Understanding Work and Employment: Industrial Relations in Transition

by Peter Ackers (Editor), Adrian Wilkinson (Editor)

Overview

This book aims to analyze, advertise and criticize the contribution of industrial relations to social science understanding. It brings together leading scholars to reconsider the theoretical foundations of industrial relations and its potential contribution to the wider understanding of work and economic life, to learn what it can gain from a stronger engagement with these surrounding disciplines and national traditions.The introduction provides a critical, though broadly sympathetic outline of the development of the main stream industrial relations tradition. Part One recognizes the interdisciplinary character of industrial relations by concentrating on 'border encounters' with the cognate academic disciplines of sociology, economics, management, history, psychology, law, politics and geography. Of particular interest is how far industrial relations has contributed to social science understanding beyond its own narrow borders. Part Two combines a major critical analysis of the American school, with three shorter discussions of Australia, Europe and Japan. Part Three looks forward to the potential contribution of industrial relations to our understanding of work, employment and society by identifying a variety of key dilemmas and debates which call for new interdisciplinary thinking. Finally, the book ends with a critical reassessment of the industrial relations tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199259038
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/22/2003
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Peter Ackers is Reader in Employment Relations at Loughborough University Business School. Co-author of New Development in Employee Involvement (Employment Department 1992) and co-editor of The New Workplace and Trade Unionism (Routledge 1996), he has published widely in academic journals and edited collections on industrial relations, the sociology of work, and labour history. Adrian Wilkinson is Professor of Human Resource Management at Loughborough University Business School. Co-author of New Development in Employee Involvement (Employment Department 1992), Core Personnel and Development (1996), Managing with TQM (1998), and co-editor of Making Quality Critical (1995), he has published widely in academic journals and edited collections on industrial relations, HRM, and TQM.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: The British Industrial Relations Tradition, Peter Ackers and Adrian WilkinsonPart I: Disciplinary Perspectives2. Sociology and Industrial Relations, Ian Roberts3. Economics and Industrial Relations, Jill Rubery and Damian Grimshaw4. Management and Industrial Relations, Nick Bacon5. History and Industrial Relations, David Lyddon6. Social Psychology and Industrial Relations, Chris Brotherton7. Labour Law and Industrial Relations, Keith Ewing8. Politics and Industrial Relations, Roderick Martin9. Geography and Industrial Relations, Andrew Herod, Jamie Peck, and Jane WillsPart II: Comparative Perspectives10. Industrial Relations in North America, Bruce Kaufman11. Industrial Relations in Australia, Russell Lansbury and Grant Michelson12. Industrial Relations in Continental Europe, Carola FregePart III: Future Directions: Issues and Arguments13. Consumer Capitalism and Industrial Relations, Marek Korczynski14. Trade Unions and Industrial Relations, Edmund Heery15. Women and Industrial Relations, Anne-Marie Greene16. Marxism and Industrial Relations, Gregor Gall17. Post-Modernism and Industrial Relations, John Eldridge18. The Future of Industrial Relations, Paul Edwards