WHAT IS WORK?
- The application of effort directed towards a purpose.
- Equals productive activity- paid of un paid.
WHAT IS LEISURE?
- The free time you have from the demands of work or other duties can be active or passive.
- ACTIVE LEISURE: physical involvement in activity eg. Sport and dancing.
- PASSIVE LEISURE: merely absorbing an activity eg. Spectator at a sporting event, watching a movie, reading a book.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF LEISURE-
- Word holiday comes from ‘holy day’
- Travel was only for affluent members of society.
- Church has accepted individuals spending leisure time on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Trade Unions fight for less working hours creates an increase in leisure time.
- Leisure is a part of the socialisation process- it provides opportunities for social participation, peer relationships, self-esteem and personal identity.
- Mobility such as the car has made leisure more accessible.
- Factors such as socio-economic status can limit individual’s ability to participate.
- Australian leisure has formed from English past times eg. Cricket, boxing and horse racing.
WORK, LEISURE AND PERSONAL IDENTITY-
- Persons personal identity (sense of self) significantly affected by their perception of the job they do.
- Other people’s perceptions of that person also shaped by this knowledge (eg. “…And what do you do?”)
- Person who is un-employed for a long period of time may feel alienated from society as they feel they have lost their identity
WORK AND LEISURE: POWER AND AUTHORITY-
- Roles are assigned to individuals in a work place.
- Roles will have obligations and have a particular status attached.
- Roles are usually part of a hierarchy.
- This hierarchy often defines degree of authority the person has.
- Therefore authority (legitimate exercising of power) gained through legitimate promotion/appointments into specific levels of the hierarchy.
CONTEMPORARY WORK ETHIC-
- Work ethic translates to striving to achieve career goals, with personal milestones such as promotions.
- Work ethic includes these characteristics: achieve worthy and desirable results, to WANT to work, achievement is a reward for hard work, work is worthy- to not work is unworthy and loyalty and teamwork are desirable in the workplace.
PROTESTANT WORK ETHIC-
- Values: idleness is a sin, luxury is a sin, a persons time MUST be accounted for, acquisition is an end to itself, God controls your destiny, to work and serve is an obligation, cleanliness is next to Godliness, riches are righteous and survival of the fittest.
CHANGING PATTERNS OF WORK AND LEISURE:
- a) Change in ‘Traditional Societies’…for these societies the nature of work and leisure is likely to remain constant UNTIL contact with other cultures. The rate of contact is increasing, could the result be a ‘global culture’?
- b) Changes in Western Societies…these changes reflect other aspects of society such as:
Gender: social movements bringing about changes in attitudes and improved status of women regarding work and leisure opportunities.
Leisure and Work Crossover: When leisure interest becomes a career) eg. Some sporting activities become careers.
Creation of a Leisure Industry: Change has occurred in how goods and services are produced.
Technological Change: Computerisation of many types of work. Internet use has increased in homes, allowing ‘work from home’. Thus blurs the boundaries between work and leisure.
CONTINUITY AND CHANGE FOR WORK AND LEISURE:
- Technology has significantly impacted upon work and leisure.
- The introduction of new machinery technologies in the Industrial Revolution changed the nature of work.
- Work was now based on a work schedule and required leisure time to compensate.
- The Digital Revolution also created change in work and leisure.
- Computerised processes resulted in the disappearance of ‘old work’. Other work is done differently eg. ATM’s instead of bankers also created a NEW type of work eg. The IT industry.
WORK AND LEISURE:
- Works definition has changed over time as social status was often determined by occupation in the post-industrial era. NOW, work is a way to earn money, and apart of our value system (see work ethic).
- Work fulfils many purposes: satisfies basic needs, provides income and gives a person self-identity.
- Work has changed in Australia in many different ways: female participation has increased, variety of jobs has increased, increase in part time/casual positions for women and young people, and the NEED for education.
- Factors such as technology, industrialisation and manufacturing have all influenced the way work is organised.
- Technology has created more jobs and workers can be easily contacted.
- Work Organization has improved as it has become easier to organise/arrange things with technology.
- Changes in work are impacting on society as a whole, because the changes affect everyone. The need for workers to have an education or working skills, means that ALL young people have/need or are given the right to education.
EFFECT OF GENDER ON WORK AND LEISURE:
- There are roles, which are commonly performed by men and women. These roles are gender linked.
- Historically, the division of labour has produced inequalities.
- The nature of work for women has traditionally been domestic tasks eg. Child rearing and housework.
- Traditionally, if a woman was employed before marriage, her employment was terminated after the marriage.
- Women in the 19th Century: paid employment was restricted to single women in retail, domestic services and teaching.
- Change in this area was the result of industrial change and the rise of the middle class.
- WW2 saw women performing roles previously only carried out by men. At the end of the war, women were pushed out of these positions.
- If a woman did maintain her job, she would be paid only ½ the wage of a man (1919, women only received 54% of the male wage.)
- The Arbitration Commission 1969-1975 provided equal pay, for equal work.
- 1974, women and men’s pay became equal.
- It was difficult for women to maintain the role of work AND domestic duties.
- Female participation in the work force has grown from 60% in 1983, to 64.5% in 1990.
- Women are now encouraged to pursuer career paths.
- Trade Unions and Governments made moves to ensure women were given equal rights in the workforce:
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
Sexual Discrimination Act 1984 (CTH)
Equal Opportunity Act 1986 (CTH)
CHANGES IN LEISURE IN AUSTRALIA:
- More and more private businesses and companies providing facilities eg. The Splash Factory in Lismore.
- More quantity and variety of leisure brands being marketed eg. Brand names on sports shoes, surfboards and fishing gear.
- Increasing entertainment at home eg. DVD’s, computers and TV’s.
- Better living standards, fewer working hours means longer life span. Labour savings go to leisure activities, which equals money well spent.
EMERGENCE OF THE LEISURE ETHIC AND PROBLEMS WITH LEISURE:
- Traditional view of leisure was influenced by the work ethic. Eg. Work is important and leisure has to be earned through hard work, leisure was seen as a luxury item.
- Leisure becomes a problem in the 1980’s and post-industrial society.
- There becomes a stigma attached to those who are unemployed and retired early. They are labelled as ‘beach bums’.
- What does leisure mean for the unemployed?
- How can leisure needs be fulfilled in a meaningful and satisfying way?
- Society needs to revise its attitudes about the work ethic, and develop a ‘leisure ethic’.
- Therefore: Leisure will not replace work, but assume an important role alongside work. Leisure is a state of mind, a positive attitude towards life and living.
- With more and more leisure time available to people, it will become important for Governments to be involved in providing leisure facilities to suit all of the community, not only those who can afford the cost of leisure.
- Consideration must be given to providing for the: unemployed, aged care, migrants and other minority groups…in order to ensure quality of life, and positive view of leisure for all.
OTHER INFORMATION:
- In Australia there tends to be a trend towards 3 distinct groups in the use of leisure:
1. Those with high incomes who can afford leisure of a great variety and cost. Eg. Cinemas and membership fees.
2. The majority of the population who engage in passive leisure, or that promoted by the mass media.
3. Those outside the mainstream, whose leisure is enforced by unemployment, choice of alternative lifestyle or enforced illness.
Theres some notes ive got....have fun
