A Study of Factors Affecting Fabric Cover‐shelter Properties

Traditional Tayloristic approaches to the organization of production rely on: the existence of mass markets for standardized garments in which firms can successfully compete; and the willingness of the workforce to accept the low quality of working life associated with production lines. Evidence from across Europe suggests that neither of these preconditions are currently sustainable. Team‐based systems of production have thus attracted growing interest in the developed world because they appear to offer a mode of production relevant to the market conditions of the 1990s. Such systems can also create considerable improvements in job quality for employees. However, carefully planned support is needed to ensure that the potential benefits of teamworking are realized, and this has implications for the delivery of public policy, vocational training and consultancy.