deborah middleton wrote:
>
> My thoughts are that the concepts of sustainability may also be able to be
> applied to the individual in relation to the organization/social
> environment.
Perhaps so; but the number of individuals in relation
to the local (& global) environment (includes org./
social) ultimately overrides all design based
improvements.
> The transition between fordist production processes to
> post fordism suggests a space of opportunity to redefine work based upon
> an ideology of sustainability. The individual is situated in a social
> system within the context of work where components of sustainability are
> related to meaning, health, individuality, learning, freedom and
> flexibility in the organizaiton and direction of work.
Just what is being sustained? Temporary well being?
> Paul Hawken: "Principles of sustainaiblity in business & work"
> suggests that working sustainably is the performance of tasks and services
> that are sustainably produced or that promote sustainability in the
> society as a whole.
>
> He suggests that sustainability is the carrying capacity of the
> ecosystem - (an organization or society), described with input/output
> models of energy and resource consumption. An economic state where
> demands placed upon the environment(social,physical)can be met without
> reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future
> generations.
Yes. Physical limits ultimately rule.
> Aspects of adding value, sense of will, a direction or
> meaning, production processes that are human, worthy, dignified and
> intrinsicaly satisfying.
Perhaps you are suggesting that workers with these
attributes and conditions will be more mindful of
sustainability issues and better cooperatively persue
them. It makes sense to me. Don't you think that if
there were an undersupply rather than oversupply of
labor these conditions would be more easily obtained?
> Growth is managed with moderate amounts of
> outside capital. Determining codes of conduct for corporate life that
> integrate social, ethical and environmental principles.
Growth is ultimately UNmanageable. The principles you
mention may be positive, but they cannot provide
sustainable(perpetual) anything on their own IMHO.
Nature uses triage as needed. Humans are part of
nature.
> So I am trying to make this linkage, redefining sustainability in the
> context of work practice.
>
> Deborah :)
Enriching the definition - part of the "resolutique"
for the "problematique", maybe ok.
Cheers,
Steve
