The adoption of innovative work practices in service establishments

Using data from the 1994 US National Establishment Survey, the author investigates differences between manufacturing and service establishments in the use of five innovative work practices: total quality management, self-managed teams, job rotation, job sharing and flextime. Service establishments are more likely to use job sharing and flextime. Manufacturing establishments are more likely to use total quality management and self-managed teams. These results hold when controlling for establishments’ business strategies, worker demographics, institutional connections and use of technology. Determinants of adoption of total quality management, self-managed teams and flextime also varied by sector.     

Change of work schedule and its implications during financial crisis: the case of the Philippines

This study was conducted on the human resource management response of ten manufacturing companies in the Philippines to the financial crisis that affected the country. Instead of implementing manpower reduction, the companies adopted either flexitime or working-week reduction. The study tried to capture the effects of this approach on employees' job satisfaction and work stress. The study deduced that the change of work schedule affected the level of job satisfaction significantly but did not elicit the same effect in the area of work stress. The results negated the expectations of the management. Employees' perception of their work schedule is among the different factors that affect their job satisfaction.