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Approaches to Industrial Relations

Psychological Approach

Sociological Approach

Human Relations Approach

Gandhian Approach

Human Resource Management Approach

The Action Theory Approach

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(contd.)The Unitary Approach

The Pluralist Approach

The Marxist/RadicalApproach

Webers Social Action Approach

Socio-Ethical Approach

The Oxford Approach

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Psychological Approach Problem of industrial relations lie in the

perception and attitude of the participants.

Study byMason Haire on the behaviour of twogroups, namely, Union leaders and Executives.

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Psychological Approach (contd.)Results of Mason Study:

a)The general impression about a person is radically differentwhen he is seen as a representative of management fromthat of a person as a representative of labour.

b)The management and labour see each other as lessdependable.

c) The management and labour see each other as inadequatein thinking regarding emotional characteristics and inter-personal relations.

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Human Resource Management

Approach The term, human resource management (HRM) has

become increasingly used in the literature of

personnel/industrial relations.

The term has been applied to a diverse range ofmanagement strategies and, indeed, sometimes used

simply as a more modern, and therefore more acceptable,term for personnel or industrial relations management.

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(Contd.)Some of the components of HRM are

(i) HR organisation

(ii) HR planning

(iii) HR systems

(iv) HR development

(v) HR relationships

(vi) HR utilisation

(vii) HR accounting

(viii) HR audit.20/20

Emphasises

individualism & the directrelationship btn

management & its

employees.

Quite clearly, therefore, it

questions the collective

regulation basis of

traditional industrial

relations.

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Each offers a particular perception of workplace relations & will thereforeinterpret such events as workplace conflict, the role of unions & jobregulation vary differently.

The radical perspective is sometimes referred to as the "conflict model",

although this is somewhat ambiguous, as pluralism also tends to seeconflict as inherent in workplaces.

Radical theories are strongly identified with Marxist theories, althoughthey are not limited to these.

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Unitary perspective

The organization is perceived as an integrated & harmonious whole withthe ideal of "one happy family", where management & other members ofthe staff all share a common purpose, emphasizing mutual cooperation.

Has a paternalistic approach where it demands loyalty of all employees,being predominantly managerial in its emphasis and application

Trade unions are deemed as unnecessary since the loyalty between

employees & organizations are considered mutually exclusive, where therecan't be two sides of industry. Conflict is perceived as disruptive and thepathological result of agitators, interpersonal friction and communicationbreakdown.

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Pluralist perspective

The organization is perceived as being made up of powerful & divergentsub-groups, each with its own legitimate loyalties and with their own setof objectives and leaders.

In particular, the two predominant sub-groups in the pluralisticperspective are the management and trade unions.

The role of management would lean less towards enforcing & controlling

and more toward persuasion and co-ordination.

Trade unions are deemed as legitimate representatives of employees,conflict is dealt bycollective bargaining and is viewed not necessarily as abad thing and, if managed, could in fact be channeled towards evolution

and positive change

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Radical perspective

Here IR looks at the nature of the capitalist society, where there is afundamental division of interest between capital & labour, and sees

workplace relations against this history.

Inequalities of power & economic wealth as having their roots in the nature

of the capitalist economic system.

Conflict is seen as inevitable

Trade unions are a natural response of workers to their exploitation bycapital.

Whilst there may be periods of acquiescence, the Marxist view would be thatinstitutions of joint regulation would enhance rather than limitmanagement's position as they presume the continuation of capitalismrather than challenge it.