REPLY TO FORM.

The article presents comments of the author on the article "Technology and Social Behavior of Workers in Four Countries: A Sociotechnical Perspective," by William H. Form. Form's response to a reanalysis of his data has raised several issues regarding the hypothesis of the increasing internal stratification of the working class. In his 1973 article, Form examines two hypotheses: that skill level is positively related to social system involvement and that differences in participation by skill level will increase with industrialization. Elsewhere, Form addresses the positive relationship between levels of industrialization and the participation patterns of workers. A reanalysis of eight tables from the original article, using an appropriate statistical model revealed: only limited support for the hypothesis that social system involvement varies by level of skill; virtually no support for the hypothesis that skill differences in participation increase with industrialization and industrialization was the most informative component in explaining participation. Form, in providing some reanalyzes of his own, has commented on my earlier attempt by suggesting a biased selection and emphasis of evidence not supporting the original hypotheses, and misinterpretation due to unfamiliarity with the large study and the lack of attention to contextual problems of comparative research.