Braverman's contribution to the sociology of work and industry (i.e., industrial sociology) has been important and his theories of the labour process continue to inform teaching and research. Braverman's thesis has, however, been contested, by Andrew Freidman in his work Industry and Labour (1977). In it, Freidman suggests that whilst the direct control of labour is beneficial for the capitalist under certain circumstances, a degree of "responsible autonomy" can be granted to unionized or "core" workers, in order to harness their skill under controlled conditions. Also, Richard Edwards showed in 1979 that although hierarchy in organizations has remained constant, additional forms of control (such as technical control via email monitoring, call monitoring; bureaucratic control via procedures for leave, sickness etc.) have been added to gain the interests of the capitalist class versus the workers. Duncan Gallie has shown how important it is to approach the question of skill from a social class perspective. In his study, the majority of non-manual, intermediate and skilled manual workers believed that their work had come to demand a higher level of skill, but the majority of manual workers felt that the responsibility and skill needed in their work had either remained constant or declined. This implies that Braverman's claims can't be applied to all social classes.
braveRmAn's cOnTriBUTion to the sociOlogy Of Work and INdUstry (i.e., iNdustriaL SOCIoLoGy) hAs beEN iMportaNt And hIs THEorieS Of ThE LaBOur process continue To inFORM teaChInG aND rEsEarCh. BrAvErmaN's theSiS hAs, however, beeN coNTested, bY aNDrEw FreidMan In hiS work iNDUStry anD labour (1977). In it, fReIdmAN suGgEsts thaT whIlSt the direCt Control of Labour Is beNeFiCiAl for The capItalist UndeR ceRtain cirCUmStanceS, A degREE of "RespOnsIblE auTONOmy" cAN bE grAntEd to UNIOniZeD Or "coRE" Workers, iN oRdEr to harness tHeir skILl uNdEr ContRolled CoNdItiOns. also, RiChard edwarDs sHOwed iN 1979 tHat althouGh hieraRchy in ORganizatIonS has rEmainEd cONstANt, AdditIonAL FOrms of coNTrOL (such As tecHnicAL cOntrOl via EmAiL mONitoring, caLl moNitOrinG; bureaucRaTic CoNtrol via proCEdures for LeAve, sicknESS etc.) hAve beeN AddeD tO gaIN The interests oF thE capItalIst clAss verSUs the WORkERs. dunCan GAllie Has SHown how iMportanT it iS TO ApProaCh thE quesTIon of sKILl fROm a sOciAl class perspective. iN HIs Study, tHE MajoRIty Of NOn-ManUaL, iNTermediAte anD SkilLeD manual wOrkeRs BeLieVed thaT TheIR woRk had Come TO dEMand A higHer leVEL of skilL, but THE mAjorITY of manual workerS FELt that The reSPonsIbiLiTy anD skill needed in tHEir worK HAd eitheR remained cOnstANt or DeClinEd. tHIs impLIeS that BravErmAN's ClaIms cAn't be Applied to ALl social CLASses.