Work & Leisure
Society and Leisure – Research Essay
According to Stanley Parker (1983), work and leisure should be viewed as a totality, which suggests that it is important to understand the relationship between work and leisure. Discuss how factors such as work hours, changing work patterns, diversification of occupations, and increased occupational mobility might influence society’s leisure. What will the future workforce look like? Why is it important for leisure professionals to understand the relationship between work and leisure and changing work patterns?
Work and Leisure
Dr Stanley Parker views work and leisure as a totality, he believes them to be bound together. In Parker (1976) he writes ‘It is easy to think of leisure as the opposite of work, or to define it as time left over after work. But the relationship between these two spheres of life goes much deeper than that.’ Dr Parker continues to support his views by explaining that the distinctions made by some parties are not always made by the society at large, the comparison lies with other societies around the world as many differing trends and a vast array of features connect to leisure and work. The most important trend Parker demonstrates is the ways that work influences leisure, according to his 1976 study it is not as prominent anymore. He believes that as humans evolve and reshape society and its views, a very different influence being leisure together with work becomes increasingly more evident.
Central to Parker’s research, is work carried out by Robert Dubin in 1956. Dubin classified industrial working people into three different categories relating to work and leisure. Firstly the group of ‘priority of work,’ secondly ‘priority of leisure’ and thirdly ‘equality of work and leisure.’ He assumed that these three areas related to what he called the ‘central life interest.’ His study found that at a ratio of three to one, that work was not the most important and underlined it as stating it as not
According to Stanley Parker (1983), work and leisure should be viewed as a totality, which suggests that it is important to understand the relationship between work and leisure. Discuss how factors such as work hours, changing work patterns, diversification of occupations, and increased occupational mobility might influence society’s leisure. What will the future workforce look like? Why is it important for leisure professionals to understand the relationship between work and leisure and changing work patterns?
Work and Leisure
Dr Stanley Parker views work and leisure as a totality, he believes them to be bound together. In Parker (1976) he writes ‘It is easy to think of leisure as the opposite of work, or to define it as time left over after work. But the relationship between these two spheres of life goes much deeper than that.’ Dr Parker continues to support his views by explaining that the distinctions made by some parties are not always made by the society at large, the comparison lies with other societies around the world as many differing trends and a vast array of features connect to leisure and work. The most important trend Parker demonstrates is the ways that work influences leisure, according to his 1976 study it is not as prominent anymore. He believes that as humans evolve and reshape society and its views, a very different influence being leisure together with work becomes increasingly more evident.
Central to Parker’s research, is work carried out by Robert Dubin in 1956. Dubin classified industrial working people into three different categories relating to work and leisure. Firstly the group of ‘priority of work,’ secondly ‘priority of leisure’ and thirdly ‘equality of work and leisure.’ He assumed that these three areas related to what he called the ‘central life interest.’ His study found that at a ratio of three to one, that work was not the most important and underlined it as stating it as not
References: 1. Parker, S. (1976). The sociology of leisure. London: Allen and Unwin Ltd. 2. Veal, A, J. (1983). Using sports centres – A Review of user studies of British sports centers. London: Sports Council. 3. Parker, S. (1983). Leisure and work. London: Boston, Allen and Unwin Ltd. 4. Parker, S. (Ed). (1982). Leisure, work and family. Mexico: World Congress of Sociology.