C1 Book
Gender and Welfare Service Work in Biocapitalism : Lean in Action (2024)


Jokinen, E., Hirvonen, H., Mankki, L., Aho, T., & Lehto, I. (2024). Gender and Welfare Service Work in Biocapitalism : Lean in Action. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003309789


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editors: Jokinen, Eeva; Hirvonen, Helena; Mankki, Laura; Aho, Timo; Lehto, Iiris

ISBN: 978-1-032-31435-8

eISBN: 978-1-003-30978-9

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 07/09/2023

Number of pages in the book: 204

Publisher: Routledge

Place of Publication: Abingdon

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003309789

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/89110


Abstract

This book explores how Lean – a global management doctrine – operates and is adopted in the real, corporeal, collective, and affective environments of health and social care services.

During Lean implementation processes, knowledges, affects, skills, and materialities come together in manifold, complex ways. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and observation, and with empirical and theoretical rigour, the book provides an answer to the question of what happens to care work when processes become ‘Leaned’. As in many other fields, the predominantly female health and social care sectors suffer from devaluation in terms of wages and working conditions. The book explores how Lean management is ultimately lived in this gendered context of work and labour. Moreover, the book situates Lean and related management doctrines in the current mutation of capitalism – that is, biocapitalism – in which bios, life itself, becomes the core of value production.

The book adds to the corpus of work, organisation, and management studies on Lean that have rarely focused on gender, affect, or sociomateriality. It provides scholars in Social Science, Management, and Gender Studies with a fresh outlook and a cross-disciplinary take on Lean management.


Keywords: welfare services; social services; health services; organisation of work; leadership (activity); lean manufacturing; working life; gendering; welfare state; capitalism; biopolitics; ethnography


Contributing organizations


Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2024

Preliminary JUFO rating: 3


Last updated on 2024-02-07 at 23:26