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21 – 30 of over 37000The paper provides an empirical analysis of the development of and perspectives on industrial relations (IR) in Germany. The first part deals with forms and degrees of…
Abstract
The paper provides an empirical analysis of the development of and perspectives on industrial relations (IR) in Germany. The first part deals with forms and degrees of institutionalization, which can be used as measures of the maturity and the potential impact of an academic discipline: IR within universities and research institutes, the professional organization, journals, and textbooks. More recent developments are more in line with those in other continental European states than with Anglo-Saxon countries. The weak, slowly progressing degree of institutionalization leads to the conclusion that IR does not constitute a unitary academic discipline. Nevertheless, research and scholarly interest exist. The second part surveys the structure of scholarly research and disciplinary participation. The German case reveals both common and divergent features compared to other countries. An obvious feature of IR is its disciplinary rather than holistic and interdisciplinary character. Empirical research has been less quantitative, and in more recent times less econometrically oriented than in some other countries. Human resource management's (HRM) institutional as well as personal ties with IR are weak and interdisciplinary debates are rare. Another distinctive feature is the large significance of labor law whose study also follows the strict departmentalization of the university structure in Germany. Empirical research in law is still rare and has definitely no solid position within law schools. On the other hand, industrial sociology has had a substantial impact on IR research for several decades and has covered various parts of IR territory. The third part discusses research topics. For quite some time, trade unions and collective bargaining have been the dominant topic. More recently, the focus of interest has shifted from the meso (sectoral or branch) to the micro (enterprise or shop floor) level. Various forms of codetermination, the institutionalized forms of participation in managerial decision-making, have constituted the other traditional research subject. Throughout the 1990s, the process of German unification constituted a “critical juncture” for IR and was an unexpected new topic. More recently, this kind of “unification research” has come to a natural end. Since the early 1990s, there has been a remarkable increase in scholarly work on IR issues concerning employment regulation and governance within the European Union. Last but not least, some traditionally ignored topics are discussed. Numerous labor market-related issues have been of very limited interest for the core of the IR community. Interest in types of atypical or non-standard employment has remained limited. The same limited attention is true for IR in the expanding non-union sector. Another neglected topic is labor relations in the public sector. The outlook discusses future trajectories of IR research. It is argued that the prospects will be encouraging if younger scholars manage to develop a broader, more integrative definition of the field (e.g., “regulation of all aspects of the employment relationship”).
When subordinates start negotiating among themselves, managers may find themselves in an awkward position. As a senior executive, a department head, a division manager or as the…
Abstract
When subordinates start negotiating among themselves, managers may find themselves in an awkward position. As a senior executive, a department head, a division manager or as the president of a company — at all levels in organisations, managers sometimes find themselves presiding over negotiations. These meetings normally do not have the explicit label of negotiations. Participants are together to take decisions about budgets, office space, computer‐time, responsibilities or the allocation of personnel. These, on first sight, widely differing decision areas have in common that they deal with scarce resources. Claims often exceed what is available.
Christopher G. Worley and Sally Breyley Parker
This chapter provides a rich and thick description of a collaborative, place-based, interorganizational process in the domain of social, ecological, and economic sustainability…
Abstract
This chapter provides a rich and thick description of a collaborative, place-based, interorganizational process in the domain of social, ecological, and economic sustainability. Governmental agencies, businesses, philanthropic organizations, NGOs, consulting firms, and private citizens tried to move from an underorganized and tacit set of ineffective relationships toward a structural collaboration in service of a “place” known as the Cuyahoga River Valley. While the process built momentum and expectations among its participants and other stakeholders, an important outcome of the collaboration did not materialize as planned. The leading actors struggled with scaling a “negotiated order” and leveraging the high levels of commitment among the participants. Despite the setback, many of the aims of the collaboration continue to be achieved, albeit at a slower pace and without a high regional priority. The chapter explores whether the trans-organization development (Cummings, 1984) perspective is a useful model for intentionally intervening in a multi-stakeholder collaboration and the roles that negotiated order (Nathan & Mitroff, 1991) and referent organizations (Trist, 1983) play.
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Mokmin Park, Dongmyung Lee, Kitae Shin and Jinwoo Park
This paper aims to enhance the responsiveness of enterprises with regard to delivery schedules in a supply chain. Based on the observations in industry, it seems that companies…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to enhance the responsiveness of enterprises with regard to delivery schedules in a supply chain. Based on the observations in industry, it seems that companies often re‐negotiate their due‐dates. These phenomena have begun to appear only recently, as a result of the advancements of information technology and flexibility in the supply chain. However, these due‐date re‐negotiation processes are haphazard and ad hoc in nature, and a formal process is needed to respond to market fluctuations more quickly. In this paper, a re‐negotiable order processing method is developed that can change the already‐assigned due‐dates or allow partial shipments to increase the flexibility of firm response to a rush order from a prior customer (PC).
Design/methodology/approach
A due‐date re‐negotiation process is defined and a formal system for handling customer orders is proposed. The new data and business process integration model are proposed for the due‐date re‐negotiation process based on RosettaNet's Partner Interface Processes. Web services and ubiquitous computing technologies are used in the proposed system architecture to allow for responsive sales order management.
Findings
The paper shows that assigned due‐dates can also be re‐negotiated by enhancing the connectivity and visibility of the supply chain with co‐operative customers. In the early stage of the product life cycle or high‐regional demand variation environments, it is better to re‐negotiate due‐dates than to meet scheduled due‐dates.
Practical implications
In some instances, meeting the due‐date requested by a customer relates to the success or failure of a particular sales order. The proposed re‐negotiation method could help the sales offices of the MF to respond to PC requests quickly and flexibly. Rush orders from PC might be acceptable based on the slack gained through the re‐negotiation of co‐operative customers' assigned orders.
Originality/value
There has been a considerable volume of studies on the due‐date assignment, order releasing, and scheduling problems. However, these previous studies considered due‐dates as exogenous parameters or fixed endogenous variables. In this paper, the assigned due‐dates for pre‐contracted co‐operative customers are considered as re‐negotiable variables. On the other hand, most studies on ubiquitous computing technologies, especially those relate to radio frequency identification (RFID), have focused mostly on asset management and processing time reduction. This paper suggests other benefits of increased visibility and traceability of RFID technology in enhancing responsiveness and flexibility in the sales order management system.
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Older people who reside in care homes have varying access and quality of medical care; in the UK, this is provided by general practitioners (GPs). The authors aimed to explore the…
Abstract
Purpose
Older people who reside in care homes have varying access and quality of medical care; in the UK, this is provided by general practitioners (GPs). The authors aimed to explore the experiences of trainee GPs in delivering integrated care and discuss, with senior GPs, opportunities to improve training.
Design/methodology/approach
Two trainees and thirteen senior GPs were recruited through professional networks and participated in semi-structured interviews. Transcriptions were analysed using thematic analysis, and the theory of negotiated order was used to interpret findings.
Findings
Trainees received no specific training on working with care homes. Exposure to the care home setting was variable, and could be negligible, depending on the GP practice placement. Senior GPs expressed concerns about patient safety, due to practical challenges of the consultation and a sense of lack of control. Considering the theory of negotiated order, where GPs had trusting relationships with care home staff, the input of the staff could mitigate the sense of risk. Care plans could communicate needs and preferences within the team and may be a way of extending the negotiated order, for example giving care homes authority to implement end-of-life care when the GP is not present.
Research limitations/implications
The authors identified a need for trainees to engage with the organisational aspect of the care home to deliver integrated care. Trusted relationships with staff led to improved consultations, care plans, and better management of risk.
Originality/value
This is the first study of learning needs for GP trainees to provide integrated care for older care home residents.
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Esben Rahbek Gjerdrum Pedersen and Mahad Huniche
The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of lean implementation in Danish public sector organisations. It is proposed to structure the paper around a theoretical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of lean implementation in Danish public sector organisations. It is proposed to structure the paper around a theoretical model based on a negotiated order perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on interviews with 29 managers and employees from Danish public sector organisations who have been involved in the planning and implementation of lean projects over the past few years.
Findings
The paper identifies a number of factors within the structural context and the negotiation context which are deemed important for the fate of lean projects in the public sector.
Originality/value
The qualitative study brings new insights into the debate on the barriers and success factors in the lean transformation process in the public sector.
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This chapter explores the potential roles and contributions of “marginal stakeholders” in sustainability collaborations. A group of smaller and less powerful NGOs engaged in a…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter explores the potential roles and contributions of “marginal stakeholders” in sustainability collaborations. A group of smaller and less powerful NGOs engaged in a three-year collaboration to build capacity and drive action to address the severe water situation in Beijing, China. That the NGOs were the primary driver of the collaboration provides a unique opportunity to explore and understand whether and how the less powerful constituents of a network can organize to influence such broad, complex, and challenging issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study is the result of a participant action research effort. The author served as researcher, observer, participant, and consultant during different phases of the collaboration.
Findings
Individual members and the network as a whole demonstrated increased capacity and capability, but mostly failed to drive action. By themselves, small and marginal stakeholders have limited capacity or capability to effect large-scale sustainability efforts. With coaching, development, and a shared agenda, they may emerge as a force for change, but there are significant hurdles to overcome.
Practical implications (if applicable)
The successes and failures of a steering committee formed early in the collaboration provide concrete guidelines for anyone who wants to help marginal stakeholders play change agent roles in complex networks.
Originality/value
Very little is known about the role of “marginal” or “fringe” stakeholders in network collaborations. This case demonstrates the potential contribution of these stakeholders but also identifies the hazards associated with their participation.
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P.B. Beaumont, A.W.J. Thomson and M.B. Gregory
I. INTRODUCTION In this monograph we point out and analyse various dimensions of bargaining structure, which we define broadly as the institutional configuration within which…
Abstract
I. INTRODUCTION In this monograph we point out and analyse various dimensions of bargaining structure, which we define broadly as the institutional configuration within which bargaining takes place, and attempt to provide some guidelines for management action. We look at the development, theory, and present framework of bargaining structure in Britain and then examine it in terms of choices: multi‐employer versus single employer, company versus plant level bargaining, and the various public policy issues involved.
Alexander R. Bolinger, Bryan L. Bonner and Gerardo A. Okhuysen
In this paper, we introduce the concept of the “glue role” in groups engaged in creative tasks. An individual crafts a glue role by seeking out and taking on otherwise neglected…
Abstract
In this paper, we introduce the concept of the “glue role” in groups engaged in creative tasks. An individual crafts a glue role by seeking out and taking on otherwise neglected tasks that have the potential to facilitate a creative group's performance. We adopt a negotiated order perspective on roles in groups to examine how a group's emerging social structure provides opportunities for crafting the glue role. We then suggest two mechanisms through which the glue role can facilitate performance in creative groups: the coordination of group members' contributions and the management of group conflict.
Anne Algers, Berner Lindström and Lars Svensson
More collaborative and open learning models are suggested as part of the paradigm shift in the way knowledge is produced, distributed, and used. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
More collaborative and open learning models are suggested as part of the paradigm shift in the way knowledge is produced, distributed, and used. The purpose of this paper is to explore a work-based learning (WBL) model, based on systemic negotiations between actors from the three parties: the academy, the industry, and the students. The purpose is to investigate how teachers, supervisors, and students value negotiated WBL as a boundary activity and to enhance the understanding of the learning potential at the boundary.
Design/methodology/approach
Activity theory is used as a lens to analyse the results from a survey to the three stakeholder groups and interviews of students. The four learning mechanisms are used to explore learning at the boundary between the two activity systems.
Findings
Diversity and mobility in education and work addressed by the notion of boundary crossing are associated with both challenges and a learning potential. There is a constant dynamic between structure and agency, where structure, the negotiated model, influence the individual agency. When gradually removing scaffolding students can as boundary crossers engage behaviourally, emotionally, and cognitively and have agency to handle contradictions at a local level. However, they did not seem to prioritise both systems equally but instead they were gradually socialised into the activity system of the industry.
Originality/value
When WBL is framed by a negotiated partnership it can manage and customise inherent conflicts of interest and enhance individual learning opportunities at the boundary and can be conceptualised as an open learning practice.
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