysis of hierarchy and control. Here this polarity is used to compare the internal dynamics of mobilisation within the enterprise under the centralised and self-management models. Finally the issue of self-management, property relations and alienation is briefly considered.
