Invisible influence, tangible trap: The clerical conundrum

Anne Fearfull, Chris Carter, Aida Sy and Tony Tinker

CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, 2008, vol. 19, issue 8, 1177-1196

Abstract: This paper contends that the contribution made by clerical workers to organisational effectiveness is invisible due in part to the dominant perspective on the clerical sector, and in part to what is seen to be the nature of the workers themselves. In synthesising some of the degradation literature with an examination of elements of clerical subjectivity it is demonstrated that clerical effectiveness is rendered invisible and that this, in turn, essentially traps clerks in low status work. Drawing on ideas emerging from past and recent literature on tacit knowledge and comparable worth, the paper seeks to demonstrate that, by applying the principles of tacitness and its analysis to this non-managerial area of work, we can see where the influence of clerical workers lies. The paper ends with a challenge to organisations which reaps the benefits of a skilful and knowledgeable workforce while doing little to formally acknowledge such expertise.

Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:19:y:2008:i:8:p:1177-1196

DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2007.04.001

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