The Machine That Changed The World, And Milkman s `` The...

Womack’s â€Å"The Machine That Changed the World,† and Milkman’s â€Å"The New Linden† jointly tell a story regarding the development, practice, and global adoption of â€Å"lean production† by auto manufacturers in the mid-20th Century. Furthermore, these writings support the notion that during this time period, the American workplace was rapidly changing, which held varying implications for the worker, management, and unions. With the rise of â€Å"lean production† came an improvement in labor-management relations with focus on the individual-- through stronger job protections, and positive interactions between employees and technology in the workspace. Despite this, these improvements came at the cost of decreased union influence, and the ability to†¦show more content†¦This was achieved via the creation of â€Å"quality circles,† where individual workers could contribute suggestions to improve the production process, and increasing job security (and consequently worker loyalty) through lifetime employment and seniority-based pay. (Womack 54-56). After the Japanese auto industry became increasingly competitive with its American counterpart, auto companies like GM decided to adopt most, if not all practices included in â€Å"lean manufacturing.† This manifested in the creation of the NUMMI plant, which was a joint effort between GM and Toyota, and the development of Saturn, a GM subsidiary that exclusively used the practices of â€Å"lean production.† At these factories, the adoption of â€Å"lean production† generally held the same benefits for American workers as it did with Japanese workers. What proves ironic in the case of the NUMMI and Saturn plant, is the fact that the UAW and GM negotiated the terms of employment prior the factories opening. (Milkman 139) Considering that these plants generally provided the employee with a positive working experience, emphasized the role o f the individual in the â€Å"team concept,† and consequently removed the need for collective bargaining, the collaborative effort between the UAW and GM in developing these plants ultimately impeded the influence that the UAW had. In a society that perceived unions as corrupt and untrustworthy, and not necessarily in the interests of workers,