Creating Sustainable Work Systems

Since the first edition of this book was published, the subject of sustainability has risen to the forefront of thinking in almost every subject within business and management. Tackling the latest developments and integrating practical perspectives with rigorous research, this new edition sheds light on a vital aspect of working life.

Current trends reveal that increasing intensity at work has major consequences at individual, organizational and societal levels. Sustainability in work systems thus requires a multi-stakeholder approach, emphasising a value-based choice to promote the concurrent development of various resources in the work system. This sustainability grows from intertwined individual and collective learning processes taking place within and between organizations in collaboration.

In exploring the development of sustainable work systems, this book analyzes these problems, and provides the basis for designing and implementing 'sustainable work systems' based on the idea of regeneration and the development of human and social resources. The authors, who are leading researchers and practitioners from around the world, consider the existing possibilities and emerging solutions and explore alternatives to intensive work systems.

Peter Docherty is Professor at the Centre for Healthcare Improvement and Department of Quality Sciences at the Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg and a Senior Researcher at ATK Arbetsliv AB.

Mari Kira is an Academy Research Fellow at the Helsinki University of Technology, Finland.

A.B. Rami Shani is Professor and Chair of Management at California Polytechnic University, USA and Research Professor at the School of Management, Politechnico di Milano, Italy.