The Means and End of Work

Abstract

This paper offers a teleological perspective on efforts to improve the quality of working life. Our view of working arrangements and what they "should" be is often confused by contradictory ideas of "what we are pursuing" when we seek to alter the present arrangements. At the enterprise level, there is disagreement among the workplace interest groups (e.g., supervisors, the top manager, local-wide union officers, rank-and-file workers, middle managers, etc.) on which are the means and what is the end of work. There is less disagreement at the societal level about what constitutes the "bottom line": in general, there is an implicit acceptance of the view that the end of work is economic. The schemata presented here recognizes the economic value of work, but only as one means toward a higher end: human well-being.