Work in the Steel Industry: Innovation, Identity, and Well-being - Essay Example

?Eray Kaya Jennifer Craig Wrtg-211 25 September Work in the Steel Industry: Innovation, Identity, and Well-being Work is believed to be the cure to an idle mind, which can be the center of the “devil’s workshop” (Ciulla 4). Work arouses both positive and negative meanings. On the one hand, it is the bane of leisure time. More work means less leisure time. On the other hand, according to anthropologists and philosophers, work is critical to enjoying leisure (Ciulla 5). The philosophy of leisure time stresses that it can only be enjoyed if it is not limited, while an anthropological understanding of work shows that having work helped people establish regularity and connectedness in their lives (Ciulla 5). The steel industry believes that it plays an important work that sustains communities and economies (“Key Facts about the World Steel Industry”). Work is important in the steel industry because it has a fundamental contribution to the formal economy, the formation of identity, and the development of self-worth and well-being. The steel industry finds work as critical to human existence because it values its own work’s impact on world economies. The practitioners of the steel industry are concerned with sustainable steel production because steel is used to make numerous important products. Steel is needed in “renewable energy infrastructure, machinery and equipment, defense, transportation and infrastructure,” among others (“Steel Industry Key Facts”). Steel is the major material used in producing and delivering renewable energy, such as solar, tidal and wind energy (“Steel Industry Key Facts”). For steel companies, some of the main questions are finding ways to improve energy efficiency in making steel and creating sustainable steel. According to the World Steel Association, the industry constantly finds ways of improving manufacturing efficiency: “The steel industry globally spends more than €12 billion annually on improving the manufacturing process, new product development and future breakthrough technology” (“Steel Industry Key Facts”). At the same time, the steel sector wants new products and technologies to support its growth. Tata Steel pursues a vision that is based on innovation and excellence, where it seeks “to be the world’s steel industry benchmark through the excellence of its people, its innovative approach and overall conduct” (“Company Profile”). Professionals are then asking questions, such as: How can steel be recycled more? How can steel production efficiency be increased? What are some steel products that can cater to emerging industrial and consumer needs? These questions assert that the work of the steel industry focuses on a sustainable life cycle, so that win-win solutions to environmental and market issues are attained. The steel industry defines work as critical to human connectedness and economy because of its contribution to communities and national economies. The World Steel Association provides numerous statistics on the role of steel in the international economy. The steel industry is one of the largest employers in the world: “The industry directly employs about more than two million people worldwide, with a further two million contractors and four million people in the supporting industries” (“Key facts”). The industry supports the idea of being employed in the formal economy. Employment in the formal economy is essential because it offers a means for having a meaningful life, where a meaningful life has goals and ways of attaining them (Ciulla 6). Furthermore, the steel industry supports the production of other industries. It is an indispensable component of many products that people use to survive in the modern world: “Considering steel’s position as the key product supplier to industries such as automotive, construction, transport, power and machine goods, and using a multiplier of 25:1, the steel industry is at the source of employment for more than 50 million people” (“Key facts”). Moreover, the steel sector plays a crucial role in reducing the carbon footprint of the manufacturing industry as a whole. Steel practitioners want steel to be increasingly efficient without harming the environment, and so recycling steel is one of its most important goals. This is easy compared to plastic because steel is recyclable: “All steel created as long as 150 years can be recycled today and used in new products and applications” (“Key facts”). At the same time, recycling rates in other industries that use steel is prevalent: “By sector, global steel recovery rates for recycling are estimated at 85% for construction, 85% for automotive, 90% for machinery and 50% for electrical and domestic appliances,” and “This leads to a global weighted average of over 70%” (“Key facts”). The nature of steel and the efficiency concerns of steel industry practitioners impact how other sectors use and recycle steel. Thus, steel sees work as vital to people’s financial security and the ability to enjoy a modern life. Work in the steel industry cannot be divided from its impact on people’s formation of identities. Steel shapes how people see themselves because it permeates the product they use. For instance, steel is used to make numerous consumer products: “Approximately 25% of an average computer is made of steel. Over 320 million PCs were sold in 2010” (“Key facts”). Steel is the backbone of products that are deemed as functional and symbolic to people. If people cannot work and buy these products, they might feel inadequate. They might feel a sense of loss because a part of their identity cannot be expressed through working with these products. Work in the steel industry further influences identity through taking care of people’s health. The steel industry is committed to keeping the workplace safe for its workers: “The industry is committed to the goal of an injury-free workplace. The lost-time injury frequency rate has decreased from 5.1 in 2004 to 2.6 in 2009” (“Key facts”). The main idea is that when health is considered golden, it results to taking care of people, which further enhances their sense of identity. The idea of work in the steel industry constitutes people’s development of welfare and self-worth. In his keynote speech on the Congress, Xu Lejiang, chairman of Baosteel Group Co., Ltd., states that “the key to China's iron and steel industry's transition from large to strong lies in innovation,” where three gaps must be closed: “namely balance development model, international development and resources and the environment. Innovation is the only driving force to cross the threshold” (“Xu Lejiang Makes Keynote Speech”). Innovation is part of the identity of work in the steel industry. Steel industry practitioners dedicate themselves to innovation, which relates to their self-worth. If innovation is important to them and they can pursue it in the workplace, they find meaning in their work. Responsibility is another element of self-worth. In Tata Steel, it perseveres to be responsible for all its stakeholders: “We must be responsible and responsive to the countries, communities and environments in which we work, always ensuring that what comes from the people goes back to the people many times over” (“Vision and Values”). Work becomes more than about individual needs, but includes the responses to social and environmental needs as well. Work serves significant functions to human existence. It gives people their livelihood, and through a formal economy, people can be more connected to one another. Furthermore, work offers opportunities for nurturing the identity and self-image. For the steel industry, their work signifies their value to the world. As a result, practitioners are careful of how they affect communities and want to improve the positive effects of their work. Hence, work connects people in material, social, and cultural levels. It offers an opportunity for people to recognize their talents and to value leisure as the reward for their meaningful work. Works Cited Ciulla, Joanne B. The Working Life: The Promise and Betrayal of Modern Work. New York, NY: Three Rivers P, 2000. Print. “Company Profile.” Tata Steel, 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. “Key Facts about the World Steel Industry.” World Steel Association, Apr. 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. “Steel Industry Key Facts.” ArcellorMittal, 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. “Vision and Values.” Tata Steel, 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. “Xu Lejiang Makes Keynote Speech at the 7th China International Steel Congress.” Baosteel Group Co., 15 May 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. Read More