Organisational Characteristics and skill formation in Britain : Is there a link?

The processes of globalisation, technological change and the intensification of international competition have produced a series of changes in organisational forms which are now well established in the literature. These include the delayering of organisations, the greater use of techniques such as Total Quality Management, Quality Circles, teamwork, the more widespread adoption of information technologies, multi-skilling, improved communication systems and more participative forms of management. During these debates it is sometimes assumed that such practices automatically call forth new skill demands such as problem-solving, communication and teamworking. Yet apart from a few case studies there has been no systematic attempt to identify the existence and distribution of these skills within the labour force and to link them to the existence of new organisational forms. By drawing on a nationally representative survey of British employees, this paper – for the first time – provides strong and robust empirical support for such a linkage.