Finally, two workers hinted at a key theme of this book—namely, the importance of power when it comes to pay-setting. Asked about factors determining pay not already listed, they mentioned the role of the boss. “Our raises come out of the bonus our boss gets each year,” wrote one, “so he decides on how much of his bonus he wants to give up.” The other added the importance of “who you know,” succinctly noting the role of powerful actors within networks in structuring pay. — 50: 724-728
Finally, one respondent wrote: “I think that the wages of those doing similar jobs should be played into it. I understand certain factors relating to performance and skill that may influence pay, but within reason for those that do a similar job at a similar level, the pay of one person should be similar to another’s.” By proposing “equal pay for equal work,” this worker was invoking a notion often heard in contemporary gender discrimination discussions. It is a principle that guides pay-setting at many organizations. What’s interesting is how rarely this standard emerges in academic or lay discussions about pay-setting, aside from debates about gender pay gaps. On a superficial level, it’s an idea consistent with the occupational model of pay determination. But that model ties pay to features inherent in the occupation itself, not to a notion that maintains, as the worker quoted above does, that paying people similarly for doing similar work is a fair way to distribute organizational resources — 52: 757-764
“Fieldwork makes obvious the enormous variety in the economic world.” — 53: 774-774