IDW-01: Drivers of change in digital work

The historical development of work

The first industrial revolution (1760-1830)

• Key technological developments: steam power, iron making, manufacturing machinery
• Work transitions from hand production methods to industrial production work supported by machines

The second industrial revolution (1870-1914)

• Key technological developments: scientific discoveries (patents), standardization, mass production
• Work is shaped by Taylorist principles, later referred to as "scientific management".

Taylorist principles

Named after Frederick Taylor (1865-1915)

1. Separate the work of workers (efficient task completion) and managers (analysis, planning, training).
2. Use of the scientific method to study work and determine the most efficient way to perform specific tasks (instead of working based on common sense or rules of thumb).
3. Match workers to their jobs based on capability and train them to work at maximum efficiency (instead of hiring generalists with broad skill sets).
4. Monitor worker performance, and provide instructions to ensure that workers work in the most efficient way possible.

The principles have been criticized widely, but their influence on the organization of work is still visible.

IDW-02: Digital work individually

Digital work competences

Frameworks that describe and classify digital competences (selection):

• Digital competence framework for EU citizens
• Multiple case study and grounded theory by Weritz (2022)
• Review of prior research: Gagné-Pratte et al. (2022)