• Semester 1 (External)

Synopsis

Workplaces throughout the world have undergone many changes  over  the
past  two  decades.   Enormous pressures on the  relationship  between
employers  (or  managers)  and employees  have  arisen  from  economic
globalisation,  increased domestic and international  competition  and
other  political  and  economic  pressures  to  make  workplaces  more
flexible, efficient and productive.  Industrial relations is thus more
significant   than  ever  for  understanding  the  modern   workplace.
`Industrial  Relations  Issues' introduces the management  student  to
some  basic  concepts  in  industrial relations,  identifies  the  key
frameworks  which  govern management perspectives  on  the  employment
relationship,  and  critically investigates the  relationship  between
human  resource management and industrial relations both as fields  of
study and as practice.

Five issues which the student of management will find pertinent to the
workplace in the new millennium have been selected.  The first relates
to  the  basis  on which managers deal with employees.   Managers  may
choose whether to manage their business on collective or individualist
principles.    The   significance  of  these   quite   disparate   and
contradictory   approaches  is  studied,  together   with   collective
bargaining.   Managers, whether they adopt collective or individualist
principles  and  practices are concerned with  the  outcome  of  their
relations with employees, thus the second issue concerns productivity,
efficiency  and  flexibility in the workplace.   Third,  although  the
proportion  of  workers who are members of trade unions is  declining,
Australian surveys have suggested that the majority of employees would
belong  if  they  could.  In this module, students  will  examine  the
purpose  of trade unions and some of the issues associated  with,  and
perspectives on, trade union reform.  The fourth issue relates to  the
question  of  employee participation and employee  empowerment,  terms
which  find  some attention in management literature in the  past  two
decades.  Finally, the unit introduces both the issue of what is or is
not  ethical  and  equitable  in  the  conduct  of  relations  between
employers or managers and employees.  Each of these issues,  while  in
the  main drawing on the Australian experience, are universal  to  the
employment relation experience throughout the world.