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The Bases of Compromise in the Workplace: A Theoretical Framework

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  • Paul Edwards
  • Jacques Bélanger
  • Martyn Wright

Abstract

Schemes for workplace participation have long been promoted and vilified. Such conflicting views have been brought into sharp focus by the highly variable results of such practices as teamwork. Yet a theoretical framework to grasp workplace co‐operation is lacking. This paper develops a framework on the basis of theory and a review of a wide range of empirical studies. Capital and labour each have two sets of ‘concerns’: over ‘control’ of the workplace and the longer term ‘development’ of the productive forces. Cross‐classifying these concerns produces a matrix of patterns of workplace relations. Each cell of the matrix represents a different combination of the interests of capital and labour. The matrix can be used to map participation schemes so as to capture their varying features. The next task, pursued elsewhere, is to identify the conditions leading to locations in different cells of the matrix.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Edwards & Jacques Bélanger & Martyn Wright, 2006. "The Bases of Compromise in the Workplace: A Theoretical Framework," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 44(1), pages 125-145, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:44:y:2006:i:1:p:125-145
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2006.00490.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tolliday, Steven & Zeitlin, Jonathan, 1986. "Between Fordism and Flexibility: The Automobile Industry and its Workers - Past, Present and Future," CEPR Discussion Papers 131, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    Cited by:

    1. John Geary & Andrea Signoretti, 2022. "The role of socio-economic embeddedness in promoting cooperation in the workplace: Evidence from family-owned Italian firms," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(4), pages 1867-1890, November.
    2. Paul Edwards & Andy Hodder, 2022. "Conflict and control in the contemporary workplace: Structured antagonism revisited," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 220-240, May.
    3. Knut Laaser, 2016. "‘If you are having a go at me, I am going to have a go at you’: the changing nature of social relationships of bank work under performance management," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 30(6), pages 1000-1016, December.
    4. Surhan Cam & Serap Palaz, 2023. "Mutual interests management with a purposive approach: Evidence from the Turkish shipyards for an amorphous impact model between (subjective) well‐being and performance," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 40-70, January.
    5. Allen, Matthew M.C. & Allen, Maria L., 2015. "Companies’ Access to Finance, Co-operative Industrial Relations, and Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis of the States of South Eastern Europe," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 167-177.
    6. Jimmy Donaghey & Niall Cullinane & Tony Dundon & Adrian Wilkinson, 2011. "Reconceptualising employee silence," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 25(1), pages 51-67, March.
    7. Daniel Nyberg & Graham Sewell, 2014. "Collaboration, Co-operation or Collusion? Contrasting Employee Responses to Managerial Control in Three Call Centres," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(2), pages 308-332, June.
    8. Krzywdzinski, Martin & Pfeiffer, Sabine & Evers, Maren & Gerber, Christine, 2022. "Measuring work and workers: Wearables and digital assistance systems in manufacturing and logistics," Discussion Papers, Research Group Globalization, Work, and Production SP III 2022-301, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    9. Paul Edwards, 2016. "Book review symposium: Huw Beynon, Working for Ford: Men, Masculinity, Mass Production and Militancy," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 30(1), pages 174-176, February.
    10. Thomas Hastings & Danny MacKinnon, 2017. "Re-embedding agency at the workplace scale: Workers and labour control in Glasgow call centres," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(1), pages 104-120, January.
    11. Paul Edwards, 2015. "Critical social science and emancipation: II, development and application," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(4), pages 275-292, July.
    12. Bjarke Refslund & Jens Arnholtz, 2022. "Power resource theory revisited: The perils and promises for understanding contemporary labour politics," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(4), pages 1958-1979, November.
    13. Chiara Benassi & Andreas Kornelakis, 2021. "How Do Employers Choose between Types of Contingent Work? Costs, Control, and Institutional Toying," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 74(3), pages 715-738, May.
    14. Mark Bray & John W. Budd & Johanna Macneil, 2020. "The Many Meanings of Co‐Operation in the Employment Relationship and Their Implications," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(1), pages 114-141, March.
    15. Paul Edwards, 2015. "Industrial relations, critical social science and reform: I, principles of engagement," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 173-186, May.
    16. Jacques Bélanger & Paul Edwards, 2007. "The Conditions Promoting Compromise in the Workplace," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 45(4), pages 713-734, December.
    17. Monica Rolfsen, 2013. "Transfer of labour-management partnership in multinational companies," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 316-331, May.
    18. Bill Harley & Leisa Sargent & Belinda Allen, 2010. "Employee responses to ‘high performance work system’ practices: an empirical test of the disciplined worker thesis," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 24(4), pages 740-760, December.
    19. Valeria Pulignano, 2023. "Management divided: Contradictions of labor management By Matt Vidal. New York: Oxford University Press, 2022. 384 pp. ISBN 9780198795278, $100 (hardcover)," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 61(4), pages 988-990, December.

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