Uses the concept of institutional separation to examine changes in the management of industrial relations in an organization studied on two occasions ten years apart. Argues that the concept provides insights into the management of industrial relations, but needs to be modified to take account...

Senior managers in multi‐plant companies are faced by a dilemma: how can they control Industrial Relations centrally, but at the same time allow scope for flexibility? One way of solving this problem is to permit negotiations to take place in the plants, but to regulate this bargaining in some...

Collective bargaining remains the principal institution used by employers for managing their industrial relations. About three‐quarters of all employees have their pay and conditions settled by agreements negotiated collectively with their employer. However, bargaining arrangements take a wide...

Changes are taking place in collective bargaining arrangements and management structures for industrial relations. The Warwick Survey, confirming the findings of previous research, shows that the apparent moves towards the decentralisation of industrial relations are in practice more complex...

Discusses how downsizing has been associated with the move towards lean working in organisations and with having negative consequences for employees. Considers the extent to which downsizing is lean and mean drawing on an extensive review of the available literature. Concludes that downsizing is...

Senior managers of industrial relations in large multi‐plant companies are faced by both centrifugal and centripetal forces and ask: “How can we achieve the benefits of decentralisation while at the same time maintaining centralised control?” In response to these countervailing pressures,...

The management of an enduring relationship between provider and supplier has at its heart an implicit interaction between the valuation systems of the counterparts We take the view that this interaction is conveniently understood through the lens of knowledge management Knowledge management...

Ambidexterity is of central importance to the competitive advantage of the firm, yet to date there is limited understanding of how it is managed. The theorization of ambidexterity is inadequate for complex, practical realities and, in turn, this hinders the way in which it can aid the management...