Work organization, preferences dynamics and the industrialization process

Victor Hiller

European Economic Review, 2011, vol. 55, issue 7, 1007-1025

Abstract: In this article, the industrialization process can be regarded as the transition from traditional to modern and more coercive work organizations. Workers are heterogeneous (autonomous or non-autonomous) and according to their preferences they choose between these two organizational forms. In addition, preferences evolve through intergenerational transmission mechanisms. This setting allows for a reciprocal interplay between the evolution of workers' autonomy and the industrialization process that generates multiple development paths. Thus, the initial degree of autonomy within the workforce may have long-run implications for the level of industrialization. Finally, taking into account a complementarity between autonomy and incentives to invest in human capital, we conclude to a non-monotonic impact of workers' autonomy on the growth process.

Keywords: Autonomy; Cultural evolutions; Growth; Industrialization; Organizational changes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L23 O11 O14 Z10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:55:y:2011:i:7:p:1007-1025

DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2011.04.004

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