Meaningful Employment in the Knowledge Economy: An Investigation into the Experiences of Employment Performed by Private Sector, Knowledge Workers Involved in 'Handling' People, Sales, Services and/or Marketing

Abstract

Abstract
The debate about the meaningfulness of employment can be traced back to the founding fathers of Sociology. The classical theorists Karl Marx (Marx and Engels, 2011) and Max Weber (1930) argued that the labour process was an alienating experience devoid of meaning within an overly rational, disenchanted, capitalist society. Today, within a new ‘knowledge-economy’, these concerns need to be revisited. That is, what precisely is the meaning of employment in the contemporary context? It is an important area of study that requires further investigation. In this thesis I start to plug this gap by investigating the employment experiences of a relatively under researched group, namely private sector knowledge workers involved in the ‘handling’ of people, sales, services and marketing (Wright Mills, 1951). Specifically, it will focus on those who do not work in obviously socially beneficial or philanthropic roles. Using biographical narrative interviews, I explored the lived experiences of twenty-three knowledge workers. Interview transcripts were coded thematically and structurally.
Three key findings emerged. Firstly, the intentional adoption and projection of neoliberal subjectivities by participants, in anticipation of future exchange value. Secondly affirmation, as opposed to self-actualization or passion, operated as a primary motivator in work. Thirdly meaningful work experiences were uncovered as being linked with biographical narratives of progress. The original contributions that this thesis offers uncovered that participants were alienated from their species essence and fellow beings in complex ways, demonstrating the continued relevance of the classical theorists’ concepts. However, this thesis offers an original contribution to knowledge by uncovering a situation of alienation with agency. Participants were alienated but utilised their own agency in a variety of ways. They constructed innovative pathways to meaning that add new understanding to the field. Specifically, this research identified four new pathways. Firstly 1) through affirmation as opposed to self-actualization, secondly 2) through retrospectively narrating biographical career narratives, thirdly 3) through pursuing progress in a consumptive fashion and finally 4) through pursuing an aesthetics of life as opposed to an aesthetics of work. These original contributions provide greater depth and nuance to conceptualisations of meaningful work experiences among knowledge workers.

Date of Award	17 Jan 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Portsmouth
Supervisor	George Ackers (Supervisor), Simon Stewart (Supervisor) & Barry Smart (Supervisor)