With economies and organizations undergoing change, understanding the nature of work and its significance to people presents a critical intellectual challenge with strong implications for policy and practice. Debates surrounding meanings and relevance of work in its contemporary setting have been hampered by a shortage of solid research findings. By drawing on a substantial body of evidence, this book challenges recent assumptions about work and raises the issues of work and employment onto broader policy and management agendas.

This book analyzes the multiple levels of meaning which people attach to work today, and the role of work in people's lives. By looking at call centres and software development, the book evaluates some of the claims made for the knowledge economy and argues that defining the work-life boundary is a constant problem for many workers

This book provides unique insights into the parliamentary experiences of MPs by using questionnaires completed by all those who had been elected to the House of Commons from 1885-1918.Analyses and summarises the questionnaire created by Josiah Wedgwood MP, the main initiator of the "History of Parliament" projectIncludes the surprisingly truthful and informative answers about their subjects' political and parliamentary careersAlso contains Wedgwood's often sharply observed biographies (reproduced in an appendix), and provides fascinating insights into a crucial period for the House of Commons