New Managerial Approaches to Industrial Relations: Major Paradigms and Historical Perspective

Abstract

Any consideration of 'new' managerial approaches to industrial relations needs to be placed in the context of (a) the major relevant historical literature and (b) the historical development of management structures and strategies. The relevant literature is surveyed and from it a framework of analysis is distilled. It is suggested that labour management must be defined broadly to cover work relations, employment relations and industrial relations, rather than confined to union- management relations and collective bargaining. The paper goes on to discuss the development of management structure and concludes that only through a long-term view of management strategy in the context of the total operations of the firm can we understand 'new' managerial approaches to industrial relations.