Blue-collar careers: meaning and choice in a world of constraints

Socializing Messages in Blue-Collar Families: Communicative Pathways to Social Mobility and Reproduction

“…Further, it is possible that social class also influenced the paths their socializing communication followed. For instance, research shows that work is a more central life-interest for white-collar workers, and that bluecollar workers possess a much more instrumental attitude towards work and career in general (Thomas, 1989). As such, white-collar, middle-class kids may be getting more direct socialization messages from their parents, as work may be a more common topic of conversation in their homes than it is in blue-collar homes.…”

“…Whereas white-collar work offers material and status benefits, blue-collar work can offer a host of its own unique rewards. These rewards include feelings of satisfaction that come from creating a tangible product, a strong self-identity tied to performance of physical labor, and the ability to ''clock out'' and leave work be-hind at the end of the day (Gibson & Papa, 2000;Lucas & Buzzanell, 2004;Thomas, 1989). Additionally, some blue-collar work-particularly skilled labor-rivals white-collar work in terms of material reward as it is in high demand and highly paid (e.g., welders, see Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008).…”

Smaller but not necessarily weaker: How small businesses can overcome barriers to recruitment

“…As a result, job seekers who utilized campus placement services were more likely to pursue work with large organizations than small ones. As large organizations develop interorganizational relationships with colleges and associations, they shape expectations in ways that lead to small firms being viewed as peripheral rather than core employers (Thomas, 1989).…”

La gestion des carrières ouvrières : un sentiment de réussite possible pour les salariés?

“…Thomas (1989) explique que les ouvriers imaginent leur propre définition du succès occupationnel à travers des variables comme l'ancienneté, le savoir-faire d'un métier ou le danger dans certains emplois. Lucas et Buzzanell (2004) ont mené, dans le domaine de la communication, une étude auprès de mineurs pour connaître leur perception du succès.…”

“…Les ouvriers ont pour la plupart une carrière traditionnelle, c'est-à-dire gérée par les entreprises (Thomas, 1989). Sur la base des théories classiques, les salariés évoluant dans ce type d'environnement privilégieraient essentiellement les critères de reconnaissance matérielle (salaire, promotion, etc.).…”