quota restriction

quota restriction

a restriction of output by workers where PIECEWORK is in operation. The rationale behind it is that management or the RATE FIXER would be tempted to reduce the payment or the time allowed per unit of output if output were to exceed initial expectations. By keeping output below the possible maximum, workers deter management from decreasing payment rates, or time allowed, and may even prompt them to increase them so as to stimulate greater effort on the workers' part. See GOLDBRICKING.

Collins Dictionary of Business, 3rd ed. © 2002, 2005 C Pass, B Lowes, A Pendleton, L Chadwick, D O’Reilly and M Afferson