Employee voice: does union membership matter?

Industrial relations research has traditionally viewed trade unions as the primary mechanism for employee voice. With the decline in unionism in many advanced industrial economies over the past two decades, new direct non-union voice mechanisms have been introduced by employers. This focus on the mechanisms for employee voice, however, fails to take account of employees' perceptions of voice. We suggested that employee perceptions of voice vary between the different levels of an organisation and proposed that trade union membership will be more likely to enhance individual employee perceptions of voice at the wider organisational level. Contrary to our expectations, our analysis of 2,949 employees of a public sector scientific research organisation found that union membership had a significant negative impact on employee voice at the organisational level. The article concluded by offering possible explanations for this unexpected finding and the implications for theory, management and future research.     

Understanding wage restraint in the German public sector: does the pattern bargaining hypothesis really hold water?

German public sector wage restraint has been explained through the presence of a specific type of inter-sectoral wage coordination in the industrial relations system—that is, export sector-led pattern bargaining. First, as a literature-assessing exercise, this paper reviews the literature in industrial relations and comparative political economy (CPE) and finds that (i) the origins and mechanics of inter-sectoral wage coordination through pattern bargaining have never been laid out clearly; (ii) that the mechanisms of the pattern bargaining thesis have never been tested empirically; and (iii) that the CPE literature reveals an export-sector bias. Second, as a theory-testing exercise, hoop tests are performed to verify the pattern bargaining hypothesis. The key finding is that Germany cannot be considered a case of export sector-driven pattern bargaining, opening a new research agenda for the study of public sector wage setting centred on public sector employment relations, public finance, public administrations and the politics of fiscal policy.     

Joining UNISON: does the reform of a union organising strategy change how members perceive their recruitment?

Drawing on survey evidence collected between 2001 and 2012, this article examines whether changes in the organising approach of UNISON were reflected in changes in the routes of entry of new members into the union. The article shows that shifts in UNISON policy were marginal to the pattern of entry into the union. The implications of these findings for the concept and implementation of organising are subsequently reviewed.     

Does workplace industrial action increase trade union membership? An exchange relationship approach to union joining and leaving behaviour

This paper investigates the impact of industrial action at the workplace on union membership behaviour, in the form of joining (by non-members) and leaving (by members). It examines the issue from the perspective of exchange relationship theory. It is hypothesised that industrial action deepens the collective social and ideological aspects of exchange relationships and loosens the weaker individualist economic aspects, causing more workers to join than to leave a union. The data set comprises survey responses of random samples of individual workers continuously employed in the same workplace and collected at two points in time. Logistic regression is employed to analyse the data. The results demonstrate that workplace industrial action is associated with union joining but has no significant effect on members' leaving behaviour. Implications for union organising are discussed.     

Militant and moderate trade union orientations: what are the effects on workplace trade unionism,union-management relations and employee gains?

This paper presents survey findings exploring the claim that trade union militancy will deliver more advantages for unions than moderation (Kelly, 1996). Responses from representatives in two unions reveal militancy is associated with stronger union workplace activity and greater engagement with management in solving operational problems and long-term business strategies. However, there was no evidence that militancy significantly affects many terms and conditions. Moderate trade unionists in this sample were no more likely to hold a unitarist frame of reference. A further factor analysis of the militancy-moderation scale revealed two separate dimensions of militancy - a 'bargaining' and a 'mobilizing' approach. Although finding some expected benefits linked with militancy, different benefits appear to be associated with a bargaining approach and a mobilizing approach. It is suggested the approach taken in collective bargaining may be at least as important as mobilizing union members in securing gains from a militant union strategy.     

New unions in the UK: the vanguard or the rearguard of the union movement?

Between January 1999 and March 2010, 34 trade unions entered the Certification Officer list or schedule in the UK. This article reports on a survey of those unions, discussing the extent to which they represent new forms of unionism and the possible implications for union revitalisation.     

Unemployment persistence: does the size of the shock matter?

One of the stylized facts of unemployment is that shifts in its mean rate between decades and half-decades account for most of its variance. In this paper, we use a statistical analysis based on Markov switching regression models to identify the dates of infrequent changes in the mean of the unemployment rate series of fifteen countries. We find that in most countries, unemployment persistence is much reduced once the (infrequently) changing mean rate, induced by large shocks to unemployment, has been removed. We conclude that the observed persistence in unemployment appears to be consistent with multiple equilibria models and models with an endogeneous natural rate. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the feasibility of monetary union among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: does the symmetry of shocks extend to the non-oil sector?

GCC countries’ output is heavily dichotomized into oil and non-oil. Oil shocks have similar effects on all member countries but little is known about their responses to non-oil shocks. This paper sets out to determine (1) whether aggregate demand (AD) and non-oil supply shocks (AS) are symmetrical across these countries to justify their suitability for monetary union; and (2) whether there is any commonality of shocks with the United States and the three major European countries, namely France, Germany, and Italy, which can warrant the choice of either the US dollar or the Euro as the anchor for the expected common currency of the bloc. We use bivariate structural vector autoregression models identified with long-run restrictions to extract the shocks. Our results show that (a) AD shocks are unequivocally symmetrical but non-oil AS shocks are weakly symmetrical across GCC countries thereby suggesting a monetary union is feasible, but not overwhelmingly; (b) neither AD nor AS shocks are symmetrical between GCC countries and the selected European countries; (c) GCC’s AD shocks are symmetrical with the US but non-oil AS shock are not. Furthermore, there are no significant changes in the results when we aggregate the GCC countries as a bloc. We therefore surmise that the US dollar is a more appropriate anchor for the new currency than the Euro since US monetary policy can at least help smooth demand shocks in GCC countries.     

Visibility in the workplace: still an essential ingredient for career success?

This article explores the extent to which a variety of different absences from the workplace affect perceptions of employee commitment and loyalty, and ultimately, how this ‘temporary invisibility’ might affect career success. Data were derived from 40 interviews (12 women and 28 men) in a public sector agency in Australia. Findings reveal that absences attract substantial career penalties for many employees, not only in relation to gendered flexible work options such as part-time employment and parental leave, but also traditionally uncontested entitlements such as annual and long service leave.     

Europe: single market or political union?

The choice is between single market and political union over-simplified. Even an effective single market requires some political integration. So too does the management of a single currency, advantageous in itself. Neither requires a 'European economic government.' Beyond this, the peoples of Europe increasingly question the need for further supra-nationalism.'Political union,' in the form which frightens people, will not happen. Britain must play a full part in shaping the EU and its unique institutional structures, and prepare to join the euro-zone as soon as sensibly possible.     

Breaking the mould? Innovation as a strategy for corporate renewal

In contrast to studies of HRM and innovation within hi-tech industries or greenfield sites, this paper uses longitudinal data to analyse the attempts of two mature corporations to shift from business strategies of 'cost reduction' and 'growth by acquisition' towards organizations that compete through innovation. The case studies describe how human resource management interventions and the structure of the HR function itself are used as change levers to support the shift in business strategies. By analysing the different organizational contexts, the paper identifies the complex microprocesses that either facilitate or constrain such organizational change. Its contribution lies in considering strategies concerned with innovation in both product and sales and marketing; in tracking these change processes over time using in depth case studies; and in considering innovation as a strategic trigger for corporate renewal.     

Bankruptcy behavior in the NFL: does the overtime structure change the strategy of the game?

Companies in financial distress have an incentive to take on high-risk/high-reward projects, known as ??bankruptcy behavior.?? This paper investigates the activity of bankruptcy behavior outside of the corporate setting by analyzing the effects of the overtime structure in the NFL relative to College Football. In overtime, the first team to score in the NFL wins. In college football, however, both teams in overtime get a chance to score and the winner is decided when one team outscores the other. This structure causes different strategies for the NFL teams approaching overtime relative to college football teams. Using the variance in scoring throughout the game, I find evidence that NFL teams take on more risk late in the game to avoid overtime, or act as if they have bankruptcy behavior.     

Time heals all wounds? HRM and bereavement in the workplace

Over the past two years, there have been many popular press articles about grief in the workplace. Despite this recent COVID-19-related attention, bereavement (i.e., the reaction to a loss by death) has always been a universal human experience. The intention of this short concept statement is to bring attention to and spur HRM research efforts on bereavement in the workplace. Part of the challenge in dealing with bereavement is the empathy-efficiency paradox – the perception that workplace goals often conflict with the needs of bereaved employees. After providing an overview of bereavement, I explain how this potential paradox can make bereavement more difficult – not only for bereaved employees, but for managers and coworkers as well – with formal policies and practices unintentionally disenfranchising grief. I also suggest some ways to address this perceived paradox. Subsequently, several generative research directions are suggested. Given the large role that HRM plays in making the workplace more humane, bereavement seems like a topic worthy of our research attention.     

The construction of career aspirations amongst healthcare support workers: beyond the rational and the mundane?

This article engages with a literature that views the limited career aspirations of low‐paid, low‐status workers as a reasonable response to material and structural constraints. Based on four hospital trust cases studies, the article contests this view, revealing how healthcare support workers in NHS England have retained the cognitive capacity to override such constraints to develop a strong and authentic career goal to become a nurse. This goal is acknowledged by the healthcare support workers themselves as unlikely to be achieved and is therefore presented as a flight from rationality. Its emergence is explained by workplace interactions that allow such an ambition to become taken‐for‐granted. The article deepens understanding of career ambitions amongst low‐paid, low‐status workers, while adding weight to a literature suggesting that career aspirations can be driven by values and norms, not only by a means‐end rationality.     

IR and HR perspectives on workplace conflict: What can each learn from the other?

This paper presents an analysis of industrial relations (IR) and human resource (HR) perspectives on conflict in the employment relationship. While both perspectives recognize the existence of employment relationship conflict, IR's premises about such conflict are that it stems from an employer–employee power imbalance, is enduring, often requires institutional interventions in the forms of unionism and legislation to correct the power imbalance, and can be constructive even when the conflict is dealt with in adversarial, nonproblem-solving fashion. HR's premises about employment relationship conflict, by contrast, are that such conflict stems from poor management, can be partially reduced by organizational and workplace innovations that build an employer–employee unity of interests, can be still further reduced through cooperative, mutual gains-oriented problem-solving techniques, and, as a consequence of improved management, will fade from the employment scene. These premises are then examined in relation to case and empirical evidence on grievance procedures, employment discrimination, and employee involvement/participation programs. The analysis finds some support for, but also important limitations on, each of these key perspectives. Recommendations are offered to enable members of the IR and HR communities to incorporate into their respective domains key lessons from each other's dominant perspective on employment relationship conflict.     

Organized crime and business subsidies: Where does the money go?

Business support policies are widespread in advanced countries, to foster employment and productivity. This paper analyses the role of organized crime in the allocation of public subsidies to businesses. We assemble an innovative data set on the Italian mafia at municipality level and test whether mafia-ridden municipalities receive a disproportionally higher amount of funds. We exploit exogenous variation at municipality level to instrument mafia activity and show that the presence of organized crime positively affects the probability of obtaining funding and the amount of public funds. Organized crime is also found to lead to episodes of corruption in the public administration sector. A series of robustness checks confirms the above findings.     

Developing the e-commerce sector for the fishery industry: What business are we really in?

In this study, we use the theory of the marketing firm to explain marketing relationships between consumers and firms selling fish in the context of developing the e-commerce sector for the fishery industry. We use a unique dataset composed of quantitative and qualitative data to provide a behavioral economic analysis and interpretation. The results reveal interdependent managerial and consumer behavioral relationships, indicating the presence of bilateral contingencies. The results also provide some indication of the theory of transaction cost, where cost-intensive activities are likely to be internalized within marketing firms selling fish.     

Modeling the time to an initial public offering: When does the fruit ripen?

This paper uses a duration model to examine credit unions who have converted to mutual savings institutions. We investigate the characteristics that they possess which might influence the probability that they subsequently demutualize and become publicly traded banks. Our key findings are as follows. First, we find evidence of positive duration dependence in the data we examine. Second, we find that the hazard of an IPO issue increases in two waves. The first occurs between 3 1/2 years to 4 years reflecting the increased transition intensity for those who wish to demutualize early. However, the majority of the institutions in our sample do so by approximately 8 years after conversion, and this is where the second spike in the hazard occurs. Finally, upon estimating the model with Cox’s (Biometrika 62:269–276, 1975) semi-parametric partial likelihood approach, we find the probability that a converted institution will issue an IPO is influenced to a large extent by various measures that capture asset quality, in particular through measures that are equity driven. However, contrary to what is found in the literature on bank transformation, we find that the size of an institution does not appear to influence the hazard rate within this industry.