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Free Essays - Management Essays
International Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management
Introduction
Does employee participation in some countries take on more democratic forms than in others?
Sweden:
Sweden is a country that has both welfare state and private sector elements, within its economical, social and political structure.
The Swedish utilize a system of consensus that is extremely well organized and a centralized bargaining system involving both employers and unions.
Trade Unionism
Considering the trade union movement, the (LO), represents blue-collar workers, consisting of 2.1 million members.
There are also1.3 million Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees. (TCO). This is the white collar sector.
Also, there is the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO), consisting of 479 000 members. These individuals represent professional employees, who have graduate qualifications.
The (LO) and the (TCO) have undertaken a spirit of cooperation which is in general, uncommon as when compared to other similar movements and organizations, in most other European Countries.
This confederation of professional employees actively works with and engages the blue collar workers mainly representative of non-professionals, on a variety of important issues.
These issues include amongst others, agreements on the negation of salary disparities concerning blue and white collar workers and acceptable working conditions.
Concerning employees representative of trade unions, Sweden has the highest voluntary employee representation in the world.
There is a very small numerical difference between white and blue collar, trade union employee representation. Also, concerning self employment, this is the lowest in the EU, at only 8%.
Also, the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO) freely recruits self employed individuals into its member organizations, which is again not at all common, when compared to many other European Countries.
Concerning such organizations and associations, these other EU Member countries mainly argue and disagree, concerning mutually benefiting, common policy.
Also, Swedish trade unions are commonly known for their extremely high organizational success, which is not commonplace for many other EU Countries.
The basic idea behind the Swedish Industrial Relations System, involves a free bargaining methodology between the unions and employers, utilizing as little as possible governmental interference.
Most workers automatically become members of an unemployment insurance scheme, whereby 97% of funding comes from the government.
In Sweden there is great emphasis on achieving societal goals, with regards to industrial relations and human resource management practice.
The unions in Sweden have been both accepted and desired by society and have been seen as positively contributing to overall societal welfare, mainly from a financial insurance perspective. Swedish unions also do not engage in political and religious confrontation and consequent fragmentation, as seen in many other countries, such as for example in Italy and France.
Finally, employers have accepted trade unions as legitimate business partners.
Italy:
Italy has a diverse range of industries which are predominantly part of the private sector. However the government has controlling interests over a substantial range of these private enterprises.
Italy had financial problems in the 1990s, such as massive inflation. However most of these have been remedied, as a result of EU Membership Criteria.
Trade Unionism
Many of Italy's trade unions have only managed to exercise a marginal effect, concerning desired employee policy and implementation. They are also generally not funded sufficiently.
There is substantial lack of synergy within labour movements and organizations.
A great amount of fragmented and independent unions exist. Many of these unions represent narrow interests groups, as these groups have been marginalized by others. Many of these unions are distinctly organized concerning sector interests alone.
This was very much the case in the 1980s, due to extreme wage differences of blue and white collar workers.
This contrasts completely with the Swedish Industrial Relations model, as regards wage criteria differentiation.
During 1993 and 1996 certain agreements were finally reached, mainly concerning collective bargaining on a local level, in order to attempt to reduce bureaucracy.
Conflict resolution often involves a great amount of stressful interaction with regards to the parties involved.
These parties are often involved in lengthy court appeals and at times, state intervention has to occur. Conflict resolution manifested violently is also not that uncommon. All of this totally contradicts with the Swedish Model of Industrial Relations.
The Italian Workforce Employee enjoys virtually an unrestricted mandate for strike action.
France:
The economy also has a diverse range of industries and from this perspective, is comparable to the Italian Economy.
The state enjoys majority ownership of certain types of corporations, such as electricity, gas, aircraft manufacture, railways and telecommunications companies.
Once again, concerning state ownership of certain major enterprises, a distinct similarity exists with Italy.
Trade unionism
Just like with Italy, certain characteristics concerning Industrial Relations Management are of a similar nature:
Entropy has mainly dominated organizational and confederation activities, with regards to attempted industrial relations success.
There have been huge divisions concerning overall ideological, and other related limiting factors, concerning adequate industrial relations and human resource management.
The unions by in large do not manage to exercise many of their industrial relation objectives and can in general, be described as being ineffective concerning levels of democratic participation and implementation, with regards to work issues. It is also, only the government itself that attempts to implement collective bargaining.
Concerning the issue of collective bargaining: At the end of the 1990s, collective bargaining was mainly concerned with the amount of legal working hours in France, culminating in the thirty five hour working week.
Industrial action resulted in certain sectors. Strikes remain a regular occurrence in France, just as is the case in Italy.
Conclusion
The level of democratic employee participation will be assessed within these three countries, as pertains to how they compare with each other, in terms of human resource management and democracy, within the context of industrial relations.
When comparing Sweden to Italy and France, it can be seen that both Italy and France share certain common characteristics regarding industrial relations management and practice. It can furthermore be seen that Sweden is vastly different as regards industrial relations, human resources and democracy.
In terms of human resource management and democracy within the context of industrial relations:
Sweden has both welfare state and private sector elements, within its economical, social and political structure as regards industrial relations:
In terms of human resource management and democratic employee participation, as compared to both Italy and France, distinctive differences exist.
Neither Italy, nor France have such an extensive system of employee welfare, as regards democratic participation concerning the economic and work sector, this participation extending way beyond just economics.
Clearly Sweden exercises management resulting in consequently motivated, productive and fully representative members of society. This is characteristic of highly desired synergy between the workforce and society at large.
This is characteristic of very good human resource management practice and democratic employee participation that permeates all societal levels, while managing to maintain all the core elements characteristic of a democracy.
There is a very small numerical difference between white and blue collar, trade union employee representation. Also, concerning self employment, this is the lowest in the EU, at only 8%:
Again, there are distinct differences, in terms of human resource management and democratic employee participation, as compared to both Italy and France.
In both Italy and France, this type of numerical representation concerning white and blue collar workers, simply does not exist, as mainly fragmented, self-centered organizations struggle to voice their opinion.
This synergy attainment concerning the close relationship cooperation between these vastly different workforce individuals further enhances democratic employee participation, encompassing excellent human resource management practice. This is achieved by avoiding the risk of any marginalized workgroups, as is the case in countries such as Italy.
Also, it seems that quite possibly self employment may not be highly sought after within Sweden, due to extremely good industrial relations, all encompassing excellent human resource management practice and highly democratic employee participation.
Consequently the motive concerning self employment regarding financial independence that exists in other countries such as in Italy and France may not be as strong.
The Swedish utilize a system of consensus that is extremely well organized, encompassing various organizations and confederations and a centralized bargaining system, involving both employers and unions:
Once again, distinctive differences exist, in terms of human resource management and democratic employee participation, as compared to both Italy and France.
Consensus is achieved with great difficulty in both Italy and France and on an inconsistent basis.
With regards to a bargaining system, within Italy, a collective bargaining system is emerging, but only on a local level. Within France, the bargaining system is also limited, consisting of simple government initiation. There is a current lack of an adequate bargaining system as such.
Once again, the Swedish System utilizing general consensus with regards to organization and the whole of the organizational and confederation groupings within a centralized bargaining system, working together as a whole, is indicative of industrial relations synergy.
This is all inclusive of excellent human resource management practice and highly democratic employee participation.
Sweden undertakes agreements on the negation of salary disparities concerning blue and white collar workers and has the highest voluntary employee representation in the world, which is 97% government funded:
In terms of human resource management and democratic employee participation, as compared to both Italy and France, again distinctive differences exist.
With regards to the issue of salary disparity negation in Italy, due to the great amount of fragmented and independent unions representing narrow interests groups, this problem has not been resolved.
In France, also due to union fragmentation and government controlled bargaining initiatives, similar problems exist.
Regarding agreements on the negation of salary disparities, excellent human resource management practice and highly democratic employee participation occurs within Swedish Industrial Relations.
This is as a result of appropriate remuneration being of extreme importance within human resource management.
Concerning the extremely high, voluntary employee organizational representation being government funded, this is indicative of the highly respected position of trade unions and related organizations, within Swedish Society.
Concerning funding, there are also extreme contrasts whereby in Italy for example, the trade unions are not funded sufficiently. French unions also do not enjoy significant support.
Swedish Government funding further demonstrates the Swedish democratically participative, industrial relations system.
Employers have accepted trade unions as legitimate business partners:
Finally, considering the above deductive statement, the level of success and democratic participation within the Swedish Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management System, cannot possibly be underestimated.
The Swedish Industrial Relations System as pertains to Human Resource Management and successful high democratic employee participation, it seems, may be amongst the best in the world.
Through the extremely efficient usage of democratic employee methodologies, utilizing a fine balance between democracy and sustainable management practice, Sweden has succeeded in being at the forefront of industrial relations.
Concerning this discussion, it has been categorically shown and demonstrated that certain countries such as Sweden, utilize more democratic forms of participation within the scope of the work environment, as compared to other countries mentioned, concerning human resource management and industrial relations.
Bibliography
TRADE UNIONS OF THE WORLD
JOHN HARPER PUBLISHING
5TH edition
(2001)
THE EUROPA WORLD YEAR BOOK
Europa Publications
45th edition
(2004)
The Work Environment
2nd edition
Patricia Leighton
A handbook of human resource
Management practice
(2003)
Michael Armstrong
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