CONCEPTS OF LABOUR

PESENTED BY
LIJO JOHN
M100298ME
WORK vs LABOR

Work : activity involving physical or
mental work

Labor: work
Understanding Work and Labor

Why do we have two words?

Are they synonyms?

Can they be used interchangeably?
WORK

"Work is the process of mental conception,
analysis and completion of a project with its
implementation dynamics"

Not a physical exercise , but a MENTAL
exercise

Completion of the exercise in mind before
engaging hands

95% mind usage and 5% physical exertion
LABOR

Labor is physical activities without
mental input.

Demands for much physical energy
and very less productivity

Any work effort which does not
enhance human quality and the
environment is mere activity and
labor.
Various Concepts of Labour

The background

The commodity concept of labour

The machinery concept of labour

The good-will approach to labour

The natural resource idea of labour

The concept of individual difference

The citizenship concept of labour

The customer attitude of labour

The partnership concept of labour

The eclectic approach

The worker in his work unit
The background

In middle ages the survival was the
main idea

Not much of industrialization was
there

Eli Whitney gave the concept of hiring
labour cheaply for his cotton gin

During industrial revolution (1700-
1800) the labour force in a industry
rose from handfuls to masses
The commodity concept of labour

Labour was assumed to affected by
the laws of the demand and supply

Wages were high when the demand
was high and labour available was
less

The price (wages) for the labour was
defined by the demand for it

This concept did not include many
vital parts in it
Machinery concept of labour

Employers did not buy the or less the
labour

Instead they brought and sold the materials

The value of labour was determined by the
value of the goods it brought forth

Labour was considered largely as the
operating organisms or machines

Impersonal attitude towards labour
The goodwill approach to labour

Employers begin to realize that the
welfare of the employees had direct
impact on their productivity

Large number of facilities like safety,
first aid etc were provided

Employer without welfare was begun
to be considered to be backward

But labour were not thrilled by these
improvements
The natural resources idea of labour

Labour is a natural resource-
conserve it

Restriction of child labour

Restriction of work hours for women

Workmen’s compensation

Accident legislation

Large number of legislative actions
were taken for the development of
the labour
Humanitarian approach to labour

From 1910- 1917

The minds of the workers as well as their
bodies must be considered by the
management and their state of mind had
much to do with the value of their services

“inalienable” rights as human beings, that
these rights are important as the rights of
other persons, and it was industries duty to
recognize these rights

Business is obliged to its labour
Concept of individual difference

Men often differ from each other in
mental abilities, emotional stabilities,
traditions and sentiments far more
than they differ physically

Tried to understand what each labour
was good at develop him in it

The worker influences the nature of
his job, and job in turn affects the
attitude of the worker
The citizenship concept of labour

As citizen in a democracy has certain
inalienable rights and voice in
determining and exercising these
rights, so do workers as industrial
citizens, have a right to be consulted
in determining the rules and
regulations under which they will
work
The customer attitude towards labour

The customer is always right

Respecting the integrity of the
employees as that of the customer

Employers began to believe “the
worker is always right”

Increased mutual trust and
productivity
The partnership concept of the labour

Mutual responsibilities and sharing of
the benefits

There should be a close association
between the labor and management
for improving productivity

Some consider it ad fallacious
The eclectic approach to labour

Approaching the labour problems
from many sides

Relatively recent concept

Analyzed from physiological,
psychological, sociological, and
economic points of view
The worker in his work unit

Total situation is being considered to understand
labour

Capacity- those abilities , that the worker has, is
capable of, and must, to certain extent use for doing
his work

Interests- not just desires and ambitions but
instinctive, impulsive, and ill defined cravings that to
some extent effects his productivity

Opportunities- opportunities for advancements as well
as to exercise his capabilities and satisfy his interest

Personality- the total sum of his reaction to his
experiences and environments
THANK YOU