Research
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Matt's main areas of expertise are organisations, the sociology of work and employment, economic sociology and comparative political economy. His dissertation examines the transition from traditional mass production to new forms of work organisation in American manufacturing. This work has produced a nuanced understanding of lean production, documenting the range of diversity in forms of implementation and the many cultural and political obstacles to thorough organisational transformations. He is currently working on a book entitled "Lean Enough: The Political Economy of U.S. Manufacturing After Fordism."
Matt has two current research projects in progress. One project continues to focus on work organisation in manufacturing, extending the analysis of the U.S. case with a comparative analysis of U.K. manufacturing. Key questions concern (a) the institutional and cultural obstacles to improving organisational efficiency and (b) how the supply side of markets for durable goods is structured by embedded relations operating within and between organisations. A second project will compare labor utilisation and productivity between private sector firms and public sector agencies, using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Matt has two current research projects in progress. One project continues to focus on work organisation in manufacturing, extending the analysis of the U.S. case with a comparative analysis of U.K. manufacturing. Key questions concern (a) the institutional and cultural obstacles to improving organisational efficiency and (b) how the supply side of markets for durable goods is structured by embedded relations operating within and between organisations. A second project will compare labor utilisation and productivity between private sector firms and public sector agencies, using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
