Construction Workers, U.S.A. (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313309373)

A lively, personalized account incorporating objective analysis and solid information accumulated over 42 years, this book presents a graphic picture of the construction industry from an insider's point of view. The volume focuses on the culture of construction workers, the management style of contractors, and the structural and organizational nature of the industry. It considers such unique features of construction as its craft-oriented technology, decentralized decision-making by workers on the job site, and non-bureaucratic methods of field supervision. Using the research of others, government publications, and his own intimate experience in the industry, the author provides an insightful view of a unique industry in modern America.

The book opens with an overview of the industry, illustrating how construction is organized, the craft breakdown, and the cultural values of the crafts. It then considers such topics as workers' job satisfaction, craft organization of the work, and the dangerous nature of construction. Separate chapters are devoted to women construction workers, a recent phenomenon in the industry, and to minorities and the role of affirmative action. In conclusion, the book argues that construction is significant both as a major industry and as a model for organizing work to produce worker satisfaction.

Author: Herbert Applebaum
ISBN-10: 031330937X
ISBN-13: 9780313309373
Publisher: Praeger
Language: English
Published: 10/30/1999
Pages: 248
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.18lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.69d