What is the impact of union structure on the strategic capacity of ational union movements to respond to economic re‐structuring? Focuses on the experience of five countries (Canada, France, Japan, the UK and the US) and their common problems as regards, first, the movement of employment into...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to survey developments in four aspects of collective employment relations (ER) since the mid-1960s: collective representation and organisation; collective bargaining coverage and structure; the collective bargaining agenda; and joint consultation...

Numerous management commentators have suggested that the 1980s have witnessed considerable change in employee relations at establishment level in Irish organizations. However, much of this analysis has been quite vague on the precise nature of such change. Employee relations management in...

Considers the nature of Human Resource Management (HRM) in the Republic of Ireland. Identifies four variants of HRM in Ireland: “soft” HRM; neo‐pluralism; “hard” HRM; and traditional industrial relations. Then considers key areas of HRM policy choice and reviews alternative approaches...

Seeks to contribute to the flexibility debate by addressing the following research questions: What are the European trends pertaining to the use of part‐time workers? How has the situation changed over the past three years? To what extent do organizational characteristics, such as size,...

This paper considers the impact of collectivist and individualist management styles in employee relations on levels of strategic integration in employee relations. The findings indicate a positive relationship between individualism and strategic integration. The findings further indicate that...

This paper addresses the impact of institutional industrial relations arrangements at organisation level on the extent and pattern of utilisation of different forms of employment flexibility. In particular, it evaluates the extent to which factors such as union recognition, union density and...

The common belief is that institutionalised industrial relations has little relevance for the smaller organisation. This belief is consequent on the ideas that problems in industrial relations occur where communications are poor and that “good communications” are an integral feature of the...

This article is based on a survey of personnel practitioners in Irish organisations, aimed at establishing their role and status within the company for which they worked. The principal findings from the survey suggest that the majority of personnel practitioners are afforded a top management...

The transition from school to work: a European perspectiveIn general, a person's employment and educational biographies do not alwaysrun smoothly and in only one direction. Interruptions often occur, or theindividual may begin to move in different or new directions