chapter 14 sociology
Place the five stages of capitalism in order from the earliest to most recent type.
1. family 2. managerial 3. welfare 4. institutional 5. global
The Fordist period after - was characterized by a high degree of stability in labor relations and high rates of -. Workers and employers engaged in -, which contributed to a range of worker benefits.
WW2, unionization, collective bargaining
Which of the following is an example of economic interdependence?
a woman buying meat from a butcher, clothing from a retailer, and working for a pet grooming service.
Which person exemplifies the experience of a "portfolio worker"?
anne began her career as a paralegal working in a law firm. she later went on to receive a master's degree in psychology and worked as a jury consultant for the state. she is now considering an offer to work at a consulting firm specializing in legal consulting.
- refers to the general process by which production processes are enacted by machines, whereas - refer specifically to the machines performing functions that are ordinarily done by human workers.
automation, robot
Why do sociologists classify domestic labor, or housework, as work?
because it is human activity that ensures survival
Identify each example as describing capitalism in particular, or economies in general.
capitalism -based on the private ownership of wealth -economic behavior is incentivized by profit economies -economic behavior is incentivized by survival -people exert themselves mentally and physically in order to produce goods and services
What is the best example of the international division of labor?
clothing produced in Bangladeshi factories is sold in us retail stores by trained store staff
What does the "race to the bottom" refer to, according to Bonacich and Appelbaum?
corporation' efforts to manufacture goods in countries with the lowest wages, the fewest environmental restriction, and the most lax government regulations
Although low-wage work does not offer workers the opportunity to save money or extensive benefits, these kinds of jobs often lead to higher paying, more stable employment.
false
The true problem of unemployment is less than this chart indicates, because unemployment rates count retired persons, children, and others who do not want or need to work.
false
To the detriment of his rivals, Ford raised the wages at his production facility to obtain the best workers.
false
Economist John Maynard Keynes recommended that governments intervene - in the economy in order to spark economic growth. According to his theory, people can expect - and continuous economic growth. Keynsianism has been mostly - since the 1970s.
more, full employment, abandoned
In the United States, many adults have - where they earn a - wage or salary. Collectively, this - forms the basis of the -.
occupation, regular, work, economy
The global economy is increasingly dominated by -, which arise when corporations engage in -, allowing them to grow substantially in size. In doing so, the corporations aim to eliminate direct - and reduce productive -.
oligopolies, mergers and acquisition, competition, overcapacity
What is the term for a small number of firms that dominate the market in a given industry?
oligopoly
Match each term to the correct example.
strike:Five hundred workers at a manufacturing plant refuse to come into work, sending a letter of their grievances about unpaid overtime to both their employer and the local newspaper. pre- modern labor conflict: Factory workers, angered by the poor working conditions, riot against their employers. lockout: A large retail company responds to workers' demands by eliminating their hours and barring them from entry, effectively eliminating their wages until the employees capitulate to the new policies. work to rule: In response to their employer cutting hours and benefits, workers at a local café begin following every direction in the handbook to the letter, which slows down work markedly.
What primary role does technology play in economic change and development?
technological innovations help companies produce more goods and services at a cheaper cost
Which industry has seen the fastest growth in employee unionization in recent years?
the service sector
What is the primary goal of scientific management (Taylorism)?
to maximize output
How is unionization associated with average wages?
unionized employees, on average, make more money than non- unionized employees within the same industry
The type of capitalism referred to as - capitalism provides services to its employees such as -, which are offered primarily as a way to prevent -.
welfare, paid vacation, unionization
Identify the example that represents a portfolio worker.
Amy can write, edit, and design graphics. she uses these skills in four jobs, in her first decade after college.
Why have employers in the United States been relying more and more on part-time and temporary workers?
corporation save money by using part- time and temporary workers.
According to Marx, what are the essential characteristics of human nature?
creativity, control over one's activities, and cooperation with others
Union memberships, and the associated strategy of striking, has increased throughout the last twenty-five years.
false
Using the lettered list of descriptions, place each letter in the correct economic system: Fordism, Post-Fordism, or the Informal Economy.
fordism: A,B,C post- fordism: d, e, f inform economy: H, I, G
What change in investment strategies has contributed to our economic system evolving into institutional capitalism, according to some analysts?
investors now bundle money into grouped accounts, and this money is then used to invest in several corporations.
Why does Walmart define a full-time work week as comprising 32 hours?
it gives them greater flexibility and power
According to the textbook, corporations in the early twenty-first century are very different from those of the mid-twentieth century. Match each characteristic to the correct time period.
mid- twentieth century: -The core corporation is located within the United States, from which some overseas manufacturing plants are controlled. -The corporation is highly bureaucratic and employs a large number of production workers and middle management. early twenty- first: -The corporation can be characterized as an "enterprise web" that links smaller businesses together. -Worker turnover—the percentage of workers who leave and are replaced each year—is high.
Volunteer work is unpaid labor that serves an important social role. In 2015, about 63 million people—over - of American adults—contributed 8 billion hours of volunteer service, estimated as worth -.
one- fifth, 193 billon
Choose the line that represents employment in the service sector.
red line (30%)
Which of the following statements is true of a "knowledge economy"?
-The population is relatively highly educated. -Many workers are employed in research, technology, design, and marketing fields. -The physical production of goods no longer plays a large part of a country's economy.
Classify each scenario as either part or not part of the informal economy.
-selling drugs to acquaintances -making candles for one's own home
Which of the following scenarios is the best example of worker alienation, according to Marx's view?
Sergio works in a warehouse pulling products people have ordered from an online merchant to be shipped to them the next day. his accuracy and speed are closely monitored by his immediate supervisor, which he resents.
What are the required elements of a workers' strike?
-All work is suspended for an indefinite period. -Those involved in a strike make their grievances known. -A group of employees engages in the same action.
Which of the following features are typical of flexible business structures?
-Businesses are networked together horizontally, compartmentalizing pieces of the manufacturing-to-sales pipeline. -Businesses rely on advanced technology to communicate with other businesses.
In traditional societies, women perform certain tasks and men perform other tasks. In modern societies, economies are much more complex. Each individual must do various activities in different hours of the day. A manager may ask three assistants to work together on a project. Work is divided into many different occupations in which people specialize. Physical health, for example, may require attention from a doctor, a surgeon, an optometrist, and a dentist.
-Physical health, for example, may require attention from a doctor, a surgeon, an optometrist, and a dentist. -Work is divided into many different occupations in which people specialize. -women perform certain tasks and men perform other tasks
What reasons do researchers give for why the United States' unemployment levels have been rising during the past 60 years?
-The rise of international competition has affected industries important to U.S. prosperity. -European countries provide a stronger social safety net, including unemployment benefits. -The U.S. government continues to rely on Keynesianism to attempt to reduce unemployment. -The increasing use of microelectronics in industry has reduced the need for labor power.
What are the main features of global capitalism?
-corporations conduct operations in more than one country -shareholders, top management, and executive officers come from more than one country
Which factors contribute to the increasing ability of corporations to dominate the market through merging with and acquiring other firms?
-fewer regulations for businesses -efficient financing -advanced technology
The following boxes represent Barnet and Cavanagh's four webs of interconnecting commercial activity in the new world economy. Place each scenario in the appropriate box.
-global cultural: The newest blockbuster movie produced in the United States sells more than $1 billion in revenue from across the world. -global shopping: Nike sells products with its well-known "swoosh" logo to consumers in multiple countries. -global workplace: An item sold in retail stores has a complex history of production, traveling through multiple countries on its way to local store shelves. -global financial: Exxon sells shares of its stock daily to investors around the world.
Match the example with the characteristic of work as a part of social value and personal worth.
-variety: As a part-time working dad, Bruce enjoys doing tasks at work that are different than childcare tasks -personal identity: Emily feels proud that she earned the title "Registered Nurse." -structuring one's time: When she was unemployed, Diane dreaded each day as a long, open-ended period of time. -social contacts: Karl likes the people he works with and looks forward to going to clubs or games with them on the weekends.
Automation was not part of the American workforce until the mid-twentieth century. In 1950, Christopher Spencer invented the first fully automatic turret lathe. Automation has contributed to "de-skilling" the industrial workforce by breaking up the labor process into specialized tasks. Experts predict that robotics will likely replace 10 percent of U.S. jobs in the coming decades, with the rest of the economy relatively unaffected.
Automation has contributed to "de-skilling" the industrial workforce
Identify the following economic practices as distinctive to flexible production systems, or true of capitalism in general.
flexible: -Companies "race to the bottom" searching around the world for the cheapest materials and labor. -The various components of a product are made in different factories around the world. capitalism: -Workers sense that their own abilities as human beings are taken over by others. -Successful entrepreneurship is rewarded with great wealth and profit.
Identify each feature of production systems as characteristic of Fordism or post-Fordism.
fordism -bureaucratic/vertical business structures -most work done in-house (locally) -job security post fordism -flexible/horizontal business structures -most work outsourced (globally) -job insecurity
Match each characteristic to the correct system.
high trust: -workers have autonomy over their work style and pace -characteristic of work at higher managerial levels low trust: -numerous conflicts with management, such as strikes -high levels of worker dissatisfaction
