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Industrial Relations and Economic Performance

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  • David Metcalf

Abstract

Post-war concern about our industrial relations system has been dominated by three issues - pay performance at workplace, company and national level, and industrial action. In each case the focus of interest is the link between the institutions, procedures and processes of the system and the outcomes that it generates. This paper evaluates evidence on these three issues for the last quarter of a century, since the publication of the Donovan Report in 1968. Special attention is given to information from successive WIRSs. The evidence suggests that (I) industrial action is of minor importance; (ii) the industrial relations system can no longer be held to stymie company performance; (iii) the pay/jobs trade-off is as intractable as ever.

Suggested Citation

  • David Metcalf, 1993. "Industrial Relations and Economic Performance," CEP Discussion Papers dp0129, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
  • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp0129
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. N Millward, 1993. "Uses of the Workplace Industrial Relations Surveys by British Labour Economists," CEP Discussion Papers dp0145, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Nir Klein, 2004. "Collective Bargaining and Its Effect on the Central Bank Conservatism: Theory and Some Evidence," Bank of Israel Working Papers 2004.07, Bank of Israel.
    3. Doh-Khul Kim, 2005. "Unionization, Unemployment, and Growth in Korea: A Cointegration Approach," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 33(2), pages 225-233, June.
    4. Metcalf, David, 2002. "Unions and productivity, financial performance and investment: international evidence," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20072, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. John Benson, 1994. "The Economic Effects of Unionism on Japanese Manufacturing Enterprises," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 32(1), pages 1-21, March.
    6. Zafiris TZANNATOS & Toke S. AIDT, 2006. "Unions and microeconomic performance: A look at what matters for economists (and employers)," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 145(4), pages 257-278, December.
    7. Toke Aidt & Zafiris Tzannatos, 2002. "Unions and Collective Bargaining : Economic Effects in a Global Environment," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15241.
    8. William Brown & Paul Ryan, 2003. "The Irrelevance of Trade Union Recognition? A Comparison of Two Matched Companies," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 6(3), pages 383-408, September.
    9. Millward, N., 1993. "Uses of the workplace industrial relations surveys by British labour economists," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20964, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. David Metcalf, 2002. "Unions and Productivity, Financial Performance and Investment: International Evidence," CEP Discussion Papers dp0539, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    11. Pull, Kerstin & Schneider, Martin, 1998. "Beschäftigungs- und Lohndynamik in hochqualifizierten Unternehmen," Quint-Essenzen 54, University of Trier, Institute for Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Community (IAAEG).
    12. David Metcalf, 1993. "Transformation of British Industrial Relations? Institutions, Conduct and Outcomes 1980-1990," CEP Discussion Papers dp0151, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    13. Metcalf, David, 1993. "Transformation of British industrial relations? Institutions, conduct and outcomes 1980-1990," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20981, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. David Metcalf, 2001. "British Unions: Dissolution or Resurgence Revisited," CEP Discussion Papers dp0493, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    15. S. Dobbelaere, 2003. "Joint Estimation of Price-Cost Margins and Union Bargaining Power for Belgian Manufacturing," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 03/171, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    16. Sue Fernie & David Metcalf, 1995. "Participation, Contingent Pay, Representation and Workplace Performance: Evidence from Great Britain," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 33(3), pages 379-415, September.
    17. Stephen Machin, 1995. "Plant Closures and Unionization in British Establishments," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 33(1), pages 55-68, March.
    18. Addison, John T. & Heywood, John S. & Wei, Xiangdong, 2001. "Unions and Plant Closings in Britain: New Evidence from the 1990/98 WERS," IZA Discussion Papers 352, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. John T. Addison & John S. Heywood & Xiangdong Wei, 2003. "New Evidence on Unions and Plant Closings: Britain in the 1990s," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 69(4), pages 822-841, April.
    20. Metcalf, David, 2001. "British unions: dissolution or resurgence revisited," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20124, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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