Music and meaning on the factory floor

Citation

Korczynski, M. (2008), "Music and meaning on the factory floor", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 16 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2008.04416aad.005

Music and meaning on the factory floor

Music and meaning on the factory floor

Korczynski M. Work & Occupations (USA), August 2007, Vol. 34 No. 3, Start page: 253, No. of pages: 37

Purpose – Looks at how workers react to music when it is played in workplaces, assessing how it affects their experience of work. Design/methodology/approach – Presents ethnographic research in a UK blinds factory, in which music was routinely played on the shop floor. Uses observation and discussion with 89 workers to understand what they felt about the music being played and how this expressed their feelings towards their work. In particular, analyses their answers when they were asked to nominate a particular track or type of music that represented how they felt about their work in the factory. Findings – Reports that many of the workers stated that they used the music to help them get through the monotony of the day. Argues that the workers appropriated the music to express their experience of working at the factory, often choosing tracks that signaled resistance or defiance when asked to nominate a track that summed up working in the factory. Also notes that the music cold be used to develop a sense of community by discussing the music, asking for the radio station to be changed and by singing along to particular songs. Research limitations/implications – Describes the research methods and the analysis. Indicates further areas of research. Originality/value – Highlights the lack of research in this area.ISSN: 0730-8884Reference: 36AY580

Keywords: Music, Employee attitudes, Job satisfaction, United Kingdom