(led by François SILVA, ESCEM, France)
[work] Transformation in the nature and significance of work address three different themes that are interrelated:
- From work practices: work is being diluted in life and vice versa. It gradually replaced the concept of activity that is "more professional". Technology is a factor encouraging this trend. Indeed, they develop generic tools, in particular, mobility, virtuality in the work.
- Mediation and objects: basically, the relational dimension and exchange are at the heart of the concept of activity. We propose to study the role and place of mediation and its objects in theemergence of new practices.
- The arrangements and organizing process: the new practices will generate in trade whether commercial or non-market, new modes of Production, No labor organization to coordinate work teams and virtual distance (crowdsourcing ...), No property, eg rights to intangible property and finally Skills and Trades.
Work as an integrating part of life quality can’t be defined through the exclusive economic dimension; therefore, it can’t answer the pure economic objective, as this last more responding to financial and market solicitations than to a quantitative and qualitative job progress.
In this context, WPAWO aims :
[ work] aims to understand the transformation in the nature and significance of work.
In order to achieve the goals defined in this WPAWO, we intend to act according to the terms. We will display our work from four different methodologic steps:
I. Data gathering
1- A work of synthesis on the State of art
We will do a first work of synthesis (State of the art…) on the different key concepts of this Work package, in particular on the notions of work, object and practice. This approach will enable us to define with partners a common basis about the concepts used and to check whether there is an agreement between people. But beyond the concepts, this study will conclude onto the problematic so as to clearly define the necessary questioning.
2- A series of interviews:
We will conduct a certain number of individual interviews of a qualitative nature on different grounds in the 3 countries:
3- An observation work
For the 2nd theme, it will be necessary to complete this series of interviews by observations inorganizations currently generating activities relying on transaction items into work. We could then better identify the nature of objects and their roles into collective activity, their functions. The aim is to better understand their contribution to the emergence of new forms of organization in to work.
4- Brainstorming groups
For the 3rd theme, we will develop groups using methods called prospective and creative relying on brainstorming sessions so as to identify emerging activities concerning new ways of organization. We will bring together a certain number of people working on activities and/or innovative organizations. Therefore, we will be able to work out the constitutive elements of the organizing processes with their modalities.
II. Synthesis and suggestions
All along the data-gathering work, a beginning of synthesis will be realised. We will have to improve this work with the results and the progress of other Work Package in particular the one devoted to the prospective on jobs and skills.
III – Observatory of emerging manners
We will have a certain number of informations, documents, synthesis on the activities problems, new digital territories, services, new activities around the «care», orchestrated activities. That is why very quickly, because of the abundance and the relevance of gathered data, we will upload them on a dedicated website in order to broadcast them and to spread them over the virtual community interested in these matters.
We will have to define the way in which this observatory will work, its terms of organization and of validation of documents put forward, the participants involved… as per the project settings as well as the continuation of the project.