The issues and dilemmas facing companies, their unions and their workers as they attempt to emulate Japanese‐style production practices are discussed. Using the case of Ford UK as an example, the causes and effects of the 1988 strike and the withdrawal from the proposed electronics plant at...

The Japanization debate in the UK has moved considerably since first mooted in 1987. On the one hand academics ‐ advocates as well as sceptics ‐ have questioned its continued usefulness as an analytical framework. On the other, there has been greater sophistication, refinement and clarity on...

Purpose – The aim of this article is to supply grounded empirical insights into the forms of negative word‐of‐mouth by front‐line, customer contact employees. Design/methodology/approach – The article adopts a qualitative approach through interviews with 54 front‐line employees in...