Freedom of Association, Freedom of Contract, and the Right-to-Work Debate

The debate over union security arrangements is often presented as involving irreconcilable goals and values. Supporters of union security typically stress their importance to the union’s organizational strength and workers’ welfare. Right-to-work supporters, who favor banning such arrangements, typically emphasize employee freedom and choice. Our approach involves a unique comparison of both perspectives, which shows that neither perspective is completely compatible with safeguarding freedom. We therefore advocate reconciliation based on compulsory worker representation, which preserves the best freedom-enhancing properties of each perspective.     

The changing face of HRM: in search of balance

Current models of HRM suggest that expectations about HR roles are changing as organisations are striving to make the HR function leaner and more ‘strategic’. In our article we explore the changing roles of HRM as they are perceived by different stakeholder groups within the HR profession through the medium of a study examining the diffusion of the concept of ‘the thinking performer’ launched by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in 2002. We explain how the concept of business partnering dominates respondents' talk about HR policy and practice and raise questions about the impact of this in terms of HRM's relationship with employees, employee well‐being and the career paths of HR professionals. We argue that the profession needs to reflect seriously on the consequences of a dominant business/strategic partner framing of HR work, which fails to address the duality that has historically always been inherent in HR practice. We conclude that there is a need for a more balanced HR agenda addressing human and economic concerns in current and future models of HRM.     

Bridge over troubled waters? problems and opportunities in interfirm research collaboration

Effective interfirm collaboration is an incresingly significant factor in technological innovation. A wide and complex range of options exists within collabotative arrangements which affect the outcome and rewards for both partners. Firms are often unaware of the strategic implications of collaborative ventures. While some large firms may be invloved in strategic alliances at the corporate level in order to establish or maintain competitiveness, many remain unaware or unconvinced of the potential for the generation of innovations through collaborations with small, flexible, 'hi-tech” firms. the pace of change and the challenge of international competition threatens Western European firms with a 'technology gap' within a 'disorganized capitalist' setting. Various forms of interfirm cooperation within and across natinal boundaires may be important responses to such uncertainty and amy ultimately provide successful strategic remedies to the situation. This article presents the findings of a recently completed research project in which 27 pairs (mostly small/large) of collaborating, innovative firms were studied in order to examine the strategic and operational issues involued in interfirm research cooperation. Whilst highlighting the advantages of collaboration, and the potential problems for both the small and the large partner, we argue that the adoption of 'cooperative game' rules id vital for successful collaborative innovation. Additionally, we attempt to posit our findings within the current debate on organized/disorganized capitalism.     

Democracy,Veto Players and the Depth of Regional Integration

We examine how domestic political factors influence the type of regional integration arrangement (RIA) that states enter. States can pursue at least five types of RIA, in order of their depth of policy integration: preferential trade agreements, free trade areas, customs unions, common markets and economic unions. We argue that a country's regime type and the number of institutional ‘veto players’ strongly affect the type of arrangement that states choose. Democracies are more likely to form an RIA than other states, a tendency that becomes more pronounced as the proposed level of integration in an arrangement rises. However, all democracies are not the same. As the number of veto players rises, the likelihood of a democracy entering an RIA declines. Furthermore, veto players are expected to have a larger effect on the odds of a democracy forming an RIA, the greater is the extent of integration that the arrangement aims to achieve. A series of statistical tests, based on analysis of all pairs of countries from 1950 to 2000, support our arguments.     

Janelle S. Taylor, Linda L. Layne, and Danielle F. Wozniak, eds. Consuming Motherhood. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2004. ix + 323 pp. ISBN 0-8135-3429-1, $62.00 (cloth); 0-8135-3430-5, $22.95 (paper).

Motherhood imposes a birth of sorts for the women involved,according to the various authors in this exceptionally wellintegrated and provocative volume of essays. Women are rebornto a new status of ‘mother’ and simultaneously asa new kind of consumer of goods—goods in the form of services,consumer products, and even of babies. This volume weds thestudy of consumerism to the anthropological study of motherhoodand represents a genuine contribution to an array of fields,including     

The recession of 1990: An Austrian explanation

Conclusion Deficit spending and money-supply expansion do not eliminate recessions. Theycause recessions. This fact will never be understood unless economists and government policymakers stop trying to micro-manage the economy, and start studying what their actions are doing to the structure of production. Heavy inflation of the money supply followed by sharp cutbacks change the rules right in the middle of the game for millions of businesses in the economy. For the last 40 years, government expansionary policies have stimulated industries to create false and untenable investments. These policies are followed by government corrective actions that destroy those same projects—waste the billions of dollars invested in them, and throw millions out of work. Business cycles are not an essential feature of market capitalism. They are the result of government interference with the market. In the misdirection of labor and the distortion of the structure of production during past business cycles, it was fairly easy to point to the places where the excessive expansion had occurred because it was, on the whole, confined to the capital goods industries... In contrast, the present expansion of money, which has been brought about partly by means of bank credit expansion and partly through budget deficits, has been the result of a deliberate policy, and has gone through somewhat different channels... I do not doubt that in a sense we have today the same kind of phenomenon, but the over-expansion, the undue increase of labor employed in particular occupations, is not confined to a single, clearly defined block such as the capital-goods industries. It is now spread much more widely, and the distribution is much more difficult to describe. It is a field I would wish some statistically minded economist would investigate in order to show how the process operated in particular countries. Friedrich A. Hayek     

Endometriosis,an unknown entity: the consumer's perspective

This paper reports the findings of a consumer‐driven investigation conducted by the Centre for Clinical Nursing Research at Epworth Hospital in conjunction with the Endometriosis Association (Victoria, Australia) aimed at identifying the information and support needs of women experiencing endometriosis. Women's experiences of endometriosis and laparoscopy were examined. A questionnaire was designed to explore women's experiences of, and informational need for, the four categories of: diagnosis of endometriosis, endometriosis, laparoscopy and managing at home. A total of 465 women who had a positive diagnosis of endometriosis, including patients at the Epworth Endometriosis Centre and members of the Endometriosis Association, were included. The data were analysed in terms of frequency of responses and themes that arose from the research. Five main themes consistently emerged from the overall analysis of the questionnaire; these included: lack of communication, no‐one listens, the emotional turmoil, expressions of gratitude to the Endometriosis Association and being young and helpless. Also identified was a lack of understanding of endometriosis and laparoscopy, on behalf of both the patient and the practitioner, which has led to communication of misinformation, extended physical pain and emotional distress. Based on these findings, recommendations were made for education strategies to be focused towards increasing awareness of endometriosis and for information to be disseminated using the preferred printed format and to be made available from gynaecologists, hospitals and schools. Through consumer participation, the information obtained in this study is of benefit to all women who come in contact with endometriosis by (a) validating women's experiences of endometriosis and (b) identifying women's needs in relation to the disease.     

How effective could sanctions against the Soviet Union be?

Zusammenfassung Wie wirksam k?nnten Sanktionen gegen die Sowjetunion sein ? — Der Zweck dieses Aufsatzes ist es, zun?chst optimale Strategien zu untersuchen, die nicht-kausale Wirkungen zulassen, wie sie in einem dynamischen und unbeschr?nkt nicht-kooperativen Spiel impliziert sind. Au\erdem soll die Bedeutung des Einwands der “Nicht-Kausalit?t” in der Praxis beurteilt werden. Wir verwenden ein Optimierungsverfahren, um optimale westliche Handelssanktionen gegenüber der Sowjetunion zu bestimmen. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, da\ die sowjetische Wirtschaft tats?chlich mehr von einer wirtschaftlichen Entspannung, die den Handel verst?rkt, zu befürchten hat als von einem Handelsembargo. Aber die Hauptwaffe ist die Drohung eines zukünftigen Embargos, die deshalb wirksam wird, weil die optimalen sowjetischen Reaktionen auf dieses erwartete Risiko zu einer rapiden Verschlechterung der laufenden Handelsbilanz führen. Der Handelsbilanz kommt ein hoher Stellenwert zu, weil die Entwicklungsstrategie zum Erreichen der sowjetischen Ziele einer Erh?hung von Wachstum, Produktivit?t und Konsum von der Einfuhr ausl?ndischer Güter stark abh?ngt und daher automatisch der westlichen Seite ein wichtiges Pfand in die Hand gibt.

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Résumé Quelle efficacité pourraient avoir des sanctions contre l’Union Soviétique ? — Le but de cet article est, premièrement, d’examiner des stratégies optimum qui considèrent les effets non-causaux implicitement contenus dans un jeu dynamique et sans restriction non-coopératif et, deuxièmement, de donner une estimation de l’importance de la critique ?non-causalité? en pratique. Nous appliquons une procédure d’optimisation pour désigner des sanctions commerciales optimum d’ouest contre l’Union Soviétique. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’économie soviétique en effet devrait craindre plus une détente économique qui augmente le commerce extérieur et moins un embargo commercial. Mais l’arme principale est la menace d’un embargo futur parce que les réactions soviétiques optimales à ce risque anticipé causent une détérioration très rapide de la balance courante de commerce extérieur de l’U.R.S.S. Cette balance est très importante parce que la stratégie de développement pour atteindre le but soviétique d’augmenter la croissance, la productivité et la consommation implique des demandes supplémentaires à la balance commerciale.

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Resumen Cuál es el grado de eficiencia de las sanciones contra la Unión Soviética? — La intención del trabajo es en primer lugar el examinar estrategias óptimas que tengan en cuenta efectos no causales implícites en un juego dinámico no cooperativo sin restricciones y en segundo lugar el presentar una valoración de la importancia de la critica de ?falta de causalidad? en la práctica. Se emplea un procedimiento de optimización para dise?ar sanciones comerciales óptimas contra la Unión Soviética. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto como la Unión Soviética ha de temer más una paz económica que incremente el comercio que un bloqueo comercial. El arma principal es sin embargo la amenaza de un bloqueo futuro, su efectividad debida a que la mejor reacción Soviética ante este riesgo anticipado origina una rápida deterioración de la balanza exterior por cuenta corriente. La estrategia de desarrollo para los fines soviéticos de mayor crecimiento, productividad y consumo, supone demandas adicionales sobre la balanza exterior lo que por fortuna supone automáticamente un importante rehén en manos de Occidente.