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Resistance and Power in Organizations. - book reviews

Administrative Science Quarterly, Dec, 1997 by Ralph Stablein

The organizational literature is largely centered on the concerns of the powerful. In contrast, this edited volume focuses on those who resist power. Over nine chapters, the authors cover a variety of resistance strategies and settings, including the traditional male, blue-collar setting, female clerical work, the temporary-worker industry, organic farming, managerial resistance, and whistle-blowing. The volume originated in the 1990 Labour Process Conference at Aston University. There are six empirical chapters, two theory chapters, and a valiant attempt at synthesis. As in most conference proceedings, the contributions range in development from hypothesis generation on the potential for resistance in the managerial ranks (LaNuez and Jermier) to preliminary field work in the temporary-worker industry (Gotfried) to reanalysis of published studies (Collinson, Austrin).

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The book provides a positive, if somewhat defensive response to two criticisms of labor process theory: (1) its narrow attention to male, factory working and (2) its out-dated theoretical foundations on the ideas of Marx, Braverman, and Burawoy. In response to the first criticism, almost all the settings analyzed in the book are off the factory floor. In response to the second criticism, the title and most of the chapters reflect a consciousness of the theoretical problems that Foucault's analysis of power raises for labor process theory. In their chapter, Knights and Vurdubakis defend Foucault. Other authors are less enthusiastic (e.g., Davidson). Two of the chapters draw on perspectives that are not based in labor process theory (Egri on organic farming; Rothschild and Miethe on whistle-blowing). Of interest, only the authors from outside the labor process tradition retain an interest in the transformative potential of resistance. Egri examines the potential and tensions surrounding organic farming's radical challenge to industrialized, capitalist structures. Rothschild and Miethe propose a dialectic model of whistle-blowing in which managerial reprisal acts as a catalyst to transform and politicize the whistle blower's identity.

The editors provide a helpful introduction. They review the labor process approach and the relation of resistance research to this approach. They emphasize the need to attend to the individual resister's subjectivity if we wish to expand our understanding of resistance in the workplace. The introduction closes with synopses of the individual chapters.

Terry Austrin's chapter provides the most interesting development of the editor's subjectivity theme. In his field study of unionized female workers in the finance industry, Austrin identifies how new human resources management technologies such as performance appraisal individualize work. Individuation undermines the traditional collective basis of union activity. The union has responded by providing a forum for consciousness-raising, which has produced an alternative basis for collective identification and action around gender discrimination. Austrin argues that unions should shift their efforts from representation of collective interests to providing a place from which workers can speak, influencing the content of talk, and building the capacities of members to be heard.

In contrast, Davidson contributes a rich case study of female clerical workers in the UK public utility industry. She argues that structural factors such as the state of the labor market overwhelm the impact of the subjective experiences and sensemaking of workers, individual or collective. Those interested in restructuring, office automation, or the impact of new technology will also find Davidson's case worthwhile.

Stewart Clegg returns to the subjectivity theme in his chapter, which closes the collection. He draws our attention to the different ways in which the various authors constitute the resistant subject. He emphasizes two dimensions: the form of resister self-consciousness and the intensiveness of power relations that constitute the resister as subject. The resulting typology has more categories than there are empirical chapters in the book. The typology does not simplify or synthesize the contributions of the various authors, but Clegg's discussion is insightful and does raise interesting hypotheses.

The key contribution of the book is substantive attention to the issue of resistance in organizations from perspectives sympathetic to the resisters. The contribution of the book is broader than the attempt to extend labor process theory. Anyone interested in organization and work will find useful empirical material and thought-provoking theorizing in this volume. I recommend the book for library collections.

Ralph Stablein Department of Management University of Otago P.O. Box 56 Dunedin, New Zealand

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Resistance and Power in Organizations. - book reviews

Administrative Science Quarterly, Dec, 1997 by Ralph Stablein

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