Towards the Different Layers of Culture - Research Paper Example

Towards the Different Layers of Culture Introduction The main goal of human resource management is to improve business performance and to create such organizational structure, which would be able to help increase company’s productivity. Human resource management plays every important role in every organization. Without appropriate training, supervision and motivation it is impossible for employees to achieve the high level of productivity, because in current market conditions they should provide the clients with products and services of the best quality. Good employee motivation should help workers realize their aspirations and work for the company’s benefit. The changes that have recently taken place in the economy shed light on the many appearing problems HRM faces. In order to be successful in the economic world many companies have to change and improve their human resource management. . Successful strategies require attention to the paradoxes, which were created in the sphere of HRM. Hence the concept of HRM is culturally relative in organization when choosing organizational structure and leadership styles (Kim 1999). Thinking is only one of the main strategies of successful human resource management. There are other desirable traits, skills needed in the new economic conditions. It especially concerns the estate agencies because the housing market crisis brought a lot of problems to this economic sector. Successful developing and training the employees of estate agencies demands changes in thinking about the techniques of human resource development. The human resource must be characterized by good thinking, good skills, ability to become a leader of the team, to be able to take part in the networking, etc. There is a question: what should human resource managers do in order to provide organization with professional employees who are ready to work in current housing market conditions? Firstly, the new conditions require senior managers to be internationally mobile. So the main task of human resource management in the agency is to plan staff careers based on tested concepts. High street agencies have to provide constant on-going courses and training programs for staff. Training needs to be extensive, careful, professional and rigorous (Kim 1999). It is necessary to admit that knowledge of strategy must be accompanied by globalized professional human resource management. There is a necessity to provide more additional teaching materials for the staff. Difficult economic situation requires training and education of human resource professionals because the number of such executive is too limited. Kim (1999) mentioned that “structural solutions, however, such as setting up regional HR positions or assigning successful responsibility to HR functions, are not sufficient if the people in these positions lack critical international skills and experience” (Kim, 1999).  In order to maintain high level of productivity it is essential for every company to implement proper human resource management. Otala explains: …a living organism, consisting of empowered, motivated employees, living in a clearly perceived symbiosis, sharing the feeling of a common destiny and profit, striving towards jointly defined goals, anxious to use every opportunity to learn from situations, processes and competition in order to adapt harmoniously to the changes in their environment and to improve continuously their own and their company’s competitive performance? (Otala 157) This paper will observe theories, which provide us with more or less effective schemes that are supposed to help estate agencies in employee motivation. Of course, they are to be chosen and estimated from the individual point of view, as each personality possesses an individual set of values and beliefs that can make a person interested in the results of person’s activity. The HR management technique to be observed in this paper includes three necessary elements of employee motivation. These elements are as follows: achievement drive, commitment and initiative and optimism. The subject for investigation is the process of implementing employee motivation in high street estate agencies in the conditions of crisis. The data received from the investigation of two periods will be presented. The first period took part in 2000-2005, and the second research is related to the period of 2006-2008. The investigation will provide interviews of all the levels of workers of high street estate agencies, including estate agents, managers and the heads. The evolution of human resource management will be described; the paper will analyze the working processes carefully to make the information understandable for the readers. Industry overview. Three variants of human research management implementation It is possible to describe the situation at the estate market beginning as constantly improving from 2000 till 2006. The prices at the housing market were high, and the wages of estate agents were also higher in comparison to those the majority of population had. On the one hand, this period can be described as a period of good perspectives in the life of the employees and the sector in general. In many agencies the employees were divided into groups, with the group managers who were concerned with the everyday duties. As the interrogation shows, the employees were estate agents, junior and senior managers. Estate agents belonged to unions, and reported to senior managers that were paid by the heads of the agencies. This scheme appeared to be successful. There existed a set of agreements between the agencies and the estate agents, and during the described period the heads insisted that the workers and managers should have worked according to these agreements, in spite of the fact that the managers themselves were not going to keep to these agreements completely. The workers also were dissatisfied that the management staff didn’t provide them with the consultations on the most concerning problems. The changing situation of the worldwide housing market determined the process and working conditions at the agencies after 2005-2006. The number of the estate agencies reduced, because the demand for the services decreased, and in a short period the problems with worker’s motivation in the estate agencies became evident. One industry official stated: The irony is that there is no shortage of people who want to move house, but without mortgages they just can’t do so. Estate agents are having to close because there just isn’t enough movement in the housing market and that is likely to have a much wider impact because a healthy housing market is essential for the health of the high street. (Estate agents jobs at risk due to housing downturn). This forced the agencies reduce the number of employees. All these events affected the situation in the agencies and touched upon all levels of workers, as well as the agencies’ activity in general. The situation at the beginning of the 2006 was threatening for the agencies. The head staff was given the task to increase productivity without investing additional capital. This was to be done as soon as possible. Such experience was implemented in some estate agencies in the United Kingdom. However, there were some issues to be taken into account while trying to implement this approach. At first, pressing the influence of the groups could have resulted in giving more power to the group leaders, who could use it for treating badly the employees. It was also unclear, what would be a result of such measures. At one hand, the fear could have compelled the workers to work better, and this could have increased the productivity, however, at the same time, the groups could have been powerful enough to keep people working. The second variant of human research management implementation included possibility to cooperate with the managers, basing upon the schemes of cooperation used earlier. These schemes that had appeared to be effective, were supposed to reduce the possibility of loosing employees. However, this option had its negative sides as well. As the experience showed, the process of negotiations demanded much time to proceed, as the managers needed time to consult with the estate agents and discuss all important issues with them. The last variant implied full reconsidering and reforming the system of communication between the head staff and employees, it included the widening of the sphere of the questions discussed with the workers. It also demanded broader involvement of the workers into the process of decision-making. The reforms demanded creation of team meetings and consultation committees, and this approach allowed settling the agreements without bargaining with the agencies’ groups. There was a definite risk to implement this approach, as the agencies’ leaders were supposed to reject accepting it, and it was unclear if the plan could survive in such a crucial period under the conditions of housing market crisis. The theories that can be applied There are a lot of serious problems high street estate agency meet in the condition of housing market crisis. The employees can’t see the perspectives and it becomes very difficult to keep them working and implement necessary changes at the same time. It is known that according to the theory of Geert Hofstede, a small community may serve as the model of the whole country, and all the results true for small community will be true for the larger amount of people as well. (Dahl) He carried out a range of analyses within the industry and than applied these results to cases with similar enterprises in other countries. The criteria for analyses used by him in his researches were as follows: “Power Distance Index”, “Individualism”, “Masculinity”, “Uncertainty Avoidance Index”, “Long-Term Orientation”. (Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions) But the later researches show that such approach is not correct, and the results of the investigations on one definite area cannot be applied under the conditions of another culture: “Sometimes he supposes that every individual in a nation shares a common national culture. At other times he claims to have found in the IBM data a "national norm" or "central tendency", or "average [national] tendency." Both claims are problematic. If a national culture were common to all national individuals - and survey responses could identify those cultures - there would not have been significant intracountry differences in individuals’ questionnaire responses”. (McSweeney) Thus, the results of the research are fully reliable and representative only in case with the agencies and staff observed. The process of implementing the teamwork and the results of this process can be evaluated judging from the basic concept of Marx theory. The theory of Marx was generally criticizing in relation to the essence of capitalism and its methods. Marx spoke about the workers, and referred both manual and non-manual workers to this category. (Elliot) Regardless of the fact that many ideas of Marxism appeared to be erroneous, there are some concepts that can be implemented to this concrete case. One of the key ideas expressed by Marx in his writing was the idea that capitalism alienated people’s masses: “Although workers produce things for the market, market forces control things; workers do not. People are required to work for capitalists who have full control over the means of production and maintain power in the workplace. Work, he said, becomes degrading, monotonous, and suitable for machines rather than free, creative people. In the end people themselves become objects—robotlike mechanisms that have lost touch with human nature, that make decisions based on cold profit-and-loss considerations, with little concern for human worth and need.” (Prychitko) In other words, Marx spoke of control and power as of factors reducing human’s tendency to express identity, tendency to express their talents, thus preventing them from being useful for the society as they could be. The possible ways of changing the situation are providing for the workers with the possibility to express their opinion, make decisions, take part not only on the mechanical part of the working process, but also in discussion and defining perspectives etc. (Kolakowski). As far as the present case study is concerned, we can see that one of the basic disadvantages of capitalists system described by Marx, was removed with the introduction of teamwork. This system allowed the workers take part in the processes of discussions, consultations, in the process of making decisions, making them feel that they also determine the working process. This positively influenced the productiveness and the atmosphere of the agencies in general, it also allowed to get rid of discontent of the workers with their relations with managers, and also gave more space for the individuals to express themselves. One of the most remarkable and respected theories touching upon organization structure and management is the theory worked out by F. W. Taylor. This theory is also associated with the approach of H. Ford, and these theories are regarded as the complementing each other. According to the concepts of taylorism, “principal object of the administrative system was to assure maximum prosperity for the owner and, at the same time, relative material improvement for the worker, meaning higher wages, better working conditions and higher productivity in comparison to the management initiative and incentive system. Maximum prosperity for the owner meant the development of all aspects of the business and the achievement of good financial results. Benefits for the worker meant offering relatively high salaries and more efficient utilization of labour, that is, the attribution of higher level tasks according to their present manual skills.” (Peaucelle, p. 455) The situation makes evident that the head staff of the agencies acted according to basic principles of Taylor theory. They intended to find a strategy that would be favourable both for working process, productivity and agencies, and at the same time would satisfy the workers. They didn’t choose the fear factor to influence the workers, but tried to find a flexible approach. Unfortunately, they succeeded only partially, as there was a part of the employees left unsatisfied, i.e. white-collar workers. It is also interesting to observe the process described in the case study from the angle of Fordism theory, basing upon the major concepts of this approach: “Firstly, Fordism is an industrial paradigm that involves mass production based on moving assembly-line techniques operated with semi-skilled labour, that is, a mass worker.” (Sheldrake, p. 98) After implementing teamwork approach the tendency to multiskilling became apparent at the agencies. According to the data collected during the research this became the reason for discontent of the white-collar workers. “Fordism is a regime of accumulation. As a stable mode of macroeconomic growth it involves a virtuous circle of growth based on mass production, rising incomes linked to productivity, rising productivity based on economies of scale, increased mass demand due to rising wages, increased profits based on full utilization of productive capacity and increased investment in improved mass production equipment and techniques.” (Bonefeld) The term observed in the case study was too short to speak about the absence or presence of such results. But positive outcomes of the implementation processes allowed foreseeing such results. The application of the theories to the current situation The person that wants to regulate the employee motivation should recognize that employee motivation cannot be moderated or influenced by the environment, it fully and completely depends upon the people, their desire to achieve the goals, self-assurance and optimism. The motivations of positive nature are stronger and more helpful than those that are negative or are based on some ground that can be hurtful to other people. Before forging out individual set of motivations the person needs to consider desirable results carefully and visualize them, as if these purposes have been already reached. It is important to foresee the sense of satisfaction and pleasure that the person would feel after he achieves the desired result. It is also necessary to list all the steps of the way that would lead the person to success and feel all these emotions that will accompany each step that would be successfully completed. It is also important to perceive the goal as the most important in order not to be detracted by problems that occur. When the scheme, described above, is done fully and completely, it is the time to implement successful schemes of employee motivation. At first, the manager needs to set the goal for each day of the work that would be done to achieve the desired result. This successful result should be recognized by the employee and the employee needs to keep in mind the image of his future success and perceive it as it has been already reached. It is also necessary to mark each stage of the process and point out the skills that the person possesses and that can appear helpful in achieving the purpose. The last thing that is also important is to mark each successfully completed stage of the process until the purpose is successfully achieved. Another remarkable theory by Dave Ellis may be implementing to reach desired goals in education, professional sphere and in life in general. He also provides the readers with some issues that should be taken into consideration by the person who wants to reach success and is ready to do his best to receive an outcome. At first, he advices to think over and define the desired result of the action. It is necessary to point out all desirable profits and possible negative effects to clear one’s personal need in this or that result of the action. Understanding one’s goals will also help the person find out the most successful strategies that will lead him to desired result better. One may also divide the major purpose into several small goals to find out motivation for each goal separately. The author of the theory states that if the person realizes that he works for future success, he finds the abilities to fulfil the task that might seem to be impossible to complete. (Nulph) It is important to get rid of fear that the purpose is unachievable. This fear would prevent the employee from completing the task successfully, or, at least, may slow down the process itself. In order to get rid of fear the employee needs to think over the sources of this feeling and recognize them. Usually, reasonable thinking may help in deleting person’s fear. (Nulph) Sometimes environment greatly influences the employee’s desire to complete this or that task. One may try to avoid definite activity because of the circumstances for the conditions of the environment. Sometimes it will be helpful to change the surroundings for better or to engage another person into your activity. Completing the task together positively influences the personal motivation. If you ask someone’s help as the help of more educated and experienced professional, rather than just invite the person join you, it is supposed to provide for more productive activity. (Nulph) It is necessary to be careful with the factors that add the elements of pressure into employee’s activity. Such factors as the deadline for the task to be completed may be either helpful or disturbing in successful activity. If the pressure is too powerful it may cause a stress to the person and this will prevent this person from productive fulfilling the task. If there is a pressing factor that causes the stress to the person, it is better to reduce the factor or remove it completely. When an employee has a deadline date settled and it worries the person, this date should be moved. One may also try to divide the process into small steps and thus reduce the volume of the work in one’s consciousness. Having some rest may also appear to be useful. Detracting from the activity helps employee to consider the results of the process and estimate his efforts. (Nulph) If the sphere of activity allows it, one should seek for the samples of successful achieving the same purpose. It is always helpful to observe the experience of other persons that were involved into similar activity, to think over their fails and successes, examine their attitudes and the schemes they applied to achieve desired goals. If the employee defines an example for him, he may use successful strategies that would make the process of completing the task easier. The negative experience is also worth consideration, in order to avoid similar situations and mistakes. Both positive and negative examples provide the person with the samples of the experience he would receive in future, but positive samples deserve more careful consideration. It is also helpful to list all relatives and friends of the person and to point out their positive features that may appear to be helpful in present activity. The person should not imitate their behavioural models, but just try to implement positive features of character they possess. (Nulph) The person should find someone to serve as the coach for providing personal motivation. This should be someone who is sure that the person possesses necessary skills to complete the task and obtain positive results. The person should list the goals and results he wants to achieve and get his coach to learn about them. It would be useful if the person share his intentions, possible behavioural strategies and expectations with his coach. In case something would disturb successful achieving the task or if the person is disappointed with the process, the coach is to remind him about future success and assure person that the success is easily reached. If this is the friend of the person who was chosen as the coach, this would be useful for friendly relations that people share and add much confidence to each other. (Nulph) One more important issue that the theory suggests is that the person should recognise that it was his decision to choose this or that kind of activity and he is able to change his attitude to the circumstances of the process. When the person realizes that he rules the situation, this would help him arrive at successful result. McShane and Von Glinow in their book Organizational Behavior observe one of the elements that are necessary to provide for the set of motivations for the individual. This necessary element is the satisfaction that the person obtains in the professional sphere. The specialists that examine organizational behaviour speak about significance of satisfaction level among the employers. “Employees with higher levels of job satisfaction, particularly satisfaction with the work itself, are less likely to quit their jobs, be absent from work, and experience mental or physical health problems. Joining a labour union and going on strike often result from dissatisfaction with pay or working conditions. Dissatisfied employees are also more likely to steal, deliberately sabotage company products, and engage in acts of violence against their supervisor or co-workers.” (McShane, p.206) It is stated that the workers that are satisfied with their job, work more productively. But the authors of the book insist that the job performance and level of satisfaction are not so closely connected as it is believed. The main reason for this to happen is that the attitudes in general do not foresee individual behavioural strategies. Each person possesses his individual set of emotions, attitudes, values and experiences, so the reaction expressed towards definite circumstances would also be individual. If we take a case when the person desires to change the work as the example, we will assume that one person will make the same efforts to do his job, and the other will add fewer efforts, considering this job to be no so important for him since he is going to leave it. Besides, performance also depends upon individual capabilities and resources, but not the attitudes to the job and efforts. The factor of job satisfaction is also of less importance when it is related to the automated jobs. (McShane) The authors state that job performance more often promotes job satisfaction, when it is connected to rewarding. In case if productiveness provides the person with the rewards that this person appreciates, his productiveness increases. Unfortunately, this circumstance is missed by the majority of the companies, as they do not reward their employers for productive job. (McShane) The authors of the book also speak about the influence of individual values in organizational behaviour, thus affecting self-motivating. These are the values that shape personal attitudes and behavioural strategies. Values also provide us with the grounds for our actions and shape our motivations. The authors of the book point out to the values that are common for all cultures and have special importance for the employers. These values moderate behavioural schemes that also include motivation. There are five major kinds of values that these authors discuss: individualism–collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, achievement-nurturing orientation, and long- and short-term orientation. (McShane) The first one is individualism versus collectivism. This value is related to personal estimation of the importance of individual and collective purposes. Those who perceive collective objective as more important than individual goals, think of themselves as of the member of the community. Those who find their individual purposes as predominant, value their individual autonomy. (McShane) The second, power distance, describes the people’s attitude to the division of power in the society. Those who possess more power are satisfied with the status quo, while those who have less power and thus fewer opportunities, expect more power. The cultures with long distances of power comprise the schemes of resolving problems with the help of directive regulations given from the chiefs to the employers and the cultures with short power distances comprise the schemes with collective collaboration. (McShane) Avoidance is the degree to which people tolerate ambiguity (low uncertainty avoidance) or feel threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty (high uncertainty avoidance).(McShane, p. 216 ) Those people who have high avoidance appreciate strict structures and set models of behaviour. Such models presuppose regulated models of communication and interrelations within the society. The fourth is achievement versus nurturing orientation. The cultures that appreciate achievement are likely to engage competitiveness, self-assurance and zeal. The people that need achievement appreciate responsibility and difficulties to overcome. People that got used to the nurture orientation focus on interrelation with the people around and on their prosperity. They do not pay so much attention to their personal success in career. (McShane) Long- versus short-term orientation. People that belong to the culture with long-term orientation build up their plans and strategies due to their plans for remote future. They appreciate reliability and stability. Those who are involved into the culture with short-term orientation, pay more attention to the customs, traditions and social duties. (McShane) Emotional intelligence is also paid much attention in the work of the writers that examine successful employee motivation: Emotional Intelligence" refers to your capacity to recognize your own feelings and those of others, for motivating yourself, and for managing emotions well in yourself and in your relationships. "It describes abilities distinct from, but complementary to, academic intelligence, the purely cognitive capabilities measured by IQ. Many people who are book smart lack emotional intelligence but lack emotional intelligence end up working for people who have lower IQs than they but who excel in emotional intelligence skills(McShane, p.214). Teamwork system introduction and employee motivation In order to motivate employees in new market conditions it is necessary for high street agencies to introduce teamwork system. The owners of the agencies should follow the second and the third alternatives from the described above. The new strategy necessary to reconstruct the working process and the motivate employees is complex that is why it demands that the process should be divided into several stages. During the first stage the teamwork system should be introduced and the process of implementation starts. The major elements that are to be integrated in this period are the start of team briefings, and reject from the system of supervision carried out by group leaders. The group leaders should be elected by the employees of the same group. The functions of the leader are to settle the problems connected to the working schedule and coordination, but they should not be concerned with the questions of order and discipline. This activity is to be paid, and the leaders should receive 5% of additional payment. This innovation provides the workers with more independence. Some areas are left to the supervisors and some were given to the group leaders. The next stage includes direct implementation of a new system of working in the process. There are two main issues: the first one is the concern expressed by the managers in relation to growing independence of the workers. Many managers are sure that the quality of the work will decrease without direct supervision. These doubts are natural and it will take several years for the senior managers to convince that the system is functioning well and the growing degree of independence will not affect the quality of the working process. The second issue is related to the relations with the agencies. The whole process of reformation should be carried out in accordance with agencies with participation of them in consultations and discussions. This significantly changes the nature and character of the industrial relations, and the relations between employees and head staff became more productive. It would be helpful to provide an example of implementation of teamwork on one of the high street estate agencies. It is possible to compare the results of the interviews and questionnaires used on different stages of the period of implementation, and made conclusions about possible results that the process may have. The data received from the detailed investigation of all the events and information related to the subjects allow to talk about reliability of the offered changes in human resource management. It is possible to compare the viewpoints of different levels of employment at the agencies, and described the background as well. All this is enough to provide for a perspective of the future of the definite agency. However, speaking about the results of the study as of those that can be applied in the cases with other agencies of the same industry is challenging. As far as the result of the process are concerned, it should be mentioned that the main issues showing the effectiveness of the teamwork implementation are increased productivity, and workers’ satisfaction with the working process and conditions of the work. According to the results of the interviews and questionnaires of 2005, this process is effective. The workers expressed satisfaction with the degree of their involvement into discussion and the decision-making process. However, at the same time, the distinctions between the managers and workers were evident, as they were before, and the teams didn’t gain the self-discipline, that was associated with the teamwork implementation in other countries. This made the situation differ from the other similar cases. Speaking about the organizational structure, it is necessary to mention increased flexibility. However, there were also obstacles, for example, some stages of the working process demanded control of the specialists with definite level of education and experience, and these specialists couldn’t have been replaced by the workers. As far as the productivity was concerned, the term was too short to see evident results or their absence. There were no significant changes with the productivity, both positive and negative. It is hard to talk about possible effects even in case of positive results, because it is unclear, if these results are defined by the new implemented teamwork or just by the reject from the old system that had run out of its potential in the conditions of crisis. However, there definite changes that should be made in order to make employees work effectively can be already defined: Provide the teams with more independence. The number of team leaders should be reduced and their duties should be reduced as well. Accordingly, their role becomes less significant and they are deprived a part of their power; Try to hire new estate agents. The number of working places is to be coordinated by the managers and agencies; Employees should be involved into the process of interviewing new candidates, and they should also participate in the process of making decisions. Conclusion The results of the research recommended the head staff pay more attention to consultation and cooperation with the workers. It was evident that much work to help the workers better understands the situation ate the market to persuade them in their capacity to influence the situation and their working conditions, was necessary to improve the situation. Emotional background and growing discontent affected the productivity in the agencies. There are three possible ways to settle down the situation. The first of them was to press the supervisors to prevent them from influencing the workers’ minds and to restrict their influence in making decisions that could prevent from successful fulfillment of the tasks given to the managers. The development of organization requires senior managers to be internationally mobile. So the main task of human resource management in estate agencies is to plan staff careers based on successful concepts. High street agencies have to provide constant on-going courses and training programs for staff. Training needs to be extensive, careful, professional and rigorous (Kim 1999). During the first stage the teamwork system should be introduced and the process of implementation starts. The major elements that are to be integrated in this period are the start of team briefings, and reject from the system of supervision carried out by group leaders. The group leaders should be elected by the employees of the same group. The functions of the leader are to settle the problems connected to the working schedule and coordination, but they should not be concerned with the questions of order and discipline. This activity is to be paid, and the leaders should receive 5% of additional payment. This innovation provides the workers with more independence. Some areas are left to the supervisors and some were given to the group leaders. There are definite changes that should be made in order to make employees work effectively can be already defined. It is necessary to provide the teams with more independence. The number of team leaders should be reduced and their duties should be reduced as well. Accordingly, their role becomes less significant and they are deprived a part of their power. The heads of the agencies should try to hire new estate agents. The number of working places is to be coordinated by the managers and agencies. Employees should be involved into the process of interviewing new candidates, and they should also participate in the process of making decisions. Works cited Otala, M. (1995). The Learning Organization: Theory into Practice. Industry & Higher Education 9, no. 3 157-164. Dahl, S. Towards the different layers of culture. An Overview of Intercultural Research Available at http://stephan.dahl.at/intercultural/about_culture.html Prychitko, D. Marxism. Available at http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Marxism.html#biography Elliot, J. E. (1981) Marx and Engels on Economics, Politics, and Society. Essential Readings with Editorial Commentary. Kolakowski, Leszek. (1985) Main Currents of Marxism. Hayek, F. The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism.. Prychitko, D. L. (1991) Marxism and Workers' Self-Management: The Essential Tension. Antunes, R. (1999) The New Proletarians of the World at the Turn of the Century. Los Sentidos del Trabajo: Ensayo sobre la Afirmación y la Negación del Trabajo", Editora Bomtempo. Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Available at http://www.geerthofstede.com/ Hofstede, G. (1996) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind: Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for Survival.  New York, McGraw-Hill. Sheldrake, J (1998). Management Theory: From Taylorism to Japanization, Thompson International Business Press, London Bonefeld, W; Holloway, J. (1991) Post-Fordism & social form. London, MacMillan. “Estate agents jobs at risk due to housing downturn”, July 1, 2008 available at http://www.loanempire.co.uk/2008/07/01/estate-agents-jobs-at-risk-due-to-housing-downturn/ Read More