Fragmenting work: Theoretical contributions and insights for a future of work research and policy agenda

Abstract

Mick Marchington's highly innovative research and writings on ‘Fragmenting Work’ have transformed our understanding of organisations, human resource management (HRM) and the world of work. He led a series of in-depth case studies of networked organisations—including airport operations, supply chains, multi-client call centres, public-private partnerships and information technology outsourcing—and argued for the significance of inter-organisational networks in directly informing HRM theory and also shaping HRM practice. The resulting highly cited body of published work captured and further developed Mick's intellectual interests in pluralism and complexity in relation to HRM theory. In this article, we reflect on Mick's theoretical contributions and also consider how core theoretical insights derived from the Fragmenting Work research programme can be applied to new questions about the future of work concerning digital platforms, career ladders and global supply chains.