We examine the impact of industrialization and technology on workers in two social
and cultural settings—a highly industrialized societ (the United States) and a newly
industrializing nation (Korea). Our major interest, stemming from convergence
theory, is whether relationships between technology and workers' reactions (alienation
and job satisfaction) are similar in different settings. Our data indicate that, while
Korean workers are more alienated and less satisfied than American workers, the
patterns of reactions to technology are similar. In both nations, workers in mechanized
production situations are more alienated and less satisfied than those in craft and
automated situations. The results are interpreted as indicating that convergence theory
must be combined with attention to mechanisms of accomodation that develop as
industrialization reaches higher levels.
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