What Has Happened to White-Collar Careers in Large US Corporations in the Past Thirty Years - Coursework Example

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO WHITE-COLLAR CAREERS IN LARGE U.S. CORPORATIONS IN THE PAST THIRTY YEARS AND WHY? ARE THESE CHANGES MORALLY DEFENSIBLE? name. Institution. Course institution. Introduction Economic evolution is all round and that is why new trends in the job market rock the world every new dawn. In U.S for instance, it inevitably clear that the white color jobs have experienced a remarkable change over the past thirty years. Historically, these jobs were plausible, occupying a minimal number of U.S citizens in different fields of specialization. However, this has not been the case recently1. The number of white-collar workers has experienced a drastic increase due to inevitable pressures in the current world. Comparing the trend to the blue collar jobs, it is crystal clear that the sector of economy holding the expertise of blue-collar workers has had the greatest deal of suffering. Is it because of economic crisis that calls for such a reduction? Can we say that it is the sky rocketed number of immigrants with relevant skills that has fueled this downfall? Is commoditization a threat? Also, to what levels has technology affected this employment opportunities2. As such, these are some of the questions that the research seeks to address. A detailed conclusion that accounts for the change attributed to increased decreased mid-level workers layoff due to automation of manual processes in organizations. Firstly, today’s globalized business activities in organizations in the U.S are centered on service delivery that have instigated a different composition of the type of work. On the contrary, the type of work in the industrial era was mainly manual one. Service delivery is majorly based on white-collar systems that are less labor intensive. As a new research in Australia shows that the work industry is evolving at a very faster rate towards services delivery, the resultant demand directly affects white-collar jobs3. For instance, services such as banking, surgery, chief technicians, and insurance, among others are all white-collar oriented. More so, the current labor market requires very skilled human resource to cope up with the ever growing complexity of the business structure. In order to meet business this objective, businesses in the U.S have increased the positions for these jobs. Secondly, the drastic recession process that took place in the US in 1990s impacted negatively to the faces of employees in manufacturing business organizations. A large number of middle-level jobs got lost in the event thereby leaving many workers unemployed. The layoff was uncharacteristic because those with technical skills lost their jobs with no hope of ever getting them back4. The few white-collar jobs from that time became competitive because most of the people evicted from their jobs strived to secure a job. Also, the few workers in the white-collar who encouraged empire building became skeptical on the situation to work hard and maintain their jobs. However, even though instigated commoditization of white collar job since that time, the reason for this trend was due to ability to access a large number of people willing to take on the job at a lower pay rate. Thirdly, commoditization of white-collar jobs in the U.S is currently as a result of increased completion on the few job opportunities available yet with good salary5. The prospects of workers in the society is always to grow as individuals so as to attain self-actualization. The achievement is occasionally important to motivate the individuals and increase their positive attitude towards life. As such, in order to fulfill this need, they exert some degree of pressure on the scarcely available white-collar job opportunities6. What happens when supply exceeds demand? It is clear that the relevance of such job opportunities losses their rank in the hierarchy. However, a contrasting idea on the involvement of different levels of production in industrial process is also worth debate. Here, lose in demand of a company’s products mean reduction in production to avoid losses, which leads to unemployment to the middle level jobs and empire building for white-collar ones7. Fourthly, technological advancements in the U.S.A has led to automation of functions in the production processes and therefore leading to loss of jobs of the manual production sector. The new machines and robots have provided a platform of fastening business operations especially in commodity production8. The argument from this trend is that when the companies undertake automation procedures, low level workers and middle-level ones will eventually lose their jobs. Unemployment later leads to an impending threat of unfavorable completion for jobs, especially the white-collar ones. The notion is true because layoff will make the disadvantaged party seek a way of getting a more secured job with continuity. Thus, the current situation in the U.S involves an increased number of white-collar workers as most of them seek job security. The situation is the opposite of what existed thirty years ago9. In the U.S, the level of education is so high and younger and qualified people are in the job market who readily provide a pool of workers. Whatever level of education that existed thirty years ago cannot serve the current job requirements for white-collar jobs. According to a research, about seventy thousand scholars graduated from the university with a bachelors in 1970s. However, recent research showed that the number of graduates from various universities in the U.S amounted to a million in the year 2005. Naturally, if the same trend of increasing number of qualified people adds into the economy every year, chances of having a large pool job seekers competing for the same position becomes spontaneous. However, the whole increase is advantageous because recruiters will increase the pay rate so as to attract and differentiate the kind of expertise that is high and matches the job description. The effect of this has made white-collar jobs in the U.S pay more than thirty years ago. More so, in the past three decades, industries in the U.S operated mainly within the region. However, after learning that some great opportunities of ready markets existed abroad, they diversified operations by shifting to these areas10. Economic analysts believe that by seeking external employment to run the various businesses, the levels of white-collar jobs in the U.S faced some decline. The out sourcing of experts to man the organizations in those regions is logical because the various skills and knowledge in the host region can provide new innovation and creativity to the organization. When such technique got a chance in the U.S firms, there was reported decline in the white-collar jobs in the region. The businesses intensified their operations in the new market creating by making use of the available cheap labor. To add on that, an argument that links wages and salaries to the increased number of white-collar jobs in the U.S compared to thirty years ago is plausible11. The income an employee expects to get from a certain job can for a great influence on how that person will search for the job. As such, the employees in the United States of America seek to obtain the highest level income. Therefore, they train hard to acquire the necessary skills so as to obtain the white-collar jobs. The increase in business activities and the demand for highly qualified employees to take charge of complex business structure has instigated the increase in the number of these workers. However, it is not always true that when more people are trained, they will form that pool with exact requirements of a certain job description. Moreover, the desire for individuals to associate with a certain class could be the reason for sky-rocketed white-collar jobs12. The argument here is that most workers would want to attain the best level of their ability. Attaining the top level job can be a means of showing the class of a worker who then feels a sense of satisfaction. Therefore, one will strain to achieve the high ranking job to attain a bossy life. Also, personal instinct could be the reason that drives people to compete for the available opportunities. In this theory, one can argue that the proposed idea is true. For instance, some employees work hard to get promotions so as to feel they are different from the rest of the team. In that case, they work hard to please the management who later award them promotions and authority. The factor can therefore be the cause to increased white-collar jobs because human performance will always become better, meaning more experts sprout every day. Furthermore, white-collar careers in large U.S. corporations has increased due to demographic factors. Increase in the number of people in the U.S. means an increase in the human resource available. Whilst levels of education increase as demography does, the number of people ready to take the white-collar jobs also increases. The trend could explain why a difference exists if we make comparison with the data of the past thirty years. Notwithstanding the fact that the current society has large supply of a cheaper labor, business organizations have utilized these skills in order to maximize on the profit margin. U.S.A pool of workers currently include a combination of the younger generation workers who have the necessary training and can handle most complex tasks just like the matured workers13. Therefore, one can conclude that the white-collar jobs increase as a result of increased specialization in the current society. What can an individual expect in the current job situations with very standardized procedures? Additionally, the procedures require a very skilled person so as to familiarize with the thresholds and parameters pertinent to the job. As such, the level of top-level jobs tend to spontaneously increase so as to meet this requirement. If the business structure is complex for instance, then more than one expert will need to handle the large amount of data present in the organization. The process calls for a very accurate presentation of data and strategic planning. Therefore, job seekers are obliged to conform to the requirements of such a position. The pool of worker attend training opportunities that are sometimes as a result internal business environment strategies to improve the skill levels of the workers. Standardized procedures such as following up iso certifications, and socially responsible activities demand white-collar expertise. Along with that, the nature of work is intense and demanding. The new feature of work is the reason for the why most business organization initiate programs like overtime work. The working hours have become longer thereby creating a situation of bad jobs. It is usually coupled with heavy tasks with strict deadlines. The intensified work requirement forces workers to use a lot of their energy so as to accomplish a task that must meet the strict timelines available. It therefore follows that for any success to register, specialization of the worker is paramount so as to enable them carry on with their duties. This experience based type of work demands that the worker to inculcate the desires of the organization experience-wise. How can rampant immigration to the U.S. over the past years contribute to the increase in the level of white-collar job? Immigration in the U.S has instigated a heated debate on whether it is beneficial are disadvantageous to the populace of that region14. It is crystal clear that a multi-dimension view with others supporting it while others are vehemently opposed to it. Such a debate on the pros shows that the increase in number of employees in the U.S provide the country with highly skilled labor. The workers in the host country tend to work hard so as to support their well-being. However, some of the citizens argue that the immigrants pose unnecessary pressure on little available resources. The truth of the matter is that the immigrants provide very experienced labour to the various corporations in the U.S. The level of trained labour increases and hence an increase in the white-collar jobs15. The current society is very dynamic hence this could explain the reason for increased level of white collar jobs. The society will always improve with time. The improvement calls for betterment of human capacity and hence, the current trend showing more intellects is as a result to reach for the demand of the society becomes part and parcel of this process. As such, the amount of top ranking jobs in the past have a great difference compared to the current jobs in today’s market. The possibility of this job running out is minimal due to the increasing opportunities through new markets, new methods, and also new innovative ideas that create a market for these products. Also, the low union rates can act as either a motivator or demoralizers. The effect they have can help in positively improving the work situation or affect the workers if wrong procedures and formulas form part of their strategic plan. The fact that the level of white-collar jobs increased in the U.S, one can argue that the labor unions helped the workers through protecting and championing of their rights. The various business organizations empowered their workers through proper training and development. Such factors contribute more towards development of workers. To add on that, the reduction in tendencies of outsourcing has catalyzed yet another way of handling the availability or scarcity of top-level jobs. For purposes of clarity, one considers the nature of the current job market16. It is evident that the without a special field that a person affiliates their expertise to, then securing a job in today’s’ competitive society can be a borne to break. The employers focus more on the on the output per person through using scientific remuneration theories of great philosophers in the U.S such as Fredric Taylor. The requirement of these organizations will always generate unfavorable pressure to people as they try to attain the highest level they can reach. The contracting terms have changed over the years and could be the possible cause for increase in the level of white-collar jobs. Considering the terms and conditions of the past, the parties involved in an agreement did not necessarily need to undergo the current complex legal requirements. As such, skeptical ways of interactions during formulation of this associations have triggered an impending shortage of a pool of experts required to ensure the smooth running of activities. Therefore, a critical evaluation of this notion can ascertain that even though much has changed over the past, how to contract cannot form the basis of our evaluation. Different parties can engage in contracts without the expertise as a prerequisite. Therefore, the notion is far too general instead of looking at the real issues. The analysis in this research shows how different components have influenced the white-collar jobs. However, this analysis would be incomplete if the research does not answer whether these changes are morally defensible or not. Considering the argument on immigration that the immigrants into the U.S are responsible for declining economic stability. The notion that those people take the best job positions leaving the hosts unemployed. Also, that as the country experiences an increase in the number of white-collar jobs, the citizens in the U.S have little to be proud about. Such a feeling can create bad relations hence becoming morally indefensible. Also, another factor such as competition to attain standards available in the job market can cause unnecessary pressure to people who then may lose hope in life if such standards are unachievable. Factors such as empire building are negative and can lead to the degradation of the instinctive moral standards that we have17. However, the incentives accompanied to the white-collar jobs are so high such that they improve the standard of living of individuals. The jobs are a source of motivation to workers especially those who take pride in authority and class. If the organization emphasizes on white collar jobs, the tendency to produce more can be part of the result of that step. Therefore, white-collar jobs have evolved for the better and companies should encourage them to act as a motivation. In conclusion, one can summarize the above factors and name them spontaneous because they are not controlled. For instance, off shoring, changes in class, dynamism of the society, education levels, wages and salaries, technology, need for services, immigration, among others cannot change because they arise from daily activities and changing situations. Therefore, the best thing that an organization can do is to enhance flexibility to adjust to these factors. White-collar jobs for the most coveted pinnacle in all jobs and its evolution shows that it keeps changing with changing traits of human beings. The character is plausible because it shows continuity of these jobs over the past and the coming years. Bibliography Government careers for women; a study of the salaries and positions of women white-collar employees in the Federal service 1954. (pp. 4-34). (1957). Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Cott, Nancy F. History of Women in the United States: Historical Articles on Womens Lives and Activities. Munich: K.G. Saur, 1992. 12-34. Print. Mills, C. Wright. 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