Alice Marwick and the efficiency of producing work

Alice Marwick discusses in Status Update, “Leaders and Followers: Status in the Tech Scene”, two major shifts in the nature of how work happened between the Web 2.0 and Dot-Comm Era. What is significant about these shifts is how relevant they are for internet users today, shaping our social experiences in how and what we produce online when working. Marwick furthers her claim by suggesting that we have what Neff calls ‘entrepreneurial labour’, which encourages the flexibility of work while normalizing the high risks of business. What Marwick essentially says is that “workers are encouraged to adapt an enterprising attitude towards business” (Markwick, 116), suggesting that the success or failure of making a profit solely depends on the decisions of the worker themselves. The second change that was noted was the alterations of the traditional work place itself, discussing how the workers had the freedom to wear, do and act the way they wanted if allowed them to complete their assigned job.

            It seems that Marwick would be talking about the extent of creative freedom workers when they are making money. My overall question for this reading would be: When you are working, do you like to work in more traditional work environments that have elements such as a desk or cubicles OR would you rather work in a less traditional work environment such as Google that are more relaxed with their standards as long as the work is valuable? Do you think one work environment favours efficiency over the other?