Bruce Kaufman provides a detailed exploration of the historical development of the field of industrial relations. He identifies two distinct schools of thought evident since the field's origins in the 1920s, one centered in the study of personnel management and the other in the study of institutional labor economics. The two schools advocate contrasting approaches to the resolution of labor problems. Kaufman traces their development from a golden age in the 1950s through a period of gradual decline that accelerated in the 1980s. He contends that, in the process, the field narrowed from a broad-based consideration of the employment relationship to a more limited focus on collective bargaining.

Breaking new ground and drawing on contributions from the leading academics in the field, this volume in the Global HRM Series specifically focuses on industrial relations.

This book assesses the phenomenon of international framework agreements (IFAs), examining their implementation and impact around the world as well as their promotion of ILO standards. This volume includes contributions from fifteen international specialists to give a comprehensive discussion of the 80-plus IFAs that existed in July 2010.

This book examines industrial and employment relations in the emerging economies of Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Turkey, and assesses the contribution of industrial relations institutions to inclusive development. The book uses real-world examples to examine the evolution of industrial relations and of organised interest representation on labour issues. It reveals contested institutional pathways, despite a continuing demand for independent collective interest representation in labour relations.

This collection examines the evolution of the philosophy and practice of human resource management (HRM) and industrial relations (IR) over the twentieth century. By combining history, contemporary practice, and future trends, these well-known experts present both scholarly and practitioner perspectives. Drawing on in-depth interviews and surveys with HRM executives at leading corporations, the contributors explore key trends and issues facing global companies in such areas as equal opportunity, compensation practices, and expatriation programs. The book also takes an in-depth look at one particular player in the story - Industrial Relations Counselors, Inc., the first non-profit research and consulting organization dedicated to improved HRM/IR practices - which was founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1926, and has played a central role in the development of key labor legislation including the Social Security Act.

The book examines the ways in which collective bargaining addresses a variety of workplace concerns in the context of today.s global economy. Globalization can contribute to growth and development, but as the recent financial crisis demonstrated, it also puts employment, earnings and labourstandards at risk. This book examines the role that collective bargaining plays in ensuring that workers are able to obtain a fair share of the benefits arising from participation in the global economy and in providing a measure of security against the risk to employment and wages. It focuses on a commonly neglected side of the story and demonstrates the positivecontribution that collective bargaining can make to both economic and social goals. The various contributions examine how this fundamental principle and right at work is realized in different countries and how its practice can be reinforced across borders. They highlight the numerouschallenges in this regard and the critically important role that governments play in rebalancing bargaining power in a global economy. The chapters are written in an accessible style and deal with practical subjects, including employment security, workplace change and productivity and working time.