Supply chains and e-supply chains: the impact on flexibilisation of work and employment

This chapter critically examines the literature concerning the influence of supply chain pressures on the diffusion of flexible work and employment practices across workplaces. With the pandemic, the central role that global and local supply chains have as the dominant form of industrial organisation has become clear to researchers and society in general. The disruptive influence of the pandemic in supply chains highlighted the centrality that labour and workers have within the system of production and service networks. By analysing the tension between organisations seeking greater operational flexibility to meet the demands of supply chain rationalisation and the consequent effects on work and employment conditions, this chapter highlights how labour is often viewed as a commodified factor of production. To this end, the chapter explores the impact of supply chain dynamics in a post-pandemic context on employment contracts, working hours, and skill development. Furthermore, this chapter sheds light on an under-discussed aspect of how contemporary e-supply chains contribute to a decline in working conditions and the informalisation of work arrangements.