Understanding Work and Employment: Industrial Relations in Transition

Citation

Barker, S. (2006), "Understanding Work and Employment: Industrial Relations in Transition", Personnel Review, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 119-121. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480610636830

This book provides a collection of 18 papers by leading scholars in their fields which, according to the publisher's description, aim to “analyse, advertise, and criticise the contributions of industrial relations (IR) to social science understanding” (publisher's description). The book's 18 chapters (including the introduction) are divided into three parts, “Disciplinary Perspectives”, “Comparative Perspectives”, and “Future Directions – Issues and Arguments”.

The editors' introduction provides a fascinating, almost “rise of the phoenix” type account of the British IR tradition. This commences with its genesis, through its fall, to its possible renewal as a distinctive but interdisciplinary paradigm. The story is told in the following four stages. Stage one, “New field of enquiry: practitioners, lawyers, historians, and economists”, goes way back to the days of “The Empire” to begin the story, and posits that IR as a field of enquiry was born of the real world labour problems of the time. Stage two, “Disciplinary formation: the Oxford School”, describes how IR evolved into a serious if somewhat insular academic discipline. Stage 3 is in two parts “Paradigm breakdown: the challenge of Marxist Sociology” and “Paradigm breakdown: the challenge of Thatcherism” covers the internal (academic) and external (sociological/political) influences that caused the near demise of IR as an academic discipline. Stage four is also split into two parts, “Salvaging the paradigm: New Labour, Europe, and the new Institutionalism” plus “Salvaging the paradigm? IR or HRM or employment relations”, examines the emerging ideas within IR, and how these ideas may force a change of view regarding how IR as an academic discipline sits in relation to others such as HRM and employment relations.

The first part of the book, “Disciplinary Perspectives” provides an interesting demonstration of the true interdisciplinary nature of IR, and what the editors call “border encounters”. What is interesting here is the juxtaposition of disciplines with longstanding relationships with IR alongside ones which have “a less developed or more overtly contentious relationship with IR” (p. 21), providing a wider perspective than is usually seen with collections of this type. “Sociology and IR”, examines amongst other things, the overlaps and differences in research methodologies between IR and industrial sociology along with the suggestion that, as the boundaries between them become increasingly “permeable”, there is the need for a common research focus on the employment relationship. “Economics and IR” provides a discussion and assessment of the contributions of IR and Economics to the issues of productivity and pay. Although the perspectives of the two disciplines are traditionally divided, it is shown how they do “borrow” from one another to develop or complete an analysis. ”Human Resource Management (HRM) and IR” examines the effects of HRM on IR. The strengths, weaknesses of and the relationships been the two are discussed, concluding with the author positing that the challenge of IR by HRM is to displace a pluralist understanding of the employment relationship with a more unitarianist one, and that the linking of high commitment management to organisational performance threatens the importance of IR for practitioners. “History and IR” traces the routes or IR, and puts forward the idea that many IR theories actually originated form historical research. ”Psychology and IR” looks at the differing viewpoints of the two disciplines and outlines possible reasons for the lack of greater cross‐fertilization between them, one possibility being the less than welcoming stance afforded psychologists by IR scholars. The author posits the possibility that perhaps HRM is a more natural home for psychologists? “Labour Law and IR” examines the contribution each of the disciples has made to the other. The changing nature of State intervention regarding the employment contract from 1906 to the end of the first New Labour parliament and the techniques for doing so are discussed. Following this, an account is given of the state of Labour Law since 1997. “Politics and IR” identifies the influence of politics and the state on the organisational level of IR from three perspectives; firstly, the political significance of IR; secondly, how politics has shaped IR; and finally, an examination of IR using political concepts. “Geography and IR” provides an account of the interaction between the disciplines, and begins by stating that engagement between IR and economic geography is “waiting to happen”. What is particularly interesting in this chapter is a rare glimpse of the roles of space, place, and scale in the framework of IR.

Part 2, “Comparative Perspectives” again provides a series of differing viewpoints, but this time the perspectives differ geographically. “IR in North America” looks at the origin and evolution of IR (including HRM) over the period of the 20th century, as well as the changing relationships and differences between IR and HRM. The chapter concludes on the gloomy note that IR in North America has been dragged down by the great decline in union membership, and therefore, the author pronounces that his prognosis for IR is “guarded”. “IR in Australia” provides an interesting broad brush picture of a number of themes, including; a synopsis of recent changes in the roles if state in IR; an examination of the discipline from a historical perspective; the relationship between IR and HRM; and the future of work and employment in society. “IR in Continental Europe” compares Anglo Saxon (British) and Continental European (German) IR traditions and practices. The chapter also provides a very interesting juxtaposition of the differing research approaches of the two countries. Three scenarios of the future for the differing approaches are posed as most likely; domination by the Anglo Saxon approach; convergence of the two approaches; or continuation the different national approaches.

The final part, “Future Directions – Issues and Arguments”, according to the editors “looks forward to the potential contribution of IR to our understanding of work, employment and society by identifying a variety of key issues and debates which call for new interdisciplinary thinking” (p. 23). “Consumer Capitalism and IR” outlines what the author sees as a crisis affecting the legitimacy of IR, originating from the rise of the customer as an authority figure within organisations and society generally. The chapter progresses to a discussion of the need for unions to move from “blinkered” production based discourse to include a more consumption‐based approach. “Trade Unions and IR” examines three currents of perspectives of workers' interests. These three different types of theory are compared, and the conclusion drawn that if pushed to the extreme they may contradict each other. However if such extremes are avoided, they may actually compliment each other. “Women and IR” begins by pointing out the dominance of IR in academia by men. The author goes on to offer reasons for this situation, and why it needs to be addressed. The chapter them moves on to issues disproportionate research coverage of male dominated employment areas, and suggests new areas of study. “Marxism and IR” provides an insight into the purpose, aims, presence, and values of Marxism and IR as well as associated issues. It concludes that, although Marxism is now given a fresh but limited hearing, the focus of research activity is still quite narrow. “Post‐modernism and IR” looks at post‐modernism within an IR context. The chapter provides outline of the philosophy, and at one point poses an intriguing question regarding the validity of intellectual activity, which certainly provides food for thought. “The Future of IR” looks at the analytical value of the IR concept and provides an indication of possible areas of future development. Overall, the prognosis is good, although it is suggested that IR scholars need to be more assertive and less risk averse than in the past.

I found the book to be interesting in content and logical in its layout. There was a sense of coherence throughout the collection, lacking in some other academic volumes of this type. Although the book as a whole appears to be a postgraduate text, also it would also be of great benefit to undergraduates HR specialists. Outside of academia, the book would be useful to those involved in trade union activities as well as to HR practitioners as not only does it provide a potted history and explanation of IR, it also provides a few pointers as to its practice and possible future.