Generally speaking, the American workforce's productivity is not effected by alcohol and drugs. While this statement appears to fly in the face of the prevailing wisdom, we offer evidence that it is true, consider why there is a widespread perception that drugs are a significant problem in the American workplace, and suggest implications for managers and human resource professionals.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbrahamsonE.1991Managerial fads and fashions: The diffusion and rejection of innovations. Academy of Management Review16 (July):586–612.
2.
BeckerH.S.1963Outsiders. New York: The Free Press of Glencoe.
3.
Ben-YehudaN.1986The sociology of moral panics: Toward a new synthesis. The Sociological Quarterly27 (December):495–513.
4.
Ben-YehudaN.1987Drug abuse social policy in the United States and Israel: A comparative sociological perspective. The International journal of the Addictions22 (January):17–45.
5.
BompeyS. H.1988Drugs in the Workplace: From the batter's box to the board room. In Alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace: The complete resource guide, 11–175. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of National Affairs.
6.
CulhaneC.1987Drug testing linked To “Era of McCarthyism.”American Medical News November 13:18.
7.
DicksonD.T.1968Bureaucracy and Morality: An organizational perspective on a moral crusade. Social Problems16 (Fall):: 143–156.
8.
FeinsteinS.1990aLabor Letter. Wall Street Journal, 7 August.
9.
FeinsteinS.1990bLabor Letter. Wall Street Journal, 27 February.
10.
Jones-LeeM. W.1976The value of life. Chicago, Ill.: Univ. of Chicago Press.
11.
KaneM.1991Employers testing the limits of privacy. From Newhouse News Service in the New Orleans Times Picayune, 15 December.
12.
LichterS.R.RichterL.S.1989The War on Drugs: Covering the debate over abuse. Media Monitor3 (January):: 1–6.
13.
LundbergG.D.1986Mandatory unindicated urine drug screening: Still chemical McCarthyism. Journal of the American Medical Association256 (December 5):3003–3005.
14.
McDanielM.A.1988Does pre-employment drug use predict on-the-job suitability?Personnel Psychology4 (Winter):717–729.
15.
McGillM.E.1988American business and the quick fix. New York: Henry Holt.
16.
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. 1987Alcohol use in the United States. Statistical Bulletin. New York.
17.
MishanE.J.1971Evaluation of life and limb: A theoretical approach. Journal of Political Economy79 (July/August):687–705.
18.
MustoD.F.1973The American disease. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press.
19.
MustoD.F.1989The history of American drug control. Update: Law Related Education13 (Spring):3–56.
20.
ParishD.C.1989Relation of preemployment drug testing result to employment status: A year follow-up. Journal of General Internal Medicine4 (Jan/Feb):44–47.
21.
RaspberryW.1990Why focus on drug abuse among blacks, not whites?New Orleans Times Picayune, 24 October.
22.
ReuterP.1988Testing and deterrence. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management7 (Spring):554–557.
23.
RiceD.P.KelmanS.MillerL.S.DunmeyerS.1990The economic costs of alcohol and drug abuse and mental illness: 1985. San Francisco: Institute for Health and Aging, Univ. of California.
24.
SchellingT. C.1968The Life You Save May Be Your Own. In Problems in public expenditure analysis, ChaseS.B. (ed.). Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institute.
25.
SchneidawindJ.RebelloK.1991IBM Sparked Revolution at Work, Home. USA Today, 12 August.
ShaferR.G.1989aLabor Letter. Wall Street Journal, 17 January.
28.
ShaferR.G.1989bJournalist with the Wall Street Journal, Telephone interview by author, 20 January.
29.
SwansonD.J.1989Tough new penalties proposed in drug war. Dallas Morning News, 12 February.
30.
VollJ.O.1990Point of view. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 September.
31.
WeissR.M.1987Writing under the influence: Science versus fiction in the analysis of corporate alcoholism programs. Personnel Psychology40 (Summer):341–356.
32.
WickerT.1988Despite hysteria Congress rescued drug bill as final act. Dallas Morning News, 27 October.
33.
WinslowR.1990Study May Spur Job-Applicant Screening. Wall Street Journal, 28 November.
34.
WishE. D.1990Editorials: Pre-employment drug screening. Journal of the American Medical Association264 (November 20):2676–77.
35.
WitkinG.RobinsonL.1991Analysis: Drug wars. U.S. News & World Report, 11 February.
36.
WoodwardA.1990Director of the Research Unit of the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Telephone conversation with author, 15 November.
37.
ZwerlingC.RyanJ.OravE.J.1990The efficacy of preemployment drug screening for marijuana and cocaine in predicting employment outcome. Journal of the American Medical Association264 (November 20): 2639–2643.