Consensual control through the articulation of technology and local culture: evidence from a textile factory in Turkey


Bespinar F. U., Topal Ç., Kalaycioglu S.

NEW TECHNOLOGY WORK AND EMPLOYMENT, vol.29, pp.224-236, 2014 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 29
  • Publication Date: 2014
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/ntwe.12035
  • Journal Name: NEW TECHNOLOGY WORK AND EMPLOYMENT
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.224-236
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article focuses on the complex network of control and consent through the articulation of technology and local culture in the workplace. The dynamics of this network are embedded in the interplay of global and local markets. The article explores these dynamics by focusing on the distinctive characteristics of a Central Anatolian city, Corum, based on a case study conducted in Turkey. We observe how globalised patterns of control and consent are reproduced through the articulation of new technologies and the conservative culture specific to this locality. During the negotiations between employers and employees, this interplay plays a significant role in the construction of work realities. The consensual control produced within the framework of conservative values leads to a consensual hegemony in the organisation of labour process.