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Does It Fit? Drawing Lessons from Differing Labor Practices

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  • Richard Freeman

Abstract

We are attentive to labor practices in foreign lands but as the quotations above indicate, we are unsure about the lessons to be drawn from these practices. Will something that works `over there' work here, or will it fail to `fit' our ways of doing things? Which practices will adapt or evolve into something different in a different setting? Which may catalyse forces that will change our entire system of labor relations? This paper examines these questions regarding the fit or portability of labor relations across borders. Analysing the interrelation of diverse labor practices within a country, much less across national lines, raises empirical and conceptual questions on the frontier of social science, if not beyond. There are issues about how national, company, or union policies actually operate at work places. There are issues about how to model the interactions among unions, firms and the government agencies that regulate labor relations. In this paper I make no pretence to having `solved' these complicated issues. Rather, my goal is to highlight some important aspects of the problem and to begin to develop a framework for thinking about them.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Freeman, 1995. "Does It Fit? Drawing Lessons from Differing Labor Practices," CEP Discussion Papers dp0230, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp0230
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    1. Richard B. Freeman, 1994. "Working Under Different Rules," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number free94-1.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brunello, Giorgio & Medio, Alfredo, 2001. "An explanation of international differences in education and workplace training," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 307-322, February.
    2. Maria De Paola & Vincenzo Scoppa, 2002. "Firms' Training Decisions and Unemployment in Italian Labour Markets," Giornale degli Economisti, GDE (Giornale degli Economisti e Annali di Economia), Bocconi University, vol. 61(1), pages 103-126, June.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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