Industrial Relations in Transition Economies: Emergent Industrial Relations Institutions in Bulgaria

East European societies currently in transition to market economies are creating new structures for industrial relations. Transition has ambiguous effects upon the relations between industrial relations institutions and the state. On the one hand, economic pluralism implies separation between state and economy and 'depoliticization'. On the other, economic crises and threats to social order require co-operation between state and unions. The influence of the state is greater because of the embryonic form of employer organization and enterprise-level management. This paper examines the political and economic contexts of industrial relations in Bulgaria, as an example of one type of 'constrained' collective bargaining system. The paper emphasizes continuities between the communist and post-communist period, and the central role of trade unions in the transition process.     

Explaining International Variations in Self-Employment: Evidence from a Panel of OECD Countries

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data from 1972 to 1996 reveals substantial differences in the levels and trends of self-employment rates across countries. This article uses recently developed panel integration and cointegration techniques to explore the determinants of aggregate self-employment rates. We find that within the panel, self-employment rates are positively and significantly related to personal income tax rates and negatively and significantly related to the unemployment benefit replacement rate. This accords a central role to government tax and transfer policies, in contrast to nonrobust influences from macroeconomic variables, which have been widely used in previous studies.     

Allegiance to company or conscience: The case of harding engineering corporation

Employees are sometimes forced to choose between meeting professional responsibilities or following their conscience. Following is a situation where an employee must decide upon a course of action that could potentially cause personal and professional damage to a fellow employee, or possibly harm the company. Several important issues arise as a result of the dilemma-confidentiality, professionalism, legal rights, agency loyalty, personal values, business ethics, to name some. A thorough analysis of the situation will provide a rich opportunity for discussion and learning.     

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

The article covers the history of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the USA and UK and some of the lessons learnt in the UK after the first year of operation. The authors then consider economic issues raised by the initiative and why BIDs will be the best option for some urban centres.     

New Ways of Working: Political–Official Relations in the National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a novel and unusual institutional design. Unlike Westminster style parliaments, it brings ministers and civil servants into close contact. This article considers how the relationships between the two have developed over the first year and a half of the National Assembly for Wales's life.