Occupational Controls Among Steel Distributors

A steel gray market, condemned by the government, flourished in the period following the outbreak of hositilities in Korea. The steel-distribution system was analyzed to understand why some distributors participated in the gray market and others did not. Distributors were typed according to their relationship to the distribution system; each type experienced different degrees of control from suppliers, customers, and colleagues; and the norms prescribed by these agents of control also differed. This analysis then suggested some general observations about the nature of occupational norms and occupational organizations.