Measuring work and workers: Wearables and digital assistance systems in manufacturing and logistics

Martin Krzywdzinski, Sabine Pfeiffer, Maren Evers and Christine Gerber

Discussion Papers, Research Group Globalization, Work, and Production from WZB Berlin Social Science Center

Abstract: The smart glove or smart data glasses: Digitalization of work means that technology is moving closer to the bodies of employees. It can make movements, vital signs and even emotions visible. Technologies which many people use privately to monitor their sporting activities or health opens up a new dimension of control in the workplace, but also the possibility of supporting employees in complex work processes. Based on case studies of companies in manufacturing and logistics as well as a survey of employees, this study provides insights into operational use cases of wearables and the assessments of employees. It reveals contradictory experiences and a high importance of co-determination and co-design of new technologies by employees and works councils as a condition for using new technologies for improving work quality.

Keywords: technological change; digitalization; manufacturing; logistics; work organization; skills; works councils; Technologischer Wandel; Digitalisierung; Fertigung; Logistik; Arbeitsorganisation; Qualifikationen; Betriebsräte (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J51 J52 J81 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/251912/1/1797765736.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:wzbgwp:spiii2022301

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Discussion Papers, Research Group Globalization, Work, and Production from WZB Berlin Social Science Center Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics ().