Short answer
When planning for large-scale projects, consider the potential for and implications of utilizing a mobile workforce, including the logistical, social, and economic factors involved.
- Field
- Commercial Production
- Source
- York University Digital Library (York University) (2013)
- Method
- Ethnographic research, multi-sited fieldwork, narrative analysis.
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Resource extraction industries can leverage long-distance labour migration, drawing from deindustrialized regions, to meet rapid growth demands. This commercial production research insight is drawn from a 2013 study published in York University Digital Library (York University). Using Ethnographic research, multi-sited fieldwork, narrative analysis., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When planning for large-scale projects, consider the potential for and implications of utilizing a mobile workforce, including the logistical, social, and economic factors involved.
Long-Distance Commuting Workforce: A Strategy for Resource Extraction Industries
Resource extraction industries can leverage long-distance labour migration, drawing from deindustrialized regions, to meet rapid growth demands.
York University Digital Library (York University) · 2013
Key Findings
- 01The oil sands industry has grown rapidly by utilizing a mobile, temporary workforce drawn from deindustrialized areas.
- 02Long-distance labour migration creates complex impacts on local communities and families in both sending and receiving regions.
- 03This migration pattern is linked to neoliberal economic strategies and shifts in working-class subjectivities.
Application
Design takeaway
When planning for large-scale projects, consider the potential for and implications of utilizing a mobile workforce, including the logistical, social, and economic factors involved.
How to apply
When assessing workforce needs for a project, investigate the availability of local labour versus the feasibility and implications of attracting a mobile workforce from other regions.
Project actions
- 01Consider the human element in your project planning, not just the technical aspects.
- 02Think about where your project's workforce will come from and what that means for them and their communities.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a nuanced understanding of the socio-economic drivers and consequences of labour migration in resource industries.
- +Utilizes a multi-sited approach to capture experiences from both sending and receiving locations.
Limitations
The study's findings might not apply to industries that don't require such large, mobile workforces.
Reliability & validity
The use of qualitative narratives provides rich insight but may be subject to researcher interpretation. Triangulation with quantitative data on employment and migration would strengthen validity.
Think critically
How do the promises of economic opportunity in resource extraction industries interact with the social costs borne by workers and their families, and how might design interventions mitigate these negative impacts?
Design Principles
"Labour sourcing strategies should account for the broader socio-economic context and potential impacts on communities."
Understanding the dynamics of mobile workforces is crucial for industries facing labour shortages or rapid expansion. This approach impacts not only operational efficiency but also the social and economic fabric of both sending and receiving communities.
What This Means for Your Design
Big industries can get workers by asking people to travel far from home, especially from places where old jobs have disappeared.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to discuss the socio-economic factors influencing workforce availability and project feasibility in your design project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The Athabasca oil sands industry's rapid expansion highlights how resource extraction can rely on long-distance labour migration from deindustrialized regions, a strategy with significant social and economic implications for both workers and their home communities, reflecting broader neoliberal economic trends.
Source
York University Digital Library (York University)
From coal pits to tar sands: examining labour migration between the Athabasca oil sands and an Atlantic Canadian region
journal · 2013
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about long-distance commuting workforce: a strategy for resource extraction industries?
- When planning for large-scale projects, consider the potential for and implications of utilizing a mobile workforce, including the logistical, social, and economic factors involved. Evidence: York University Digital Library (York University) (2013).
- Why does "Long-Distance Commuting Workforce: A Strategy for Resource Extraction Industries" matter for design?
- Understanding the dynamics of mobile workforces is crucial for industries facing labour shortages or rapid expansion. This approach impacts not only operational efficiency but also the social and economic fabric of both sending and receiving communities.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When planning for large-scale projects, consider the potential for and implications of utilizing a mobile workforce, including the logistical, social, and economic factors involved.
- What were the main findings?
- The oil sands industry has grown rapidly by utilizing a mobile, temporary workforce drawn from deindustrialized areas.. Long-distance labour migration creates complex impacts on local communities and families in both sending and receiving regions.. This migration pattern is linked to neoliberal economic strategies and shifts in working-class subjectivities.
- What research method was used?
- Ethnographic research, multi-sited fieldwork, narrative analysis..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2013 journal from York University Digital Library (York University).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When assessing workforce needs for a project, investigate the availability of local labour versus the feasibility and implications of attracting a mobile workforce from other regions.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on a specific industry (oil sands) and a particular sending region (Industrial Cape Breton), which may limit generalizability to other contexts.