Richards, Glenn (1988) A study of the recruitment of engineering apprentices in Coventry. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis conceptually, theoretically and empirically examines the needs
of industry through a study of the recruitment of engineering apprentices in
107 firms. In recruitment employers are forced to consider what they look
for in applicants - to concretely define their needs.
The conceptual argument is that the needs that the concept 'needs of
industry' refers to are labour power needs, but that the notion of needs in
relation to labour power is incoherent. First, these needs cannot be
specified in relation to the quality of labour power attributes to be
socially produced or assessed in recruitment. Secondly, employers'
statements of their needs are predicated on contradictions between aspects
of labour power. For employers' needs to be met these contradictions require
resolution, but there can be no ideal workers whose labour power is free of
inherent contradictions.
The theoretical argument starts from the question of why researchers and
commentators have stressed that employers' statements of their needs are
confused or contradictory. It is argued that contradictions in these
statements reflect contradictions within labour power.
The empirical argument starts from showing that engineering employers are
not confused or contradictory in relation to the attributes sought in
apprenticeship applicants. Furthermore, the relation between attributes
sought in applicants and recruitment methods is generally consistent. Yet
when attributes sought, other recruitment criteria (especially sex and race)
and recruitment methods are scrutinised through the lens of recruitment
channels - then the recruitment process becomes anarchic, as employers
favour some applicants (sons of employees, owners and managers and
clients/customers) and discriminate against others (especially female
applicants) in relative disregard of the priorities established in their
statements of attributes sought in applicants. The anarchy of the
recruitment process rests on employers' social power, their power to
discriminate, differentiate and give favour to applicants.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Apprentices -- Recruiting -- England -- Coventry, Engineers -- Recruiting -- England -- Coventry, Industries -- England -- Coventry, Manpower planning
Official Date:	September 1988
Dates:	Date Event September 1988 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Sociology
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Fairbrother, Peter
Extent:	x, 639 leaves
Language:	eng

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