Gouldner identifies two types of organisational members.
Locals
- members whose job expertise is built up within and dedicated to the
organisation. Their career path is internal to and their labour market - vertica
within the organisation. They are promoted on merit and because they are trusted
and seen to be reliable. They are influential internally as they have a store of
organisational knowledge but may find it more difficult to move to another firm
as their expertise is internally specific.
Cosmopolitans
are those whose skills are more independent of the organisation's job
specification. They can trade their skills externally. Their labour market is
horizontal. They are influential because of their expertise. They can move
between firms. Cosmopolitians may be more reserved about organisational
membership and loyalty. Other members of the organisation may have less control
over them.
