Total institutions revisited: What can Goffman’s approach tell us about ‘oppressive’ control and ‘problematic’ conditions of work and employment in contemporary business organizations?

Abstract

In this paper we shed light on the subjective, organizational and societal conditions which support the emergence and persistence of oppressive labour regimes in some sectors of developed market economies. Based on our analysis we develop a Goffman-based framework for analysing asymmetric organizational power configurations and potentially problematic forms of work and employment in the context of business organizations. Our framework conceptualizes purposes and effects of organizational control, beyond functionalist approaches that focus narrowly on efficiency and the effectiveness of management. Our article aims to provide answers to the question of why work and employment practices – which have been labelled ‘abusive’ and ‘precarious’ in public and academic debates – have become highly persistent in some firms, even in ‘coordinated market economies’ like Germany where possibilities for employee voice are usually strong. We apply first- and second-hand data, based on the case of the internationally operating German food retailer Lidl, in order to highlight and illustrate key elements of our framework.