Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 September 2026
This chapter develops the concept of ‘algorithmic managerialism’ to show how long-standing managerialist ideology is digitally intensified rather than replaced. Algorithms embed managerial discretion in code, automating surveillance, standardising tasks, shaping emotions and narrowing worker judgement and collective voice. The chapter contrasts critical research – viewing algorithmic systems as sociotechnical mechanisms that exacerbate power asymmetries – with managerialist accounts that frame algorithms as neutral efficiency tools. It examines augmentation (AI-guided enhancement of emotional, diagnostic, and decision capacities) as a form of control that individualises responsibility and weakens solidarity, and it recasts Taylor’s four principles as ‘digital Taylorism,’ where algorithms perform surveillance, task design, enforcement, and separation of conception from execution. The result is intensified work, reduced autonomy, precarity, invasive monitoring, and biased decision-making. Recognising algorithmic managerialism as political rather than technological opens space for democratic alternatives to algorithm design, deployment, and governance.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.