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Environment Pressures, Managerial Industrial Relations Ideologies and Unionization in Chinese Enterprises

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  • Mingwei Liu
  • Chunyun Li

Abstract

Based on extensive field research in China during 2005–2010, this article aims to explore the determinants of unionization in the Chinese context. We find that managerial strategies toward union organizing and functioning have been critical in determining unionization outcomes in Chinese enterprises. While various environment pressures may impose critical constraints on these strategies, managerial industrial relations ideologies are central in shaping these strategies when environment pressures barely exist or are bearable by management. Our study makes the first effort in exploring industrial relations ideologies in China and contributes to better understanding of unionization in the Chinese workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • Mingwei Liu & Chunyun Li, 2014. "Environment Pressures, Managerial Industrial Relations Ideologies and Unionization in Chinese Enterprises," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(1), pages 82-111, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:52:y:2014:i:1:p:82-111
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1467-8543.2012.00908.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mingwei Liu, 2010. "Union Organizing in China: Still a Monolithic Labor Movement?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 64(1), pages 30-52, October.
    2. Michael Poole & Roger Mansfield & Julian Gould‐Williams & Priya Mendes, 2005. "British Managers’ Attitudes and Behaviour in Industrial Relations: A Twenty‐Year Study," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 43(1), pages 117-134, March.
    3. Chen, Meei-shia & Chan, Anita, 2004. "Employee and union inputs into occupational health and safety measures in Chinese factories," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(7), pages 1231-1245, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tony Fang & Ying Ge & Youqing Fan, 2019. "Unions and the productivity performance of multinational enterprises: evidence from China," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(4), pages 281-300, September.
    2. Alison Booth & Richard Freeman & Xin Meng & Jilu Zhang, 2022. "Trade Unions and the Welfare of Rural-Urban Migrant Workers in China," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(4), pages 974-1000, August.
    3. Wei Huang, 2022. "What sort of workplace democracy can democratic management achieve in China?," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 578-601, November.
    4. Dave Lyddon & Xuebing Cao & Quan Meng & Jun Lu, 2015. "A strike of ‘unorganised’ workers in a Chinese car factory: the Nanhai Honda events of 2010," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 134-152, March.
    5. Morley K. Gunderson & Byron Y. Lee & Hui Wang, 2024. "Worker Congresses in China: Do they matter?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 43-58, January.
    6. Kaifeng Jiang & Wei Shi & Xin Wen, 2022. "Implications of frames of reference for strategic human resource management research: Opportunities and challenges," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(3), pages 303-313, July.
    7. Wei Wei, 2024. "Never cross the red line? Analysing employment relations practices and the behaviour of front‐line managers in Chinese McDonald's stores," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(2), pages 100-118, March.
    8. Andy W. Chan & Ed Snape & Michelle S. Luo & Yujuan Zhai, 2017. "The Developing Role of Unions in China's Foreign-Invested Enterprises," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 55(3), pages 602-625, September.
    9. Pengxin Xie & Lian Zhou, 2022. "Keeping dispute resolution internal: Exploring the role of the industrial relations climate, organizational embeddedness and organizational turbulence," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(2), pages 898-917, May.
    10. Elaine Sio‐ieng Hui, 2022. "Bottom‐Up Unionization in China: A Power Resources Analysis," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 60(1), pages 99-123, March.
    11. Li, Chunyun & Liu, Mingwei, 2018. "Overcoming the collective action problems facing Chinese workers: lessons from four protests against Walmart," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 89066, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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