정보사회와 노동통제: 사회·기술적 변화를 중심으로

Labor control has long been a central managerial concern in the capitalist production process. Management wishes to exploit as much labor power as possible to maximize profits, whereas workers wish to use as little labor power as possible for the same compensation. The fundamental conflicts of interest in the usage of labor power between management and labor are the seeds of labor-management problems, and thus management is induced to utilize different methods of labor control that best suit for the given organizational conditions to achieve its goals. Management has been utilizing a new method of labor control (IT-based control) along with the arrival of the information society. The uniqueness of IT-based control is that, unlike the previous methods of labor control, it goes beyond the boundary of the production process at work so that it can have significant control effects on workers even after work. This article analyzes the historical evolution of labor control and distinctive features of IT-based control which has been newly utilized in the information society. In doing so, this article reviews the classic works on labor control -- especially Edwards (1979) and Zuboff (1988) -- in order to analyze why the previous methods of labor control could not function effectively anymore in the information society and how workers are being controlled through the new method of IT-based control today. This article argues that the previous method of structural control no longer functions effectively because of the socio-technical changes that have recently occurred: globalization of business and organizations; utilization of flexible manufacturing systems; and dramatic changes in the composition of labor force. Information technology has now become the main control instrument to minimize resistance from workers and to promote efficiency. IT-based control enables management to control workers systematically and continuously beyond time and space since information technology can connect the world and obscure the boundary between work and life. IT-based control is a new and more powerful method of labor control that pursues intense management of instruction, supervision and evaluation simultaneously through prompt and continuous computerization of information on workers’ behavior and attitudes both on and off the job.